Location: Central Walkway, Flood Zone Edge
Water dripped in erratic rhythm from the pipes overhead. The broken edge of the flood zone sloped upward into a jagged incline of cracked concrete and twisted steel — a half-collapsed walkway that had once connected to the observation platform.
Izuku, soaked to the bone and panting hard, hauled himself up over the side, boots slipping for a breathless moment before Momo grabbed his wrist and steadied him.
"You okay?" she asked, eyes scanning him quickly, voice sharp but calm.
He nodded, though his body ached. His fingertips were still faintly glowing, wisps of red and green sparks flickering between the creases of his fingers. The further they got from the Nomu's initial emergence, the more distant the sensation became — like a hum receding into fog.
"It's getting stronger," he muttered under his breath. "That thing… there's something wrong with it. Not just Quirk-enhanced."
Momo's brow furrowed. "Later," she said. "We need to find the others."
Together, they crept forward, skirting around chunks of rubble and fallen piping until they found movement — and voices.
Iida, Uraraka, Tsuyu, and Kaminari were already there, along with Jirou, who was nursing a slight cut above her brow but otherwise standing strong. Iida's glasses were cracked, and his arms were slightly bruised, but he remained upright with the dignity of someone trying desperately not to let anyone panic.
"Midoriya!" Iida called, eyes bright with relief. "Yaoyorozu!"
Uraraka's face lit up instantly. "You're okay!"
Without hesitation, she ran over and threw her arms around them both briefly before pulling back with flushed cheeks.
"We've been trying to gather everyone not injured," she said. "Some of the zones are blocked, and Aizawa-sensei—he's—"
"We saw him fighting," Izuku interrupted gently. "He's holding his own."
"For now," Jirou said grimly, arms folded. "But that smoke villain's still floating around, and something big crashed through the upper wall."
"It was… a creature," Tsuyu said quietly. "Not just a villain. Not exactly human."
Her throat bobbed. "I think it hurt Aizawa-sensei."
A beat of silence.
Izuku inhaled through his nose. The magic still thrummed in his fingertips faintly — weaker, but present. He could feel the corrupted threads in the air, like wires stretching between tensioned poles.
Momo glanced at him, and they exchanged a silent, private look. She felt it too. Not clearly, not sharply — but enough.
"Then we move smart," Izuku said, voice quiet but steady. "Regroup everyone. Prioritize injured. And stay low."
"Do we fight?" Kaminari asked.
"We survive first," Momo replied. "Then we fight if we must."
They all nodded.
From the other direction, Tokoyami, Sero, and Shoji emerged from the smoke, Shoji's multiple arms helping support a limping Aoyama, who was muttering dramatic apologies in between exaggerated gasps.
The class was coming together — ragged, bruised, but alive.
"I can make shields," Momo offered. "Tasers too. Smoke grenades."
"Shock traps," Izuku added. "If we lure that thing into a bottleneck, we might slow it."
Uraraka's hand lifted slightly. "I can lighten debris—make things easier to move."
"Then we stick together until we find more teachers," Iida said firmly. "President Yaoyorozu. Strategist Midoriya. Lead the way."
Momo blinked once.
Izuku blinked twice.
That was new.
But there was no time to question it.
She nodded slowly. "Alright then. Follow my lead—quietly."
The air in the USJ training facility grew heavier, charged with an unseen tension. The usual clang of training drills faded to a nervous silence as a guttural, otherworldly growl rolled through the vast underground halls. Villain scattered all over. Shadows warped unnaturally under the flickering overhead lights, the atmosphere thickening with menace.
From the depths of the facility, a towering shape emerged—an unnatural colossus of sinew and steel, its pale, veiny flesh pulsating faintly with a sickly green and crimson glow. The creature's eyes flickered with an eerie light, crackling faint sparks of chaotic magic that danced over its knuckles like wildfire.
Izuku felt it immediately—a fusion of quirk power and raw, arcane energy that unsettled even his instinct-honed senses. His fingertips sparked with tiny red and green flares, a silent warning that this was no ordinary foe. Momo, standing close beside him, tensed, her gaze sharp as she fingered the smoke pellets strapped to her belt, ready to act.
The Nomu's massive feet thundered down the hallway, each step sending vibrations through the concrete floor. Its muscles bulged unnaturally, and its savage roar shattered the brittle quiet.
The students nearby froze, wide-eyed and panicked, caught off guard by the monstrosity charging toward them. Some stumbled, others shouted warnings, but the mass of terror pressed forward without hesitation.
Suddenly, a commanding voice sliced through the chaos.
"Stay back! Move to cover!"
Aizawa appeared, stepping into the Nomu's path with grim determination. His tired eyes locked onto the creature, measuring its speed and strength. Without hesitation, he activated his quirk, extending his capturing cloth in a sweeping arc designed to restrain the beast.
The Nomu snarled, its claws slashing through the air, and in the ensuing struggle, the cloth wrapped tightly around Aizawa, pulling him dangerously close to the creature's iron grip.
With a brutal swipe, the Nomu struck him, the impact knocking Aizawa to the ground with a heavy thud. A sharp, pained grunt escaped his lips as blood seeped from a deep wound on his shoulder. But his eyes never wavered from the creature.
Izuku's breath hitched. This was worse than he imagined. Aizawa had thrown himself into the fray to protect everyone, but the toll was clear.
Momo's voice was a low, urgent whisper. "He's hurt. We have to help."
Izuku nodded, fists glowing faintly with protective runes as the magical energy within him surged in response to the danger. He exchanged a quick glance with Momo—silent communication born of countless hours training together.
The Nomu, distracted by its battle with Aizawa, took a momentary pause, claws still thrashing but slowing. It bared its teeth, sensing the new challengers.
"Get back!" Aizawa barked weakly, struggling to rise despite the searing pain.
Aizawa-sensei was barely conscious, slumped against the rubble, blood soaking into the dirt. Thirteen was injured. The other students were panicked, scattered, wounded. There was no time.
"Iida!" Izuku shouted, throat raw. "Go—get the professor! Get help—NOW!"
But the monster was too fast.
Too close.
Too strong.
Instinct screamed. So did his soul.
Izuku slammed both palms into the cracked concrete, his fingertips burning with chaotic energy as a ripple of green light exploded outward in a perfect arc—a shield, not unlike the ones from the ancient runes he studied, but born of panic and sheer will.
The Nomu's fist collided with the shield mid-swing.
BOOM.
The impact shook the ground.
The shield held—not fully stable, flickering like fire trapped in glass—but it stopped the blow. The Nomu reeled, confused, stumbling back a step as crackling magic fizzed across its arm.
Iida stared, frozen.
"I said GO!" Izuku barked, his voice not just desperate—but commanding. "Now's your chance! He's distracted—GO!"
But Iida didn't move just yet.
Because he wasn't just looking at the Nomu anymore.
He was looking at Izuku—glowing, wild-eyed, one arm raised protectively in front of the class, and the other braced against the shimmering magical barrier. The green light made the shadows dance across his face, like something ancient had awakened inside him.
And in that moment, Tenya Iida realized—
Izuku Midoriya wasn't just trying to be a hero.
He already was.