Chapter 7: Villain attack
Third Person POV
In a large room, spacious enough to fit at least fifteen people, a tense meeting was underway.
"…I am sure he will make it. Just wait a little longer," Star and Stripe said, anger flashing in her eyes.
Both police officers and heroes were present, with Cathleen representing the heroes as the No. 1 Pro Hero in the United States.
"We've waited long enough! It's been sixteen hours since we lost contact with our spy. We should just storm their headquarters and wipe them out already," one hero snapped impatiently.
Cathleen remained silent, watching the heated back-and-forth. 'There are still five minutes left until the agreed time.' She noted, glancing at her watch.
Just then, the doors to the room burst open. A man stumbled in, clutching a USB stick in his right hand.
"We got it… we got the intel!" he panted, before lowering his gaze. "B… but our spy didn't make it."
Silence fell across the room. Some clenched their fists in anger, others bowed their heads in respect for the fallen comrade who had given their life for this intel.
"Show us," Cathleen commanded, breaking the silence.
The man hurried to the projector and displayed the contents of the USB.
The room fell quiet once again as the images appeared on screen.
"Thi… this is madness…" one officer muttered, hands trembling.
The heroes wore grim expressions, waiting for Cathleen to take charge.
"As we can see, the place we previously believed to be their headquarters was nothing but a diversion. If we had attacked, it would have been a complete waste of time," Cathleen began.
"We underestimated Leonard Smith's madness. Who could have predicted he would rally so many dangerous villains to his cause?"
She straightened. "The attacks are set to happen in two places simultaneously. We'll need to split our forces."
"I think the targets are New York and Washington, D.C.," the Police Chief interjected. "It's a ploy to separate you from the others. You'll have to go to New York, to ensure the Statue of Liberty doesn't fall. If they bring it down, it will be a symbol—one that spreads fear far and wide."
"Their numbers are too great! If we split, we'll be crushed!" one hero blurted out.
Cathleen smiled faintly. "Isn't that what heroes are supposed to do? Does it matter how many enemies there are? Don't forget—our duty is to protect the people, no matter the odds. We are the peacekeepers. We are heroes." Her tone was unwavering.
"Some of you will come with me to New York. The rest will protect Washington, D.C. We leave in one hour. Make your preparations."
With that, the meeting ended. Soon only Cathleen and the Police Chief remained.
"We can't fail, Star. I know this is too heavy a burden for one person, but I must ask you to bear it," the Chief said gravely.
"It's been a year and a half since Leonard tried to use Melissa Shield to manipulate David," she replied. "We've been chasing him ever since. And now, finally, we have the chance to end his madness." Her eyes hardened. "I'll be damned if I don't."
"Good," the Chief said simply.
Cathleen leaned back. "And what about that vigilante? Hero. Why haven't we caught him yet?"
The Chief sighed. "He's slippery. We can't pin him down. One day he's in Washington D.C., the next he's in Philadelphia, then Pennsylvania. He never stays in one place too long. And since he's helped so many people, the victims often don't report him—he's beloved by the public. Honestly, given the rising crime rates in recent years, I'd say he's been more help than harm."
"But it's not like we've learned nothing," he continued. "The first time he was sighted, he was described as short. We assumed he was just a small man with strong abilities. But in the most recent sighting—when he busted that human trafficking ring and rescued the kids—he was about 160 cm tall."
He paused. "It's a kid. A damn kid playing hero. One hell of a strong kid, but still. And looking for him in these massive cities is like searching for a needle in a haystack."
"Hahahaha! A kid's been leading you all by the nose?" Cathleen burst out laughing.
Her laughter eventually subsided, and she said more soberly, "Well, at least he hasn't done anything bad. For now, let him be."
The Chief just nodded.
Moments later, the door opened and another officer stepped in. "The forces have been stationed secretly at the target locations. The moment the villains attack, civilians will be evacuated immediately."
They hadn't evacuated people yet on purpose. The civilians were bait, to lure Leonard out.
'He'll come. Even knowing one of our spies leaked the plan, he'll come. Without an audience for his grand ideals, he'll lose the point of it all.' Cathleen thought grimly.
"Then let's move. What are we waiting for?" she said, rising.
The group marched out. Today would be etched into the memories of many—especially the one they called Hero.
...…..
Aaron's POV
Finally! The last day of school. Soon, I'll be moving to Japan. I'll get to see All Might up close… and all the main cast too.
"Why are you smiling and drooling like an idiot?" James asked, eyeing me suspiciously. "You didn't even hear me, did you?"
"Don't mind me, man. Go ahead, I'm listening," I said quickly.
"I was saying you could have stayed over. We could've played some games," he said, a little disappointed.
Yesterday, I was invited to dinner at James's house. His parents wanted me over since I'll be leaving next week. They're good people.
"You know I'm leaving for Japan. I've got a lot to prepare for, so I had to leave early," I lied smoothly.
"Does that mean… we won't see each other anymore?" he asked quietly, gaze lowered.
Right then it hit me. I'm his only friend. Being quirkless meant everyone else ignored him. Now I felt guilty.
"Don't worry. We'll meet again. And we can always stay in touch," I reassured him. His face lit up instantly.
"And when you awaken your quirk, you'll become the hero you've always wanted to be. Maybe we'll even fight villains together one day."
If I don't find him a suitable quirk this week, I'll give him my sixth quirk—the one I took from the leader of that human trafficking gang. The memory of those children, locked away and broken, still made my blood boil. I'd beaten the bastard so badly he died. But not before I took his quirk. My first elemental quirk.
"You… really think I can still awaken a quirk? I'm almost twelve," James asked, doubtful.
"Yeah. Just keep training your body like I told you. Maybe your quirk needs a strong body to awaken."
James reminds me of Midoriya—kind heart, selfless, determined to save others. Since we became friends, I've taught him how to build his body, and he even joined a martial arts gym. He's already stronger than most kids his age. And once he gets a quirk, he'll shine.
He nodded as the teacher walked into the classroom.
After a few boring lessons, the school day ended. "Enjoy your vacation!" the teacher called, as kids rushed out.
I bid farewell to James and started walking home, my thoughts swirling.
'What will I do once I reach Japan?'
I will have about two years till the start of canon and three till I join UA.
I'll need a plan to deal with All for One. He's more than just a villain. The destruction he caused in the anime cannot be allowed to happen here.
Because this isn't an anime anymore.
This is reality. And if someone dies here, they stay dead. Forever.
One way is to eliminate the villains who would've played key roles in the battles against the main cast. Another is to make sure the main cast becomes even stronger than their anime counterparts.
BOOOOM!
A thunderous explosion rocked the ground, snapping me from my thoughts. The tremors alone told me how massive it was.
Without hesitation, I sprinted toward the source.
When I arrived, the sight froze me in place.
The ground had been leveled. Debris was everywhere. Burned and mutilated corpses littered the area.
Heroes and police scrambled desperately, trying to save who they could, but many had already perished.
Rage welled up inside me, burning hotter than fire. My fists clenched. My vision blurred red.
And then—I vanished.
...…
Third Person POV
BOOOOOOM!
The explosion shook the city, tremors felt kilometers away. The stationed heroes and police managed to save many civilians, but a number still perished in the blast.
In the heart of the explosion site, cracks splintered through the air itself. They widened, forming a massive circular portal.
From it, two men stepped through—one young, one old. The younger took the lead, the elder just a step behind his right shoulder.
The young man spread his arms wide and whispered with a grin:
"Let the madness begin."