5,618"Fully healed!" Kamui burst out of the dumpster, happy and relieved to no longer be in it. He leapt into the fray, wooden tendrils lashing out as he saw Moonfish atop of his forest of blades.
The hero's tendrils rose to meet Moonfish's blades, bone and wood grinding against one another. Wooden fragments and teeth flew in different directions as the two clashed.
"FLESH! GIVE ME! FLESH!" The psychotic serial killer ranted as Kamui pushed on, his wood, carved as it was, growing and searing through.
As the battle wore on, Kamui was able to take advantage of a critical weakness of Moonfish's quirk. While he could produce seemingly endless blades from his teeth, the number of blades he could create was actually limited by the number of teeth he had.
Kamui meanwhile, had no such limitation.
His wood tendrils lashed out, matching a tooth with two or three, pushing back with more. He caught the bastard with wooden stakes to the thigh and shoulder, making Moonfish shriek in agony.
Kamui pulled the gored criminal, ripping him away from his hive of blades. Blood spurt from Moonfish's gums as his teeth were torn out. The hero smashed him into a building, making the concrete buckle and crack as Moonfish gurgled.
Kamui pivoted in the air and sent him careening down into the nearby gas cloud.
Unfortunately Moonfish recovered, blades of teeth quickly regrowing and spearing out of his mouth. They slammed into the pavement below to stop his fall. He veered back towards his opponent, his teeth fully recovered as Kamui pulled himself to the side. The building he'd been standing on got a whole spray of tooth-blades as Moonfish now had his eyes fixated on him.
"LET ME! HAVE!" Moonfish screamed. "MEAAAAAAT!"
A storm of blades erupted forth. Kamui raised his arms, wincing as he felt the blades dig into his wooden arms and legs. He roared, his hands and legs erupting out at the deranged serial killer as the wooden mass collided with Moonfish. The two were sent flying into opposing buildings. Kamui crashed through the glass, rolling and crashing against cubicles and desks. He slid to a stop in a tumbled heap, and groaned.
He could still use his arms and his left leg. He could feel the sap drip from his severed right leg, saw the blades retract and dig into the front windowsill. Moonfish pulled himself back. His straitjacket was in tatters, and Kamui could see his bloodshot eyes.
"NEVER. LIKED. VEGGIES!" Moonfish hissed, and with a yell, more teeth-blades blasted forth into the office space. Kamui shot out a tendril and pulled, darting through cubicles as he avoided the mass of blades that cut up the ceiling and floor until he pulled himself out of the building and back into the open.
Concentrating as much as he could, his right arm quickly expanded and grew in size. Looking more like a tree trunk than a branch. With a grunt he launched the mass of wood straight towards Moonfish, who retaliated with a rush of several bladed teeth. However, once they made contact, Moonfish was stunned to find the wood refused to split. Instead his teeth were stuck, lodged deep within.
Without missing a beat, Kamui kept pushing his very heavy wooden ram forward. He bunched up the bladed teeth as he did, forcing the depraved criminal back and sprouting even more branches from both sides of the large tree trunk he'd grown.
The branches quickly stretched outside before curving directly towards Moonfish, who with his teeth firmly stuck, wasn't able to summon them to defend his exposed body.
"Now villain, atone for your sins and face judgment." As the tendrils closed in, Kamui focused and fused the various branches together, forming a crude pair of massive wooden fists.
"Wrath of Gaia."
The two fists slammed into the villain, crushing him between them like a vice. Moonfish let out a gargled screech as air and blood exploded out of his mouth. In quick succession the many trapped bladed teeth snapped under the force of the strike, leaving the villain almost completely tooth-free.
With the strike finished, Kamui pulled the wood back, in particular the wood that had been holding the criminal's teeth in place. The many tendrils finally returned to his arms, causing the shattered blades to fall to the ground. Kamui finally took a breath, landing on a nearby roof.
"That was too close. If I'd been even a moment or two slower… it could've been my end." Sighing at his success Kamui quickly started to grow additional tendrils from his arm, though with a different intent in mind.
"Now, time to wrap you and that dangerous mouth of yours up for the authorities to handle."
However, another gargle caused him to look in Moonfish's direction, stunned to find the villain back on his feet, eyes visible and murderous rage clear in his eyes.
"NOW YOU DIE!" With a mighty leap he launched himself at Kamui Woods, quickly revealing a small set of his teeth had remained unbroken and quickly erupted into blades straight towards the wooded hero.
Kamui could only stare, stunned as the blades closed in. "Too fast!"
A violet flash came by, and Moonfish was swatted out of the sky. Mt. Lady yelled as she grabbed him, ignoring the blades that slashed at her hands before she sent him flying. Kamui saw his body collide with a Mt. Lady billboard of all things, making a bloody smear as it fell back to the ground.
The teeth-blades crumbled, and Mt. Lady turned to Kamui. "Shinji! Are you okay?!" She asked, her hand stained crimson as Kamui stared at his rescuer.
"I'm fine. Just need time, and sun." Kamui panted as he looked up. His eyes looked to her thumb, seeing the bloodstains.
"Are you going to be okay?" He asked, his eyes on her thumb.
She shook her bloody hand with a wince. "Never mind me. You just get your head back in the game. I'll handle these clowns." She sighed in relief. There was a crack in the air and the thud of a body.
"Nicely done." Kamui turned his head, seeing that Edgeshot had arrived, and in his hand was an unconscious youth in green school clothes and a military-grade gas mask. "I was able to handle most of the Noumu, with many of the unique ones locked in battle. I noticed the gas cloud and I went around to find the User, low and behold." He gestured to the groaning kid as Kamui noticed that his hands were tied in a special capture tool, akin to a zip tie and bungee rope.
"That handles that then." Kamui leaned against a wall as Mt. Lady perked up, her wrist beeping as she raised it.
"This is Mt. Lady." She reported.
"I'll go find the rest of the League." Edgeshot assured. "And I will neutralize them."
"They're what?!" Mt. Lady gawked. "Edgeshot!" The Ninja Hero turned. "The Hospital Team with Mirko, they're under attack!"
"What!?" Edgeshot shouted.
Kamui felt dread in his stomach. "Is she-"
"I'm going now." Edgeshot's voice had a sharpness to it as the man walked to the edge. "Handle the League and whatever Noumu are left, then go and help All Might. I'm going to Kawasaki." He gripped his hands.
He was gone in a crack, leaving Kamui to recover while Yu looked sick.
"Spider-Man and the others will be ok." Kamui did his best to assure his fellow hero.
"I know but-" Yu's face contorted into a grimace before she sighed.
It pained Kamui, seeing her like this.
'Please be okay Parker. For her sake...'
(X)
Shoto groaned as he fired another wave of flame down at the barrier-covered Tengai. That would keep him pinned for a moment as he turned, seeing Kirishima get sent flying through a chunk of debris and rolling across the ground.
"Riot!" He shouted, and with a wave of his hand, ice surged down the path as Kirishima jumped to avoid it. Rappa came out like a charging bull and laughed as his rapid-fire punches destroyed the ice.
"Come on Little Endeavor! Hit me with those flames again, I'm tired of all this bullshit ice! Gimme a real fight." He goaded. Shoto saw Kirishima get back onto his feet, panting and bleeding.
But he was smiling still, even his eyes looked hardened.
He had to finish this one attack. It was the only way he could neutralize Rappa.
"Riot! I need you to cover for me! I'm going to end this!" Shoto dispelled both his fire and ice, and Kirishima looked back and grinned.
"Fine by me!" He yelled, sprinting over as the ice burst was shattered and Rappa charged forth.
Shoto took a deep breath as the temperature began to plummet, ice swirling around him.
He had practiced this move in the event of fighting and defeating a fearsome foe, like Wolfram. One that combined both his flames and his frost.
The same technique he used against Midoriya in the Sports Festival, but now he had some practice.
Now to put it to work.
"Hate to cut things short Red, but a job's still a job and Overhaul will have my neck if I let your buddy do whatever he's doing!" Rappa leered as Kirishima took a deep breath and got into a stance.
"Give it your best shot! No matter what happens, I will not be knocked down," Kirishima shouted as he lashed out with a punch. The two fists collided. Kirishima's arm cracked, skin crumbling as the boy shouted, holding his ground as Rappa scoffed.
"Damnit Red, stop making¦ " He punched, catching Kirishima in the jaw, each hit stunning the boy. "This harder!" Then upside the head. "Than it!" And then a blow to the elbow as Shoto heard bones creak, chips of Kirishima's hardening being splintered off. "NEEDS TO BE!"
Kirishima dodged the last blow, whether it was instinct or luck Shoto couldn't tell. More time, he needed more time!
Kirishima leapt up, and with his hardened jaw, he bit into the outstretched arm of Rappa and sank in. His already sharp teeth now akin to jagged rocks, digging deep into the criminal's skin.
Rappa shouted in pain, stunned as Kirishima bled and bit down harder. "Not often I meet a hero willing to fight dirty. Shame I can't enjoy it." Rappa angrily started punching Kirishima over and over, yet his punches were weakened. Blunted by the use of one arm and the awkward position of Kirishima.
Shoto saw the barest hints of a smile as Kirishima was being ragdolled. Shoto felt shadows zoom past overhead, and he turned. Tengai had managed to take advantage of the confusion and appeared right behind Shoto, gun pointed squarely at his head.
"Now hero, I return you to the cycle of Samsara," The mad monk spoke as he cocked his gun, ready to fire.
Yet, to his surprise, white matter splattered on his head which caused the monk to shout in surprise, firing wildly as he was blinded.
The police? Parker? He couldn't tell out of his peripheral vision. He had to focus on his rampaging bull of a target.
Shoto could see that the temperature was getting closer to zero degrees. And then below that as it plummeted, his fingers becoming numb.
Good.
"Get away Red!" Shoto shouted. Kirishima stopped biting Rappa's arm before immediately putting as much distance between him and the brawler as he could.
"Okay then!" Rappa cheekily said as he turned and bolted towards Shoto. "Come on little Endeavor, show me what you've got and make it good. Unless you think throwing more ice is gonna make a difference!"
"I don't actually, which is why" Shoto breathed.
His flames roared as he pivoted, ice and fire clashing against one another in his body, hand aglow as Rappa reared his fist back.
"It's not ice."
He unleashed his superheated fire blast, the same one he fired at Midoriya at the Sports Festival, the man caught off guard as he moved.
The blast surged down the street, blowing cars, debris and concrete to slag as it tore through the empty boardwalk, burning the sand and out to the ocean.
Shoto sighed, taking deep breaths as his numb body somehow still burned with pain. Using a combination technique of that vein was tough.
He turned, seeing Kirishima panting and lying facedown on the ground with dust and debris on him. His classmate's body returned to normal as he gave a thumbs up. He was battered and bruised, but he was okay.
Shoto let out a light laugh, before offering the same gesture, but saw Kirishima's face fall.
He stepped aside.
"Todoro-!"
Shoto was caught with a punch to the shoulder, the boy seeing stars of pain as he skidded across the ground. He felt something snap as he bit down a cry of agony.
"You..." Growled a voice as Shoto rose up, his right hand on his left collarbone as he felt a bulge. It'd been broken!
"...Man, now THAT was a hit, kid. I really underestimated you Little Endeavor."
Rappa was there, minus a burn-covered arm, welts and blisters all over the right side of his body. Even his mask seemed to bubble as he ripped it off, flesh seared and burnt.
Todoroki could barely process any of this development. His entire body felt completely off balance, his head spinning from the hit and it was taking all his remaining willpower to not vomit.
"This fucking hurts! " Rappa grinned in spite of the obvious pain he was in. "You got me real good there kid. Can barely feel my arms right now."
Trying to fight through the pain Shoto raised an arm, trying to conjure ice but the position Rappa was in...
He'd catch Kirishima in whatever quirk he used, fire or ice!
"As it is, I've got maybe one good punch left in me kid..so what do you say?" Rappa panted. "One last blow, last man standing wins! SOUNDS GOOD TO ME!" Rappa howled as he charged.
BANG.
Shoto's ears rang for a moment, and his vision was blurry.
He heard coughing as he saw gas slowly gather around the towering Rappa who was struggling with his beak-mask destroyed. He swung his arm, and charged forward.
Unfortunately for the villain, white matter splattered against his burn crusted arm, making him stumble and seethe in agony. A staccato of shots rang out as Rappa was pelted by paintball bullets all over.
Shoto could see the drones as they swarmed all around Rappa and fired a barrage of coin-sized pellets of webbing from their underbellies.
Parker didn't mention having an army of drones.
"Gaaaaah! Damniiiiit!" Rappa fell to the ground, covered in webbing before a small canister was launched, gas being emitted as he thrashed and yelled before his actions slowed down. "Hnnngh! Haaaa... fuck..." He let out a mild yawn and his face slumped to the ground.
"Apologies for the delay." Said a female voice as a drone hovered close to Shoto as he sat up, Kirishima crawling over to him. "Are you alright?"
"Forget about that." Todoroki struggled to speak, feeling like his head was gonna crack open. "What about that other one, Tengai?"
"Neutralized. We had to use a combination of a flashbang, sleeping gas, and our payload of fluid to neutralize him." The drone spoke. Shoto blinked, ears finally not ringing as loudly, enough to recognize the voice.
"Karen-san?"
"With help from Creati." The drone replied. The earth cracked and quaked. "She's busy making more of us as we speak. I'm sending a relay beacon to officers and first responders to arrest those two and to give you treatment. You're showing signs of a concussion, Todoroki-san."
On that he was more than certain, yet his attention quickly shifted to the earth cracking and shaking in another direction. Near the hospital, where Mirko had been fighting Overhaul.
"I'll be fine. Mirko-san needs help." Shoto rose up, rubbing his arm.
"Yeah, we gotta give her backup!" Kirishima did his best to rise to his feet, but hissed as he leaned against a wrecked car.
"Kirishima-san you are in no condition to fight" Karen admonished. "And neither are you Todoroki. You have a broken collarbone."
Shoto however refused to listen as he forced himself to his feet and started to walk forward. "I'm not just going to sit here and wait! have to help them."
"Todoroki-"
"I won't sit by and watch my friends get hurt!" Shoto barked. "Get something to stabilize my arm, my collarbone, painkillers, anything!" He shouted as Kirishima leaned against a ruined car, the floating drone's camera zooming in on the determined student. "I won't stand by." He gritted out through clenched teeth. "Not when I can make a difference."
"Very well. I will send a drone to find painkillers. But you will need immediate medical attention within the hour."
"Fine. Do it." Shoto breathed, closing his eyes. He had to focus. Breathe. Then he will join in the fight against Overhaul, and this battle will end.
(X)
Mirio grunted and gasped as he avoided another knife slash from the blue-haired psychopath. He struggled to hold up Tamaki again, trapped in a frantic dance as he accumulated more cuts.
Blink had done well to teleport in and out, with Mirio unable to risk going on the counterattack, lest he leave Tamaki alone for her to kill. It didn't help that his friend kept reflexively moving despite his condition, and Mirio's arms were getting sore holding up a boy who weighed north of 67 kilograms.
Blink laughed, eyes wide as she charged forward in a sprint. Mirio's mind spun as he tried to regain his equilibrium.
Mirio did a partial sink with his feet, launching up as his knees sank to the floor and he shot up, avoiding a slash from the teleporting Blink.
'From the time she teleported, she was twenty meters away. It took me just about a second, or two, to sink down and rocket up.' Mirio's eyes were glued on the annoyed bluenette as he lashed out with a kick, but she blinked away, this time by ten meters.
'She has a limit to her quirk, but it's not how many times she can teleport.'
Mirio did not want to do a thought experiment, such a gamble with Tamaki's life was out of the question.
"Mi..rio...!" Tamaki groaned out. "Timing!" He uttered.
Timing? For what? Intervals between her blinking out of reality?
Mirio focused on his opponent, who charged when she was about twenty meters away once more.
That's right, the building as a whole looks to be about sixty meters in diameter with a thirty meter radius.
Mirio jumped to the side, avoiding another slash as he felt Tamaki move, this time sticking his arm out as Blink lashed out, catching his forearm, but the knife only met cowhide. He heard Tamaki grunt, and he jumped back.
He sank once more, about down to his waist before he took off, landing near the ledge of the building as she stood near the middle. He had speed, but her quirk could negate it.
She snarled, turning back as Tamaki struggled and writhed in his grip, blood dripping from the cuts.
Thirty meters away.
She blinked, and Mirio threw Tamaki into the air towards the side of the building with all the core and arm strength he could muster.
He felt her presence and went intangible as he lashed out with a backhand on the surprised bluenette, his hand meeting her cheek.
"POWEEEER!" Mirio roared, and sent her flying. She landed on the ground in a skid, screeching as her face slid against the pavement. He sank into the floor.
He heard her snarling like a feral animal. "Pet-chan! Kill him!" Mirio sank into the floor.
She blinked again. Mirio rocketed up, going intangible as he blasted through the building. He caught Tamaki in his arms and landed on the ground, avoiding her strike. He looked down, seeing the boy groan a bit before he turned and lashed out with his leg as he angled the wounded boy in his arms away from their lunging attacker.
He lashed out like a horse, catching her in the gut.
'Your Quirk has a cooldown per distance factor!' He thought as the Chinese girl crashed into the opposing building through a window.
Mirio panted, feeling adrenaline flow through him as he heard a gunshot. His finely trained reflexes kicked in as he went intangible, causing Tamaki to hit the ground with a groan, yet it proved the right call. A bullet flew through Mirio's currently intangible torso, practically in a position to where it would've not only seriously hurt him but also potentially hit Tamaki as well.
Unable to find the shooter, he quickly picked up Tamaki and bolted as fast as he could, making sure to bob and weave with each step through the parking lot to avoid being an easy target. Thankfully several ambulances and police quickly came into view, causing him to run faster.
"Help! He's hurt!" Mirio called out, gaining their attention as they trotted forward and collected Tamaki. One of them was a young hero girl with a unique nose, and horns on her head.
"What about you kid, you look like you've seen some action." One of the paramedics approached him, but Mirio waved him off.
"Nah, I'm fine, worry about him for now." Despite offering the medic a calming smile, Mirio couldn't keep it up as he finally took stock of his surroundings.
He looked towards the crater deep within Jionoshi Ward, seeing the blasts and sky parted from All Might's battle with that masked villain.
A wave of soreness promptly hit him. True he'd avoided serious injuries, but fighting at full throttle for extended periods would wear anyone out. Thus Mirio opted to take a seat by the ambulance for a moment, his eyes on his best friend as he was being checked and patched up.
"Hey, you there." Mirio asked as a nurse checked on Tamaki, the blonde-haired girl turning. "Weren't you at UA? You know, the Sports Fest?"
"I was, yeah." The girl replied, her Japanese accompanied by a distinct accent as Mirio grinned.
"Funny, I go there too! I'm a third year myself."
"Well that's good to-" They were cut off as massive explosions sounded out a mile away, and the girl's ears perked up as the two blondes turned.
They saw a body flying out, avoiding thrown cars and firing blasts down below.
"Bakugo!" She uttered, gritting her teeth. "Mezzanin!" She called out, the one senior hero in different colored patches turning. "That hero down there needs help. He needs backup."
"Bakugo? wait, he's your classmate?" Mirio asked. The girl didn't respond to his question. As the elder hero approached, Mirio stood up.
"I can help in defense if need be. Just need a minute to catch my breath." Mirio said.
"If that hero doesn't have backup, fall back." Mezzanin said, and the girl nodded. Her horns popped off her head and she hopped onto each, more horns growing back in an instant as she flew off.
"Heh, cool quirk." Mirio mused as he sat back down, looking for any signs of Blink. Someone had to be on the lookout for that slasher, and her Pet-chan.
(X)
Katsuki roared as he fired blasts down at the rampaging Muscular. The villain tanked every AP Shot he fired and trudged through their surroundings like a rhino in a china shop.
"Come on! Where was the punch behind those blows from before?" The villain leered. "Are you just playing keep away now? So disappointing!" He reached over, pulling a lamppost out of its foundations before chucking it at him like a javelin.
The blonde dodged, but he could hear the sound of cars being crunched and more screams.
They were moving farther and farther away from the blast radius that All for One guy made. But that only meant they were getting farther away from potential support.
And closer to civilians.
Katsuki snarled and blasted down towards Muscular even as he felt his ribs ache. He was going on adrenaline, any more damage to his midsection and he could risk his lungs getting punctured.
Muscular laughed and swung a mighty arm as Katsuki dodged before firing a searing blast at his back. He heard him grunt, and he followed up with a backhand.
He could only punch and slam with his arms. No kicking motions. Can take and deal punishment.
Muscular quickly turned around as Katsuki brought his arms together.
With a bright and loud flash, he blinded the fucker, who screamed from the searing light. Bakugo ducked a swipe as countless muscle fibers quickly sprouted to protect his now exposed and vulnerable head. Likely to protect him and to adjust to the darkness after being blinded.
Bakugo reached for the pin on his right gauntlet and pulled.
With a fiery blast, he consumed the whole street in fire and fury. Muscular was sent flying as Katsuki panted and his arm spasmed. The recoil from that sweat-loaded blast was tough.
He felt a shadow loom and he blasted out of the way. Avoided being caught by a thrown bus that exploded on contact with a nearby building. He landed and glared ahead as he heard quaking stomps.
Through the fire and flames, the mass of muscle waded through, but the head wasn't seen. Still blinded.
But the fibers were scorched, twitching and seared.
That had to hurt.
Katsuki had one more full gauntlet blast. He had to hit him right in the body behind all that muscle!
Sadly his blinded foe wasn't gonna let that happen as his massive arms grabbed two burnt cars and threw them… in his general direction, but missing Katsuki wildly.
He could roughly track Katsuki through his explosions, but only if they occurred quickly enough.
He took a deep breath, and the blonde began to sprint towards the blinded muscle mass. If he could only get in close!
Muscular's head still wasn't visible, the red mass writhing as Bakugo aimed with his fist over his palm.
"AP Shot." He uttered, his new move firing a controlled fire bolt right at Muscular's exposed knee.
He heard Muscular roar, followed by a massive arm swiping in his direction. Bakugo hit the floor, the mass going overhead as the villain overcommitted to his swipe. Fibers committed to the bus-sized arm as Bakugo saw the muscles protecting the body leaving to extend Muscular's reach.
He had fewer muscle fibers now for defense due to that singular offensive strike!
He blasted out at him, and aimed with his gauntlet as he reached for the pin, ready to pull at point-blank range!
Complete Victory was in his gras-!
"Sike!"
Bakugo felt a human hand lash out, decking him right in the face. He felt something break as he pulled the pin, the resulting blast going wide. He saw stars as Muscular's fist drove him into the pavement, his body aching all over as blood pooled in his mouth.
He saw the leering killer's head loom out, grinning ear to ear with his eyepiece looking like some kind of monstrous eye, his normal eye blazing with bloodlust.
"You thought I'd fall for such a cheap trick, ya stupid brat! I'm able to get little peeks through my fibers!" Muscular goaded as his foot came down on Bakugo's chest, though much slower than it could earlier in the battle.
It pressed right where his broken rib was and Katsuki screamed.
"Not so cocky now, huh? Don't expect me to end this quick!" The blonde psychopath grinned ear to ear. "I'm gonna enjoy watching you squirm after that flashbang trick of yours."
He pressed down harder, and Katsuki felt something break as he lashed out with both hands to blast at his tormentor.
Unfortunately, the fiber-covered hands of Muscular smashed down on his hands to interrupt the attack. The crushing force was agonizing, his Gauntlets now being used against the young hero as the limbs were being crushed.
"You're crafty, but not good enough, kid." Muscular leered, leaning in closer as Bakugo breathed hard, and he could feel Muscular's breath. He coughed and Bakugo felt something bubble up.
With a hack, a large bubble of blood burst out of his mouth.
"There it is! Ya bled nicely today." Muscular laughed in triumph. "You gave me a good pain too. But you know what they say." Muscular leaned back and picked up Bakugo while holding his arms out wide by the hands. "All good things must come to an end. Now, which arm goes first?" He tugged. "Right or Left!" He began to slowly pull and Bakugo yelled, arching his back as his legs tried to lash out and kick, but Muscular's reach was too much. Muscular cackled loudly and proudly.
It hurt. It hurt so much. His chest. His wrists. His hands. His arms. They were being crushed!
He couldn't breathe.
He felt the slime in his throat. The arms around his neck.
Katsuki yelled, feeling something primal come out as his hands erupted in fire and flame. He blasted away the muscle fibers, destroyed the buildings to his right and left as Bakugo fell to a heap. He panted, breathing as Muscular yelped and stumbled back.
"Well, got a little more fight in ya huh?" Muscular raised his hand, the burnt fibers gathering around to form a massive fist.
"Now di-!" Muscular yelped as someone crashed right into his exposed head hooves-first. Saliva and his breakfast spewed from his lips from the blow.
Tsunotori Pony had rushed in with a diving missile dropkick which sent Muscular stumbled and crashed into a nearby bus.
"Bakugo!" She yelled. The girl fired more horns from her skull, lifting him up to his feet as he stumbled. "Get out of here!"
Katsuki felt a familiar ache swell within him. Not from his broken ribs. Not from his fractured wrists or hands.
He had been saved.
Again.
'Am I... really that weak?' He thought to himself, eyes wide as Muscular turned, eye glaring at the girl but his grin widened.
Muscular leered, wiping blood and spittle from his mouth. "Now, lemme see you-Gnh!" He took a step and stumbled, his massive body writhing with muscle as Pony stood between him and Katsuki. More horns fired from her head, forming a floating phalanx around the girl in orange.
"Try me, when ya got a concussion!" Pony shouted. Her horns helped lift Bakugo by the arms, one even at his backside as if he were on a swing set to try and get him away.
Her horns wouldn't be able to penetrate through those fibers, no matter how many she shot at him.
"Got some fight in you girly, too bad. Looks like this li'l horsy gonna need to be put down!" Muscular shouted as his muscles grew and he charged, his arm cocked for a mighty blow.
Bakugo felt his body move.
His broken hands raised, he brought them together as he pushed Pony away from the villain's right-handed slam.
He blinded the villain again, his attack going wide and shattering the street as he blasted off, his arms searing in agony as Pony floated atop some of her horns.
"Your arms are injured! You can't fight this!" Pony said. "Let's fall back and-"
"No."
"You fucking what?!" She barked in English. Pony looked about ready to mule-kick the bomber square in the head, only for his completely serious face to stop her cold.
"We let him go... he'll kill any civilian he finds." Katsuki breathed, tasting blood on his lips. "I know his type." He took deep precious breaths, and with a shake of his arm, removed the padding and whatever was left of his gauntlets on his arms, freeing them of the vice there. "We have to put him down here... or..."
Something bubbled inside him. It wasn't breakfast or blood, yet it felt sickening all the same.
"We draw more backup. But... We will make this a victory. We save the people... by kicking his ass." Katsuki leered. "So follow!" He wasn't sure if it was delirium or adrenaline, but he smiled nevertheless.
"MY LEAD!"
He blasted off, adrenaline blocking out the pain, hearing Pony's frustrated sigh before she followed after him.
He dashed forward, using his blasts to increase his running speed as Muscular laughed and swung. "THAT'S THE SPIRIT KID!" Muscular yelled.
He used an explosion to dodge above the swipe and used another blast to attack. Each detonation caused his arms and hands to scream in pain. Pony fired her horns, and their combined attacks shredded and sliced at the fibers, but they kept growing back.
Muscular kept his upper body covered in his fibers, head included to prevent another blinding.
He had to move with those legs of his, and they were exposed!
"The legs!" Bakugo yelled, and the horns blasted off, and as Bakugo's explosions drew the blinded villain's attention, the horns came in and sliced at the calves.
He saw two spurts of blood, and the villain fell to his knees like a stringless puppet. One muscular mass propped him up as fibers went down to support his legs, leaving less for the upper body.
He remembered All Might's words from some random interview.
"If you feel yourself hitting up against your limit, remember why you started down this path."
He felt his arms glow, his hands blazing like twin suns.
His parents.
The kids from the fire.
Those brats behind him.
"And let that memory carry you beyond your limit!"
The damn girl who came to his rescue.
"GO BEYOND!" Bakugo yelled, as he began to spin, his arms blasting as he spun like a top down at the villain. "PLUS ULTRA!"
He blasted forward like a missile, fire and fury erupted from his arms as Muscular roared. The hulking muscle man swung with his titanic arm. But the entire mass was smashed into the ground as Pony slammed down on his forearm with both hooves like a pile bunker. The villain was knocked off balance, leaving him open to a furious Bakugo's assault.
"HOWITZER!"
"Gnh?!" Muscular's eye, the part of his head still exposed, was wide in shock.
"IMPAAAAACT"!
Bakugo blasted at him, full force. His fury was even stronger than his own Gauntlet blasts as his skin burned and his arms shattered from the explosive force.
Bakugo was sent flying backwards from the force of his own blast. He skidded along the ground, rolling as he felt the pain be diluted by the adrenaline. Yet he felt it all over his chest, his arms, and his hands.
He did his best to take deep breaths, and he felt a shadow loom as he opened his eyes, Pony by his side.
"You okay?" She asked, her big blue eyes wide with concern. Bakugo turned over, seeing the razed and destroyed street leading towards the crater.
An unconscious and wide-mouthed Muscular lay in a heap, burnt all over with his fibers seared and scorched.
"Oh fuck, your hands!" She yelped in English, and Bakugo didn't want to look. "The skin's gone! I'll take ya to an ambulance!" She said as sirens became audible in the distance. "Well, speak of the devil! Okay, let's get ya up." Katsuki felt some horns shift under him as he felt himself being levitated up like he was on a hovering gurney.
Katsuki kept his breathing stable as his body hurt all over. "Why did you come for me...¦" He uttered, Pony looking down.
"Cause I'm a hero too, Bonehead." She muttered. He coughed as he closed his eyes, seeing the paramedics approach and he could hear them talking with Pony. He heard some policemen and heroes run off to the side, all running towards the incapacitated villain that he would have sent to Busan if he could.
He was put aboard an ambulance, and the paramedics went to work.
"Need me to stay with ya?" Pony asked, poking her head in.
"Don't mind me and do your-" He coughed, his body in pain as the adrenaline faded. "Job."
"Alright. I'll see about finding more civies to help. Then I'll come to ya, kay?" She smiled, and he felt her pat his leg.
"Whatever." He saw her leave, and the ambulance shifted into motion. He'd taken down a dangerous villain, with help. Everything hurt and ached.
He'd been saved but...
It didn't hurt as bad as before.
He felt an oxygen mask be applied over his mouth, likely with an anesthetic to put him to sleep.
He could use a nap.
(X)
All Might grunted as he plunged into a building, crashing out the other end and skidding to a halt. With a dash to the side, he avoided a tank-sized bullet of molten slag.
"Come now, All Might! Where's that bravado from before!?" All for One shouted as he flew through the building. His rings of molten slag providing him with the means to tear right through like a hot knife through butter.
All Might fired several blasts of air at him with his punches, the blasts slamming against All for One's makeshift shield of fire and slag. He saw the swirling rings buckle, some spray even getting on his enemy's black suit.
The rings all formed into a singular mass, and All for One fired it at Toshinori. With a jump, he avoided the blast that erupted beneath his feet as he swung his arm to fire an air blast from his fist. It slammed into All for One, and he was sent back into the building with a crash, more debris and ruin falling down around them. Toshinori bolted into an alleyway, and finally let out an exhale.
Toshinori closed his eyes, leaning against the brick wall as he took his time to catch his breath. Ever since his first few strikes, All for One had been playing keep away.
He'd been hiding a long time. Despite whatever healing quirk he possessed, he hadn't fully healed from their last fight. The Demon King needed that apparatus and with all the damage it sustained, he couldn't afford to take many more hits.
Toshinori's hand drifted to his aching side. He knew a thing or two about fighting through pain.
All for One clearly didn't.
However, he couldn't muse over this line of thought for very long.
"Hide and seek All Might? Do you really think a few walls of concrete and glass will cloak you from me?"
All Might's eyes widened as the wall he was leaning against exploded, sending him skidding across the street with All For One hovering above.
"After you robbed me of most of my senses, I've had to compensate with numerous sensory amplification quirks. As it stands there is no place you can run or hide where I can't find you."
The villain's arms quickly started to inflate as he aimed his palm at the downed hero. "Now then, let's continue where we left off shall we?"
The building next to him got hammered with an air cannon blast as All Might blitzed away, swerving through various alleyways and streets.
Ahead of him he saw a nearby gas truck and an idea quickly formed. Lifting it high, he immediately turned and like an Olympic javelin thrower, hurled it straight at All For One.
The villain quickly sensed the projectile coming, and just as quickly aimed a blast at it.
All for One's air blast met the speeding gas truck and a bright fireball lit up the sky, All Might smiling at the sight. The massive plume of smoke and flame was immediately blasted away, revealing the still alive but visibly burned and damaged villain.
"A clever trick, All Might. Seems you've finally learned to use your brain after all these years. Perhaps tearing out your stomach was a blessing in disguise."
All Might grit his teeth angrily at the unshaken villain as he charged forth. "Maybe, here let me thank you properly!"
"Minnesota Smash!" He punched into the air, strong bolts of wind blasting forth into the air as his arms became a blur. "Rush!"
All For One immediately raised both his hands and enlarged them again before unleashing his own blasts of air, considerably larger than All Might's barrage.
The Number One Hero immediately stopped his attack as the blasts collided. Sending massive shockwaves through the air that shattered windows, walls and the road itself. The air blasts also went into the air and into the clouds.
Quickly All Might leapt into the air ahead of the destruction.
"Predictable as always."
Outside of the smoke and dust from the debris, the long black and red tendrils from All For One's Forced Activation quirk flew towards him.
All Might, however, didn't panic. Quickly using the force of his legs he propelled himself to the ground and took his own stance.
"San Francisco!"
He brought his left leg down with a quaking stomp.
"SMASH!"
The streets buckled and caved, debris flying upward to block the oncoming tendrils. Water spurted out of pipes and explosions erupted from buildings as All for One took to the skies to avoid shrapnel.
All Might hid under some debris to gather himself. He could see the ground darkening thanks to the numerous clouds forming above. Not from the smoke and debris, but the clouds themselves.
And the rain came down.
All that metal around his head!
All Might bolted out of cover and ran down the street as All for One spotted him, firing black tendrils and wind bolts from his hands.
With well placed punches and dashes, he avoided the blows and continued to blur down the street. He spotted a crane, leaping up and grabbing the hook as the entire multi-ton construction vehicle shifted. With a twist and a heave, All Might ripped the massive hook and cord clean off the massive machine.
Without missing a step, he rapidly began spinning the massive crane hook and cable like a flail, kicking up a massive windstorm. The heavy piece of metal easily battered away the many tendrils the villain sent at him.
Glaring at the villain, All Might quickly switched tactics and with a flick of the wrist, sent the multi-ton piece of steel straight at All For One at a speed comparable to a missile.
"Yet another predictable tactic. Are you even trying to defeat me, All Might?" All For One gloated as he blasted the massive crane hook off course, forcing All Might to pull it back.
All Might however, was actually smiling as he reeled back and started spinning his weapon for another strike.
"What can I say, I'm a stubborn kind of guy. You should know that by now."
Undaunted, All For One prepared another blast. "Then I suppose you can take that sentiment... to your grave!" His arm expanded as far as it could go and he prepared to fire.
However, mere moments before he prepared to launch, his quirks suddenly vanished.
"What?"
It wasn't just his Air Blast, but his Air Walk suddenly gave out as he felt his body start to fall. What's more, even his sensory quirks were gone, meaning the only thing he was still aware of was All Might's voice.
"Seems your senses failed you again All For One, or perhaps you were simply too focused on me to detect the obvious."
All Might continued to smile like a fool as someone walked up beside him, All For One only able to make out the sound of footsteps and nothing more as his body began to fall.
"You're a reckless idiot, you know that All Might?" The still glowing red eyes of Shoto Aizawa blazed as he came to a stop to the right of All Might.
"Come on Aizawa, the hero always has to arrive at the last minute to save the day. Especially now."
With his enemy now completely helpless, All Might quickly spun the massive crane hook as fast as he could. The speed it moved at made a loud cry that left All For One visibly sweating, completely unable to retaliate or react.
"Now, time to finally end this, All For One."
With a mighty swing, All Might threw the hook high into the air before then pulling it down. The heavy crane hook's shadow hovered directly over the villain before it plunged toward the ground, All Might summoning every bit of strength he could to make sure this was the final blow.
'Do your best, Toshinori'. The last words his teacher gave him before Sorahiko hauled him off that oil rig.
'Teacher. Watch me!' Toshinori saw her, Sorahiko, his comrades in the hero industry, and his students flash before his eyes as he saw All for One's empty sockets widen in shock and fear.
'I will make a future worthy for you!' He thought of Young Yaoyorozu. Young Bakugo.
Young Parker.
Melissa.
Midoriya.
"New York!" His weapon, the ball, met All for One in the face, smashing through the black mask and shattering his mouth along with it. "LIBERTY!"
He followed through with one last mighty pull.
"SMAAASH!"
And sent the Symbol of Evil right to the ground, multiple city blocks buckling and caving as a crater erupted forth. Twisters emerged from the vacuum of wind and sent gales in all directions.
All Might lifted his head, eyes blazing blue as he tossed the massive crane to the side, the mangled construction vehicle causing a quake.
All for One laid in the crater, unconscious and mouth agog, teeth ruined and jaw almost torn off.
He heard a helicopter and looked up, seeing one fly close by.
His hero costume was in tatters, a hole in his shoulder.
'Whenever you're down and in the dumps, just raise your fist in the air like you do not care Toshi!' His mother's voice chimed through his head. 'Let the world know you're here, loud and proud!'
Toshinori smiled, raising his fist high in the air in triumph as the brief storm passed, the sun shining through.
Big thanks to IKnowNothing , Ld1449 , WildJoker000 , Buried In Ash and Vandenbz for their help on this.
So yeah, no Peter vs. Overhaul. Yet. That's next chapter. Had to resolve some fights in various theaters, mainly the Jionoshi Ward battles, alongside revealing Momo and Karen getting together to help slowly turn the tide.
All Might originaly was going to use the crane for All for One to capture, levitate and crumple to make one of those Avatar State metal-slag rings, and use a lightning strike from the altered weather to stun, but LD said it was too unbelieable and shouneny and hated it sooooo the team opted for Aizawa to neutrlize his sensory quirks instead. And for All Might to use a crane to bash in AFO's face in.
Also more Bakugo and Pony interaction, with Bakugo going Plus Ultra. For the Blink fight, Tamaki despite ebing injured and exhausted, was able to observe and make note of Blink's Quirk(cooldown is related to distance) while Mirio was fighting for his and Tamaki's life.
Good news, Chapter 60 has been written. Just needs editing and polish. And likely some rewrites, so I may lose the ending scene there which would have been a nice nod to the Avengers too
Oh well. the price to pay for an amazing, even if a major shounen-hating, editor. Still love LD tho.
Hope you all enjoyed. See you all in the next one.