Chapter 4: Somebody Dies
The sound of explosion reverberated throughout the building but Todoroki could barely hear it over the pounding of his own heart in his ears. Proxima's blade whistled by him. No matter how many ice walls he threw out and no matter how many bursts of flame he threw she kept coming.
A figure darted in the corner of his vision. He turned to see Corvus' face an inch away from his. Todoroki jumped back to get some distance but it was too late. He felt the jagged blade rake across his ribs. He landed heavily on his feet and stumbled his back crashing against the wall. His hand went to his wounded side. Ice would be more soothing the cold killing his nerves before the pain hit him but it would limit his movement might slow him down. He felt the searing heat as he cauterized the wound.
He looked up from the pain to the two warriors slowly closing in on him, smiles on their lips, murder in their eyes.
Outside, Bakugo's ears were still ringing from the blast. He looked toward Yuga his eyes straining to see in the dark after the flash of the explosion. Yuga was crouched down and in front of him Kirishima stood his arms up in a defensive position.
"That all you got big guy?" Kirishima called out. He had taken half a step when his leg crumpled in front of him he tumbled to the ground his unbreakable body crunching some broken glass as he dropped. "Never mind." He said weakly. "Sorry guys. That's it I'm done."
Bakugo looked around. A small chunk of metal was right next to him. He grabbed it a leapt to his feet swinging it hard into Gallowglass' glowing head.
"I'm not!" He yelled. Gallowglass staggered forward Bakugo kept hammering away. His legs, his arms anything to keep the hulking villain off balance. "Your stupid armor can absorb my quirk huh?" He said, slamming the metal into leg sending him sprawling. "Guess I'll have to crack you open the old fashioned way!" He swung again but Gallowglass threw up his arm, blocking the blow. Bakugo felt the force of the smash reverberate through his arms. He saw Gallowglass wind up a punch and threw the metal up to block it in turn but the glowing fist of his enemy crashed through slamming him back into the ground.
"You can try little one, but without your quirk you're just as weak as any other member of your insignificant species." He kicked the shattered weapon away. Bakugo pulled himself back on his feet.
"We'll see about that!" Bakugo leapt into the air bringing his grenade gauntlet down hard on Gallowglass. The gauntlet shattered into pieces off of the glowing villain's skin but he remained unfazed. Gallowglass pulled back his fist and Bakugo braced himself.
Inside Todoroki was out of options. He felt hollow, he had stretched his powers and his body to their limit. Every motion was pain as he ducked out of the way of Corvus' blade and into the path of Proxima's. He braced himself for impact, but it never came. The spear bent suddenly and Corvus jumped back in shock as the spear splashed onto the floor now a molten pile. Todoroki looked past the pair and saw his father looming over them. His arms crossed, glowing in the dim room like a flaming specter of justice.
"Both of you. On your knees. Now." Endeavor's voice boomed. Corvus suddenly leapt forward a knife appearing in his hand.
"You think we're afraid of you?" His hand burst into flame in midair and before he landed Endeavor threw a punch sending the monster crashing into the opposite wall.
"You should be. As for you…" Endeavor turned to address Proxima but she had vanished.
"Nice timing." Todoroki said sinking to the floor to catch his breath.
"One important lesson son." Endeavor said. "No one finds it impressive if you save the day in the NEXT to last second."
Outside Gallowglass threw his hands to his ears as a wall of sound crunched into him. Jiro stood defiantly staring him down.
"You think your attacks can harm me?!" The lights swirled inside him like a storm. Jiro shrugged.
"Maybe not but I bet his can." She pointed behind him. Before Gallowglass could react a giant shadow beat tackled him to the ground. The creature's body extended back and attached to Tokoyami, a bird like student wrapped in flowing black cape.
Bakugo was pulled away from the clash he turned to see his rescuer, a dark haired girl in a revealing hero costume named Yaoyorozu. He pulled away from her but her grip tightened.
"Bakugo, relax. You did a good job but we got this." He grumbled.
"Shouldn't you be up there?" He pointed toward the tower. "With Endeavor and the stone?"
"There was a change of plans. You're welcome by the way." Bakugo looked over at the fight. The two seemed even matched, Gallowglass' punches having little effect on the shadow beast but he lifted his hand as Bakugo felt his stomach sink. The blast was loud and powerful but more importantly bright. The shadow cowered sinking to a fraction of its size as Gallowglass charged Tokoyami to press his advantage. Jiro knocked him away with a sound wave and charged back into the fray.
"Can anything stop that monster?" Yaoyorozu said she stiffened, her mind went into overdrive to think of a weapon.
"Can you make a laser the same frequency as Yuga's?" She looked at him quizzically.
"I guess. I mean it might take some time to get right, but sure, why?"
"Earlier when Yuga blasted him, it was the only time I've seen that bastard scared I think that frequency can pierce that freaky armor of his." Yaoyorozu smiled.
"That sounds like a Deku plan, Kacchan." The mention of his childhood nickname made Bakugo's hair stand up.
"Just shut up and make me a laser." He said picking up a piece of his shattered gauntlet.
Inside, Endeavor helped his son to his feet.
"You shouldn't be here. You need to be somewhere safe guarding the stone." Todoroki said pain playing across his face as he felt the wound in his side stretch.
"I'm not going to sit in some tower while children fight my battles for me Shoto." His eyes flicked down to his son's injured side.
"Are you going to be alright?" Endeavor asked something that looked to Todoroki oddly like concern on his face.
"I'll be fine." Todoroki said. He wasn't sure how effective he would be in a fight but he'd be dammed if he let the old man see him being weak now.
"Good, You've done enough today. Get all of these kids to safety. I'll handle the rest." Without looking back Endeavor marched away through the hole.
Outside. Tokoyami misjudged a blast and landed half a block away leaving Bakugo and Jiro alone facing Gallowglass.
"We aren't making a dent in this guy. We need a new plan." Jiro huffed. She wiped the sweat from her eyes.
"We just need to hold him back a little longer." Bakugo growled his arms felt like they were full of lead. The pair readied themselves for another attack when someone emerged from the hole in the building. The attack was lighting fast. Before either of them could move Proxima had slammed her foot into Jiro sending the young hero skittering across the ground. Bakugo turned, she wasn't immune to his blasts he could take her out fast and keep Gallowglass busy a little longer but before he could counterattack a glowing blue hand wrapped around his throat.
"Excellent work Proxima. Kill the others. I'm taking care of this one personally." He glared at Bakugo. There was a black border around his vision and it was getting hard to see what was around him. Proxima lifted her spear to throw at Yaoyorozu who was still desperately forming the laser.
"My pleasure." She threw the spear but it stopped inches away caught suddenly by Iida rushing in. Deku dropkicked the monster sending her flying back into the waiting Ochako who with a touch sent her flying with a yelp into the air and crashing back down with an ear splitting crash and a pained moan.
Gallowglass dropped Bakugo in disbelief.
"How many of you people are there?"
"Enough." Yaoyorozu replied a beam of energy hitting him square in the chest sending him to the floor like a ton of bricks. He staggered to his feet and she leveled the laser at him again.
"Wait!" Deku called. "I can feel the energy coming off him. He's gone unstable." Gallowglass laughed.
"That's right. My body is made of neutron-degenerate matter. Without my armor my whole body is an unstable reaction ready to explode and take your whole worthless rock of a planet with it."
"Hold on we can figure something out we can stabilize you."
"Don't bother. I'd rather burn this whole world and let my father take the stone from the ashes than fail him. None of you has what it takes to stop me!" A hand gripped his he looked up into the flaming face of Endeavor as he plunged his fist into Gallowlgass' broken armor and pulled it apart. The heat and light of the explosion were tremendous all focused on a single point. When it was over Endeavor stood holding the empty shell.
"What have you done?" Deku asked in disbelief.
"Don't question me, boy. I did what I had to, to keep the world safe." Then he felt an ache in his head then a pain and soon all of them were lying on the ground trying to hold their heads as a blue woman in a long white flowing cape walked past them and took the stone.
Here's the Preview: When their victory is torn out from under them five heroes will have to take the ultimate gamble to save the day but no matter how hard they fight, next time: Fate Arrives.