Promethys stepped forward. Before him a large stretch of flat, bare ground. And beyond that, towering ahead was UA High School, surrounded by a large concrete barrier and its gates sealed shut.
"How pathetic. The rebellion cowers behind a fortress." The villain hissed.
The Loyalist army that stood beside him backed away, giving him plenty of room.
"But like all fortresses of man, this one is built upon a foundation of sand." His nine eyes glowed bright.
His tattoos followed, glowing bright reddish-pink. His entire body was now lit up at every side like a blinding light.
Just ahead on the rooftop of the tallest UA building, Crow-Man grunted and shielded his eyes. "He's charging up some sort of energy attack! A really big one!"
Shouta Aizawa, perched behind him, quickly grabbed his radio in his ear. "Barriers up, now!"
Promethys roared loudly. His voice reaching their ears as hundreds of large bolts of bright pink lightning shot from his body in all directions he faced.
The lightning, blasting everywhere, destroyed everything, cracking the ground, leveling nearby buildings, exploding cars. Yet as it reached UA, a dark purple bubble grew around the school from the concrete barriers and sealed the entire spot of land in a dome of pure energy.
However, the lightning still hit the bubble, and the walls with great force.
Everyone. Hundreds of civilians, heroes, and students, shuddered and screamed as the ground shook under their feet. They could feel electricity in the air.
What they thought was thunder with the lightning, was Promethys himself roaring out all the way through his attack.
After a moment, it stopped. The school remained protected.
Promethys remained standing where he was. All around him was a burn in the ground, melted pavement, debris, deep cracks, and dust surrounded him all the way to the concrete walls.
He breathed deeply for a moment, sweat formed on his brow and neck.
Then he stepped forward approaching the school property.
Suddenly, a bright screen flashed on the dome energy shield above the school.
Principal Nezu, in his usual formal attire stood in his office facing the camera with a stern look on his face. Everyone inside could see it broadcast and shuddered again.
Promethys smirked. "Negotiations. Very wise."
"Promethys, is it?" Nezu asked, sipping a cup of tea in his hand. "I've heard a lot about you. I knew I would have the pleasure of speaking to you one day."
"And who might you be?" Promethys asked. "Or...what might you be?"
"I am Nezu. Principal to one of the world's top rated high school for future heroes. And for the past several months, the protector of innocent lives who have all suffered by your hand." He said.
"You don't look like much." Promethys sighed. "I was expecting much more."
"Now I don't know how you do things on your world, but here we have a saying: 'Don't judge a book by its cover'." Nezu explained with a light chuckle.
Promethys chuckled. "I have no reason to overestimate you. But I also have no reason to underestimate you. I know which heroes are hiding in there."
"And we all know what your plan is." Nezu added. "You claim you gave humanity the Quirk genes thousands of years ago. Now you come back hoping that humanity keeps its end of the deal and worships you without question."
Promethys gave a look to confirm Nezu was correct.
"Whether you are right or not, I've seen many many humans whose lives are affected by Quirks in both good ways and bad. And I've learned a valuable lesson I strive to teach to all the students who attend here: You are not your Quirk. Your Quirk is you. It is what you make of it. And every year, these students never cease to amaze me." Nezu declared.
"How touching." Promethys said, almost unironically.
"However. This teaching, I'm afraid, goes against what you claim. Whether you truly are the source of humanity's Quirks or not, we have all taken a vote. Every last soul behind these walls. And we would rather fight for our right to use them how we choose, than surrender them to you." The mousey principal bravely said.
"Not a single soul..." Promethys repeated. He looked down and breathed heavily. "Then humanity truly has failed me... They are not worthy of such power... You will all burn!"
"As Principal of UA, I swear to you, take one more step closer to this school and you will receive nothing but failure and destruction." Nezu said. His face remained rather stern, with his brows slightly narrowed, but his tone was sinister.
"Everything here will face failure and destruction." Promethys announced and looked back up.
At his signal, the Loyalists charged right past him.
Thousands of the purple humanoid creatures rushed the school grounds and slammed into the thick concrete barrier.
Several used strength-enhancer Quirks to slam into the solid walls. After a few hit one spot together, the impact left a crack.
Others elongated their claws and slashed at the wall ferociously. Some tried to fly over the wall but vaporized into red mist passing through the barrier.
Promethys watched patiently as his seemingly endless forces converged on the school. A few Loyalists activated size-enhancer Quirks and grew to enormous heights, charging the school and attacking the barrier itself.
Due to their size, their fists were not instantly disintegrated by the energy dome but the immense power pushed them back, like trying to punch a trampoline. One of them started to kick at the concrete wall below, cracking it up more and more.
Inside the school, the civilians were being directed toward the back where underground shelters were located. There, at the entrance to one, Ochako held on to Eri tightly as she knelt to her level. Inko Midoriya stood by.
"Is the barrier gonna hold?" Eri asked with a whimper in her voice.
"I'm not sure, baby." Ochako said honestly. "But if it does, we will stop them ourselves."
Eri now began to cry and held her tighter. "I don't want to lose you too..."
Ochako bit her lip. "Don't say that... You haven't lost anyone."
"You need to go, Ochako. I'll look after her, I promise." Inko said, gently taking Eri's arm.
Eri broke the hug. "Please be okay, Mama!" She cried.
Ochako quickly wiped her own eyes. "I promise I will! Me and Izuku will come get you when this is all over! Just stay with Grandma!"
Inko pulled Eri inside, who kept looking back at Ochako even as they ran, and even when the doors to the shelter sealed shut.
