Chapter 47: Battles on two fronts

He wasn't screaming, he wasn't moving, Todoroki wasn't even breathing. His eyes were glued to the screen, unable to process what was happening. Izuku helplessly glanced back and forth between the TV and his friend. Endeavour was fighting someone – something – a Nomu most likely, and the fight wasn't going well. Hawks and the other heroes were preoccupied saving civilians and fending off smaller Nomus, like the ones they encountered in Hosu and during the Kamino incident, no one was there to help the new number one...

Suddenly, Endeavour was lying on the ground, bleeding, unmoving.

Todoroki's expression turned into a cruel mixture of disbelief and desperation. Izuku had not seen such raw emotion on his face before, not since their fight in the sports festival, and never before that.


People were screaming everywhere. Buildings were falling, the debris crushing everything and everyone underneath. Sirens blared, the smoke of his own fire scratched in the back of his throat.

Something's coming, Hawks had warned him, something big. Something we've never seen before.

He should have believed the young man.

I cannot tell where and when, but you should send your interns back for the time being, including Shouto-kun. At least until the storm has passed.

This wasn't a storm. This was much, much worse.

No offense, but neither of us, nor any of the other heroes can ever take All Might's place. We can't be symbols like him, no one can. The current hero society isn't going to last. All of us, you, me, and everyone else, we'll soon be nothing but relicts.

No, he wasn't a relict. Not yet. He could still fight, he could still… He may not be able to redeem himself, but he could make amends. It was the least he owed his family.

His body may have given up, but he hadn't. He wouldn't, not ever. As long as he breathed, his firepower was working, and as long as it did, he could push himself forward, even if none of his limbs were reacting.


Four eternally lasting seconds passed, filled with nothing but chaos. Then, finally…

"Endeavour is up! He's still fighting! Look, Hawks is trying to assist!"

Izuku couldn't tear his eyes off the screen. The hero was bleeding, heavily, he shouldn't be able to move, but he didn't show any signs of stopping. He charged, more and more blazing fire surrounding him, blinding the audience, they could almost feel the heat passing through the screen.

Todoroki screamed. One last flash, and it was over.


This couldn't be happening, not now that all attention was directed towards the fight in the centre of the city. With all eyes on Endeavour, Hawks and the Nomu, no one was looking here. No one had seen him walking through the front gates.

It was supposed to be an easy assignment. A small holiday celebration held at a public middle school. Hikari, Tokoyami and Ripple, one of Hawks sidekicks, were supposed to ensure there wouldn't be any incidents. It didn't sound like a job for heroes, but they were still interns, and thanks to her family situation, Hikari had to avoid catching the media's attention at any cost. Since she didn't get to go out much - or rather, at all - she was fine with any kind of assignment that allowed her to visit the outside world. She did feel bad for Tokoyami, though. He deserved better.

"Hiromi-san," Hikari remembered the student's name she was shielding with her own body, "when I say now, you run to the back door and follow the others, okay?"

The girl whimpered. She was only a year younger, but much smaller than Hikari and very fragile, to cap it all, quirkless. All other students had made a safe exit thanks to Tokoyami stalling time, but the U.A. student was now laying unconscious between broken tables and smashed plates not too far away. Blood was running down his forehead, but he was breathing. Ripple, the sidekick, had to be in a similar position somewhere outside. He had been the first one to encounter the attacker. Not expecting a villain to just walk in the front door, and distracted by a call from the office, the pro didn't even see what hit him. Which left Hikari alone to defend the remaining students.

"Hiromi-san, NOW!" She cried out while shooting a ball of particles towards her opponent. He tried to deflect it, but the ball passed through his quirk and pushed him through the gate back outside. Reassured by the fading sound of steps behind her, Hikari rushed after him. Arriving outside, she barely managed to pull up a shield before being stabbed.

"Not running away anymore?" her brother mocked her from across the school ground.

It would be a lie to say her insides weren't screaming to get the hell out of here. And yet, Hikari let the shield in front of her dissolve to get a better look. There he was, with a black hoodie and ripped leather jacket, that easily let him blend in with the crowd, if it weren't for the big hole his quirk tore into their backsides. He had cut his hair a bit, which made the dark irises, framed by pure black, stand out more. The look in those eyes was just as insane as his smile.

"You seem different," Neo Kumo noted, "has the arrogance of the heroes finally rubbed off on you?"

"I don't think you're one to talk about arrogance, Neo Kumo," Hikari retorted. Weirdly enough, her inner voice shut down. She wasn't afraid anymore. Not because she thought she stood a chance, but rather because a sense of finality overcame her. She didn't believe in fate or destiny or whatever, but this was meant to happen. Deep down, she had always known it was going to end this way. The heroes couldn't settle this for her. The only one who could stop him was Hikari herself. Even if she was still weak, she had an ace up her sleeve. She knew his single weakness, one he most likely had no idea about, since he had never been challenged that way before. A weakness only the two of them could explore.

But first and foremost, she needed to lure him away. Get him somewhere less populated, where less lives and property were at risk. Didn't they pass a construction site on the way here? They surely wouldn't be working on a Saturday, not the day before Christmas eve…

"So," Hikari began, her tone bored, "are you here to kill me or are you just going to stand there?"

Neo Kumo opened his mouth, too perplexed that he was being addressed like that. Using his irritation, Hikari pushed herself off the ground with the help of her golden particles. She landed on the auditorium's roof, only to take off once again and disappear behind the walls surrounding the school grounds.

Completely dumbfounded, Neo Kumo barked after her, "Come back, you little bitch! Who do you think you are?!"

But Hikari didn't look back. Judging by the volume of his swears, he was following, closing in even, but she had gotten a good head start. Just good enough to reach the construction site before the spidery legs of her opponent could get a hold on her. One of them grazed her tight, she felt a sharp pain, but it wasn't worth her attention. She knew the pain his quirk caused well enough to react if any serious damage was done.

The U.A. student grabbed onto the scaffolding surrounding the unfinished concrete building, took a hundred and eighty turn, the momentum sending her shooting towards Neo Kumo. The villain was too stunned to react. He expected her to run, not to attack. Hikari's feet connected with his torso and sent him flying. He landed, rolling over the dirty, frozen ground. One of his legs cut through her boot in an attempt to stop, but it was too shallow to even penetrate the material. Whoever made her costume did a great job this time.

Neo Kumo coughed. Hikari jumped but he recovered too fast. Unable to detain him in time the girl slithered past her brother, evading another one of his attacks.

"I… Thought it would be… Harder to get you to fight me," he breathed, "seems I couldn't have wished for more, little sister."

"Be careful what you wish for, Neo Kumo," Hikari spat, not willing to label that monster her brother. Not anymore.

"You do know no one's coming for you this time, do you? The league made sure of that."

He was right. They were all too busy fighting those nomu, no one would even consider looking somewhere else. But… It didn't matter. She didn't need to be saved, she never had. She always managed to get away on her own merits. Those past four years, all the time since she ran away, had led up to this moment. Today, things were coming to an end, one way or the other. She wouldn't run, not this time.

Hikari charged, apparently trying to attack dead front. Neo Kumo, back on his feet, grinned at her stupidity. But just as she got in range for his quirk, the U.A. student pushed herself up, sailing above his head. She came crashing down only an arm's length behind him. Neo Kumo spun on his heel, ready to stab, but… His quirk was gone. Paralyzed by shock he watched Hikari get back on her feet, the same black legs coming out of her back the he and their mother used.

"Surprised? You have to thank your friend Dragon for this little gift."

The girl jumped back into action. If she could get to him while his quirk was still gone, she could probably- too late. New legs formed behind him, she managed to divert her course enough so only one graced her arm. He was quicker at recreating them than she expected.

The hero in training used her chance and cut his quirk off once more, earning an exasperated groan from her brother.

"What the fuck are you trying to achieve?! It's not very hero-like to attack from the back!"

Change of plans. She could not let him get on to her, or she was done for. She couldn't beat him in a straight fight, he overpowered her in every aspect, but she did know his greatest weakness, because it was hers as well. Just… How long would it take him to reach that point? Would she hold out for that long?

Endure. Save your strength, know your limits, Aizawa-sensei's voice sounded in the back of her head.


"Is that the fastest you can drive, flat face?"

"How dare you talk to me like that?! I'm Endeavour's personal driver-!"

"Kacchan, please calm down!" Izuku tried his best to stifle the fight between Bakugou and the driver. Todoroki, sitting to his left, didn't say anything. He hadn't moved at all since they entered the car. It was no surprise after what happened to his father.

Back at the agency, as soon as they were informed to which hospital Endeavour was taken, the sidekicks organised a lift for the three U.A. students. Endeavour had been heavily injured and collapsed in the end, they couldn't say how bad it was. Izuku desperately hoped he was fine, for Todoroki's and the world's sake. They couldn't bear to lose another number one.

"Turn it up," Todoroki finally spoke, "the radio."

At last, the two brawlers stopped fighting, and the driver followed his orders.

"... are advised to stay out of the area. It is still unclear why the villain attacked a middle school, but after the devastating fight less than ten minutes ago, it might take a while to form a strike team. The villain is currently kept in check by an unidentified hero bearing a strikingly similar quirk..."

A villain and a hero with the same quirk? It… It couldn't be…

Red and green eyes met, sharing the same thought. Izuku whirled around to his other friend, but Todoroki was already giving orders, "Turn around, drive to that middle school."

"What?! They just said to stay away! Todoroki-dono, I have clear orders to deliver you to-"

"If you won't drive us, we can gladly get out of the car and walk there by foot."

"Y-you can't-! I have strict orders to deliver you-"

"Bakugou?"

"Already on it, half 'n' half." The blonde teen opened the door, earning a screech from the driver.

"Oh god, please, no! I'll drive, I'll drive! If I'm fired, that's on you!"


It was not looking good. She underestimated the stamina Neo Kumo had built up all his life. It was clear by now that although he didn't seem to know about his weakness, and he was affected by constantly having to recreate his quirk, he was still too damn persistent.

Hikari hitched a breath. She had lost count how many times he sliced through her costume, the worst being an ugly cut on her right side. It didn't matter how many particles she could create if she wasn't fast enough to evade his counter attacks.

"Not looking so good, are we?"

"Likewise," she huffed, a metallic taste dripping from her split lip onto her tongue. If she could hold out just a little longer...

A shadow blocked the light of the sun. When had he-

One, two, three, four, she used her own spider legs to block his, five, six, seven…

"Hah," he breathed, "missed one."

Hikari yelped, it came rushing towards her face, she protectively held up her hand. Pain exploded in her palm, she was torn down by the arm. With their quirks entangled, and Hikari being pinned to the ground by her hand, Neo Kumo hovered above, both his hands free. Blinded by the pain the girl couldn't think as cold fingers wrapped around her neck.

"This isn't going how I imagined it would, hah… Now I… Have to… Dirty my hands..."

Hikari gasped one last time, she tried to push him off with her only available arm, weakly punched him into the face, into his chest, but his grip only tightened, robbing her of any access to fresh air…

"KUMOGANE-SAN!" A high-pitched voice cried out. She had heard it before…

"PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP!"

It was that girl from the middle school. Hiromi was her name? What was she doing here? Why wasn't she evacuating with all the other students?

Neo Kumo huffed. "Shut… UP!"

He lifted his head - her chance. Hikari deactivated her quirk. Neo Kumo dropped, but she created a layer of golden particles between them and shoved him off her. Desperately gasping for air, she heard her brother's enraged shout as he sprung off into Hiromi's direction. Not fully in control of her body but bringing her quirk back to life Hikari sent a tendril of golden particles after him. Neo Kumo was torn back by his ankles, dragged across the floor. He called upon his spidery legs, but they passed through the tendrils without cutting them, so he busted his quirk into the ground. He was resisting, but she had him.

Unable to get back on her feet since every attempt sent an excruciating pain through her knee, Hikari used her quirk to hold herself upright. She cut off her brother's spider legs for was felt the thousandth time and dragged him closer. Neo Kumo dug his fingers into the ground, clawed at everything around him, activated his quirk to stop her, but every time he did, it was cut off again. His attempts grew weaker.

But… Hikari was so tired. She blinked, but it was more than just blinking, because as soon as her eyes opened again, she was out of golden particles and Neo Kumo's leg crashed into her already injured side. She toppled over.

"Kumogane-san!"

Why was Hiromi still here? Why wouldn't that stupid girl go?!

Hikari pushed herself back up. Pointy black tips embedded themselves in the earth where she had been only half a second ago.

"WHY… WHY WON'T YOU... JUST... FUCKING... DIE…?!" He was weak. Finally. Neo Kumo could barely stay on his feet.

Hikari took a deep breath. Why wouldn't she die? Because…

Another deep breath.

"Because I want to be a hero… I want to save people… And I will stop people like you from hurting people like us..."

"YOU…" He took a step towards her.

"YOU FUCKIN'..." Another step.

"Y-" One more slice. Robbed off his quirk, Neo Kumo froze. His eyes were wide, filled with rage. A mixture of sweat and blood dropped from his chin, his hair stuck to his forehead, he was standing low with his arms raised, a picture of pure madness. Blackness sprung from his back, only to dissolve into nothing.

It was over.

He collapsed, his last attempt at activating his quirk using all stamina he had left. Too weak to even stay awake, let alone fight, he crashed face first into the frozen dirt.

Hikari heaved. She stared at the unmoving frame of her brother. Could it be? Was this… The end? Humping on one leg, the U.A. student pushed herself towards him. She had to check. She had to make sure he was really out, and not pretending so he could form another surprise attack.

Something glistened in the corner of her eye. Hikari barely leaned back in time, something sliced her cheek, adding another cut to the collection. What was that? Where did it came from?

Fire, blue fire. She saw it, but her body wouldn't move. The heat alone pushed her back, the only thing holding her upright were the spider legs coming out of her back, but even those she could barely control anymore. The flames were closing in-

"HIKARI!"

It didn't hurt. Her vision was consumed by green, the hot air still burned her throat. There was a cold gust of wind. In the corner of her half-closed eyes she saw ice covering her brother's body, locking him in place. Someone was towering over him, one arm extended downwards. There was more fire, this time, orange. The figure melted in a very inhuman way.

"They're clones!"

"Then how about you die, ash trash?!"

The green fire disappeared in an instant. Something flew past Hikari, someone, and the next thing she heard was an explosion accompanied by another "DIE!"

The familiarity of the voices sent a wave of relief washing over her. The adrenaline from the fight disappeared in an instant, and her quirk shut down. She would have fallen, hadn't someone caught her.

"Shikogane, hang on."

She could barely keep her eyes open. Black feathers… Tokoyami was supporting her. A streak of dried blood ran across his beak, other than that, she couldn't see any injuries. He was alive. Her brother hadn't killed or injured him too seriously. A heavy boulder fell off her crushed chest.

Sirens blared, yells came from everywhere, suddenly policemen and heroes flooded the scene. It was all too much. Hikari spotted some of them where her brother should be, but she didn't see what was happening. Instead, she felt another arm slip around her other side, supporting most of her remaining weight.

"Midoriya," Tokoyami urged, "we need to get her to the ambulance."

The only answer was a nod. Hikari moved her eyes from Tokoyami to him, then towards the front. There was white and red. Of course, it had been Todoroki's ice and fire. And Bakugou's explosions.

But what were they doing here? Why were they here? How were they here? Everyone was so focussed on Endeavour's fight- Endeavour, right, Todoroki… Why wasn't Todoroki with his father?

She opened her mouth, took a deep breath, wanted to say something, but something gross formed in the back of her throat. All she was able to do was gag up a mouth full of blood. The grips around her tightened.

"Hikari-!"

"Midoriya, ambulance, now."

"Y-yes!"

They moved. The world around Hikari began swaying, and she was sure her feet weren't moving, no part of her body was. But… Could it be? They were here… Could, just maybe, probably, most likely not, but what if…?

"Hikari, hold on, you're going to be fine, just stay awake, okay?" A shaky voice found its way through her slipping consciousness.

Did they come for her?

She caught one last glimpse of the clouded, grey sky.

Had finally someone come to save her?


He watched the scientist take some final notes, partially covered by his own reflection on the glass window separating him from the chamber. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but judging by their expressions, the experiment must have been a success. Yotsune ducked his head behind the computer as soon as the door opened. Out of the corners of his eyes, while pretending to be focussed on the file on his desk, he saw the man he only knew as "the scientist" hand over the results to another worker. They exchanged a few words but were interrupted by one of the assistants. The poor man strode towards the scientist, beads of sweat glistening on his front. Too tense to keep his voice down he served Yotsune the information he needed.

"Did it work?"

The Scientist nodded, "Yes, another success. We should-"

"We have to start mass production," the assistant urged, not letting his superior finish, "Dragon wants it in six weeks. Twenty percent more than we calculated for, gaseous, and the hundred masks correlating with the final composition."

Even the scientist turned pale. "Six weeks?! Producing the compound alone will take seven to ten, it's impossible!"

That was interesting. Why six weeks? What was going to happen next year? Either way, he almost had enough info. In about a week, give or take a few days, he would have enough to move to the second stage of his plan.

Something touched his back. The previous Seishin student, now forced to work for the villain Dragon, almost fell out of his chair. He whirled around, only to find the asshole who started all freaking mess. Putting up his most annoyed glare, he stared up at Tomomo.

"I was working, you know."

Endo Tomomo was barely recognizable. His face had grown more angled, his hair was slicked back, his shoulders broader from the rigorous training. The anthracite combat suit had become his second skin.

"I need you to locate someone," he demanded without as much as a hello, "you can use my computer. But don't get any stupid ideas, fatty."

Well, you won't be able to call me that for long, Yotsune thought bitterly. He had lost almost ten kilograms since he had been forced to work for Dragon. But using Tomomo's computer? A machine that was connected to the outside world? What a jackpot.

"Do you really think I'm dumb enough to try something? Sorry, but I wanna stay alive."

"I know, and that's the only reason I will let you. If you break my trust, though," he patted the knife hanging around his tight, "I've gotten pretty handy with my new toys."


A/N: Thanks so much for the follows and faves, Ryuzaki Uchiha, momizu1919, Rimuru68, MODdenial, aRkTyPeLuNanAr, TaylorIcicLeogan, Sondius, Fenryuu and ninjacat52! Hope you're going to stick until the end! (Where did all of you even come from?)

Is it truly over?
Why was that quirkless girl mentioned by name?
What is Dragon planning?

PS: The driver got to keep his job. Only because Endeavour has other stuff to deal with, though.