"Midoriya? What's bothering you?" Yaoyorozu asked as the two walked down the halls, "We've gotten our wish of being able to run an Agency of our own, alongside the…" Yaoyorozu took a moment to calculate which place Miruko was at now, "Number Two Hero!"

"Wait… wouldn't she be Three?"

"I'm not counting Endeavor."

"Ah."

News of Endeavor's betrayal, of both his own team and the Koreans, had broken just the other day and rather understandably, the public was up in arms about it. Some of the more, "patriotic" Japanese citizens understood what he was trying to do and barely blamed him, or even defended him, but for the most part, the country basically wanted him dead for shaming them so incredibly. Korea much to the surprise of all, handled it much better. Perhaps it was because Japan lost more Heroes, or because they had made up for their mistake with the appearance of Izuku. Regardless, this understanding completely melted into fury when Japan announced they'd be keeping him on the Top Ten.

"Endeavor has made a grievous mistake and we are working on a suitable punishment as I make this announcement… but! Gates continue to appear and we continue to rely on the strength of Heroes. As such, we have no choice but to let him remain as a Hero."

Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad had they simply removed him from the Top Ten and left the announcement at that. Unfortunately, someone thought the correct decision was to keep him up there, as a "symbol."

"I'm serious," Yaoyorozu declared with conviction, "You've been acting strange these past five days, did something with the System happen?" She made sure to whisper her question.

Until Miruko could guarantee the setup of their Agency, they were essentially on standby and continued school as if nothing was changing.

Izuku paused, he'd been wondering for the last couple of days how he should tell her about Miruko's attraction to him and how their conversation had ended. "I think I'd like to get to know you more as well. God that was so stupid, why would I say something like that when I'm already dating Yaoyorozu?!"

Yaoyorozu sighed and pulled him off to the side, hiding in a corner partially obscured by lockers, "I swear Izuku, this is how relationships end. If you can't act normally around me because you have this on your mind, then you should just let it out."

Izuku fidgeted for a moment under her gaze before he felt Beru's presence at the edge of his mind.

"My Liege, I believe it would be best to tell her. Nothing will be resolved if you continue to remain silent."

"Wow, that's actually some really mature advice for once Beru… thanks."

"Your gratitude pleases me to no end, my Liege. And if the girl is not happy with your new relation with the prey, then your valuable army is always here to execute whoever deserves it."

"And you've officially lost any brownie points you just earned. Also, stop calling Miruko "Prey." It's creepy."

The conversation between the two, which happened at the speed of thought, was over before there was even time for an awkward pause between Yaoyorozu and Izuku.

Izuku sighed, "Alright… you're right, I'm sorry. So um… Miruko… likes me."

Yaoyorozu tilted her head, "Wasn't that obvious?"

For some reason, Yaoyorozu's calm demeanor scared him, "She said she wanted to get to know me better a-and I said I'd like to get to know her better as well, o-on a more personal level."

The onyx-haired beauty let out a small giggle that made Izuku's heart flutter, "I've known she was going to be a rival since she showed her face," Yaoyorozu leaned close to whisper into his ear, "But that doesn't mean I'm going to lose in this battle for your love. That bunny can try as hard as she wants, but you're mine."

A shiver ran through Izuku's body, but not from fear, rather from excitement. The excitement that someone cared that deeply about him to make a declaration like that.

"Now," Yaoyorozu said, pulling away, "Is tha-"

"EVERYONE GET DOWN!" Izuku shouted suddenly, diving forwards to cover Yaoyorozu with his body and Tank emerging to cover Izuku with his body just as explosions began rocking the school. Through his Sense Stat, he felt as all the gyms were blown up, then the faculty center, then they reached the main building. Tank and Izuku were buffeted by the multiple detonations that blew out the windows and filled classrooms with pressure waves.

"COME FORTH!" As the structural integrity of the bottom floor they were on continued to fail, Izuku's Shadows poured from his back, each taking positions along the area to support what the explosions had destroyed.

"My Liege!" Beru cried, preparing to throw the brutish Tank off of his master. He didn't trust the Shadow as much as he trusted his own ability to safely secure their Liege.

Tank stood, revealing that both Izuku and Yaoyorozu were perfectly unharmed. Though the explosions were violent and surprising, they weren't dangerous, at least, not to Heroes of their caliber.

"I'm fine, worry about everyone else!" Izuku stood amongst the dusty hallways as many screaming students ran past him, "All Shadows not holding up the school, evacuate the upper floors as quickly as possible!" He turned to Beru, "I want you making sure that each and every injured student is properly healed!"

"Y-Yes my Liege!" Beru, it appeared, had not just gained mastery over the Korean language when he ate Byung-Gyu's head, but also his healing ability, making him an insanely versatile Shadow.

Hundreds of Shadows poured off his back and into the stairwells, making for anyone who was trapped above.

Izuku picked up Yaoyorozu and began running, "Come on! We've got to get to the cafeteria!"

"Wh-What? Why?"

As soon as Izuku sprinted out the school's front doors, Karkinos's Shadow leaked from him, swirling into the sky as he prepared for air evacuations. "Because, that's the only place that wasn't bombed! And because… I feel something strong in there."


2 Minutes Earlier:

Bakugo had woken up late today and was forced to miss out on his breakfast as a result. Growling to himself, he stalked through the cafeteria, heading for the counter where all students were served. Entering the line, he was disappointed to see that icy-hot bastard standing in front of him. Even more unfortunately for him, Todoroki's senses were probably the most attuned to Mana, meaning that as soon as Bakugo appeared, he felt it.

"Good morning Bakugo," He greeted with the same dead expression he held every day, "Did you have a nightmare last night?"

Bakugo was taken aback for just a moment before shouting back, "What are you on about you half and half bastard!"

"You look tired. I've been feeling tired recently as well. A nightmare coincided with each exhausting morning."

"Tch, what a load of bullcrap," Bakugo scolded outwardly, but on the inside, he felt just a little relief that he wasn't the only one who had been losing sleep over creations of his mind. "Honestly, what idiot part of my subconscious comes up with a name like Baran, The Monarch of White Flames and boasts about it in a dream?" Indeed, these past few nights, Bakugo had been kept tossing and turning in his bed as a demonic being with red eyes, gray skin, and two massive horns accosted him in his sleep. "What a load of bullcrap," He repeated to himself, as if he was trying to convince himself.

In front of him, Todoroki tilted his head, "Did you feel that?"

"Feel-" Bakugo cut off as a feeling all too similar to intense nauseousness assailed his body and he dropped to his knees. He was about to worry about looking stupid, but then he noticed Todoroki collapsing in front of him, and all the students around them either stumbling forwards, or passing out altogether.

"This Mana… it's like a grizzly bear sitting on my back."

Just then, as explosions began taking place all over the school a figure at least three times the size of a normal human came crashing through the skylight of the cafeteria, landing with a force capable of killing the dozen or so students unlucky enough to be near the figure.

"Heh, just like stepping on ants," An aged and husky voice spoke out, "Now… which one of you ants is my prey."

The dust cleared and Bakugo managed to tilt his head up enough to see a blonde man with muscles the size of a hydraulic press staring right at him. As the man's lips curled up to form a demented smile, Bakugo realized this man had a massive scar tracing its way down the left side of his face and where his left eye should've been, was an orb of pure steel. "Looks like you're my prey."

Suddenly, the pressure wore off and Bakugo shot back to his feet, his hands crackling with explosions. But it seemed that Todoroki was quicker and a mound of ice shot out from his foot, expanding outwards to cover the Villain's entire body. "Hey icy-hot! That one was… mine…" He trailed off as all the color drained from Todoroki's face.

"Y-You have to run…" Todoroki said, his knees quaking, "He's after you, I'll slow him down."

"What are you-" Bakugo's Mana sense finally caught up to his classmate's and he felt like puking once more.

"Hey prey," A voice said from right behind Bakugo, "Are you gonna fight? Or are you gonna roll over and play dead?" Without even making a noise, the Villain had somehow escaped from the icy prison.

Bakugo answered with a roar, spinning around and detonating his Quirk in the man's face.

"That wasn't an attack… was it?" The man asked, his inhumanly large hand reaching out to grasp Bakugo's forearm and with barely any force, snapped it in two.

"AAAAAGGGH!" Bakugo collapsed, his shattered arm still in the man's grip.

"Whoops… I guess I used a bit too much force, but then again, I'm sure Baran won't mind repairing such a simple wound."

Even in his pain-addled state, Bakugo was still able to make out that name, "Ba… ran… What are you?"

The man's still human eye lit up with happiness, "Well this body belonged to one of your human criminals. I believe your police called him… Muscular. But that man is gone now. My name is Stellian, The Monarch of the Iron Body."

"You guys… have dumb names."

Stellian gave a hearty laugh, "Oh you and Baran will bind just fine, you're both insufferable whelps."

Bakugo suppressed the urge to scream once more as Stellian's grip on his arm only grew tighter. By now, his bones were nothing more than powder.

Stellian reached behind him, Mana pooling in his hand as a small hole in space, a Gate, began appearing. As it reached about the size of a basketball, he felt a small warmth tickle his back, "Heh, even this one could generate stronger heat than that."

"Damn… I even gave in and tried using my flames. Who is this guy? Who can withstand attacks from two S-Ranks like this?"

"You bore me," Stellian said from mere inches away from Todoroki.

"When did he get that close?!"

The back of the giant's fist slammed into Todoroki, sending him spinning through the air, crashing through the walls of the cafeteria and ending up outside, vomiting up blood as pain eclipsed his entire being.

"Try picking on someone your own size!" Two voices cried out as thick tentacles and swirling energy waves slammed into his back.

It was Nejire Hado and Tamaki Amajiki. Two Seniors whose talent and skill showed boundless potential. They were the only other two S-Ranks at the school aside from Izuku and the only other present forces capable of standing up to this beast. They were swept aside like flies.

The Monarch's arm expanded, forming a steel-like substance over it before he punched at the teens, both still at least fifty feet away. The metal exploded off his arm, forming magical shrapnel that pierced the two. And although Stellian was aiming for Tamaki and Nejire, the shrapnel spread far and wide, tearing through the flesh of every other student in the room.

Stellian frowned, as if he was disappointed by the absolute lack of power and simply sighed, going back to form his Gate only to get interrupted by a loud bang followed by a sharp pain on the back of his head. "Impressive, prey. You're the first one to actually make me feel something." Looking over his shoulder, Yaoyorozu stood by the entrance of the cafeteria, holding her anti-material rifle, charged with Mana enhanced bullets.

She chambered another round, aiming for his head once more, but he simply smiled and leaned into the bullet as it slammed into his forehead. At the same time, he raised his forearm to the sky, as if preparing to block something, surprising the invisible Izuku, who was in Stealth mode.

Both of Izuku's maces slammed down onto Stellian's arm, which had turned to steel. The ground beneath the Monarch cracked heavily under the pressure and he appeared to be exerting some amount of force to shrug off the attack.

Using his leverage on the arm, Izuku vaulted over Stellian, dropping both of his maces into the Inventory and pulling out the Genesis Blade, swinging it with all of his might into the mountainous man's side.

[Skill: Infinite Strength has activated.]

The gold sword dug into his flesh, managing to sneak past his steel exterior. But unfortunately, it stopped only a few centimeters in, as if his flesh was just as durable as his metallic skin.

Stellian grinned, "More prey!" The arm that hadn't been hit by the maces swung down, the fist slamming into Izuku's gut, forcing him to let go of the Genesis Blade as he was pushed backwards, his feet digging into the ground.

Collapsing to one knee, Izuku desperately heaved, trying to get any air to enter his lungs as Stellian stalked over to him, "Ashborn? What the hell are you doing here?" He paused, "Ah, you've yet to take over your human. Well if that's the case, I'm sure none of the other Monarchs would mind if I just killed you right here." His fist enlarged, "I know we're supposed to be allies, but I really just can't stand your presence. It reminds me too much of the Rulers."

He raised his fist to cave in Izuku's skull, but before he could, Izuku's figure blurred, his Quicksilver Skill allowing him to move out of the range of the enlarged punch, a Shadow spreading out from below him.

[Skill: Domain of the Monarch Lv. 2 has activated. All Shadows will have their Stats increased by 75%]

"What did you just do?"

Izuku was too busy recovering the air in his lungs to respond, but there was one warrior willing to say something to Stellian.

"KIIIIEEEEK!"


Thanks for reading! I know this one is a bit shorter than my previous chapters of late, but I wanted to save Beru versus Stellian because at the moment of this being uploaded, I went live on Twitch at Project_Armament and am currently writing this next fight scene! So if you wanna come by and chat, feel free! And don't forget, I've got a discord for all things Shadow Monarch, as well as a few of the other fics I've written! discord . gg/DeFqz5F (Sorry about the spaces, Fanfiction doesn't really like links!)

One more thing as well. I've noticed quite a few people asking about Izuku's Hero name and it will not be Deku. I just thought that the name sounded good as a title, but it will not actually be his Hero name in the fic.