Thomas Andre was ashamed. Not of the fact that he lost the fight with Izuku Midoriya. Rather, he was ashamed that he lost control over what was essentially a sparring match, an extreme sparring match, but one nonetheless.
Last night hadn't been the first time he'd known that rage. The more power he used during a fight, the angrier he became. Thomas knew of no other Heroes who operated on that clause, so he kept it secret and aside from one time, he managed to keep his emotions under control. Now, it was two times.
The particular frustration he was feeling now was part of the reason he was leaping over the rooftops of I-Island, heading for a fight that his instincts told him was on par with something like Kamish. It was incredibly dangerous, stupid to rush in headfirst, and was an excellent way to get out all of his anger in an acceptable way.
Thomas cleared the final crumbling building that was bordering the crater, his vision filled with destruction that once again drew parallels to Kamish. Two figures stood in the center of that five-hundred foot wide crater.
One had bright blonde hair and continually expanding muscles, he seemed far larger than any normal human should ever be. The second figure actually managed to stun Thomas for a moment. He was just barely recognizable as Dabi, a Hero who had spent some time in America before leaving to avenge his brother. The thing that gave him pause was his appearance. His scars were completely gone, covered by smooth skin and his hair had grown out long, transitioning from its deep-black, to a literally glowing white.
While it was upsetting to see Dabi turn to Villainy, it was also, in a strange sense, relieving Thomas, who caught an immense and sickly aura from these two. Mainly because Thomas knew that Dabi was weaker than him. For Thomas, a range-based attacker like Dabi would be an easy target. The other brute was an unknown, but in his own mind, it wouldn't be too much trouble, after all, he was one of the strongest in the world. Or so he thought.
"DEMOLITION!"
Thomas's falling form landed right next to the two Higher Beings, slamming his fists down in unison.
Dabi, or as he was now known, Baran, had to dig his heels into the ground to avoid flying away from the shockwave, but his partner, Stellian, simply stood there. To him, it was like a light breeze passing by.
"Look Baran. Our Prey just so happens to be one of the Rulers' puppets."
"Smells like Grantuld." Baran waved his hands nonchalantly, "You can have him, I'm just waiting for whatever Antares told us to expect."
Thomas threw a Mana boosted punch. It was enough to decimate several bunkers with ease. Stellian caught it like he was catching a baseball.
"It's amazing what these bodies can do when they adjust to their new masters," Stellian remarked, now much stronger than the first time he met Izuku and his Shadow Ant, "Perhaps I'm too hard on the human race." The entire time he was holding back Thomas he held unnerving eye contact with the Hero, a wicked smile on his face.
Thomas tried to pull away from the Monarch, but he held tight, metal spikes forming on the knuckles of his free hand, "Unless Antares was scared of a bug like you, you are not the prey we are waiting fo- ARGH!" A 12.7 mm round tore through the Monarch's impossibly thick arm, severing the flesh entirely.
With Thomas's hand now freed from the Monarch's grip, he threw his punch again, this time making it to Stellian's face and sending him skidding backwards through the rubble.
"There," Baran said as his jaw unhinged and he launched a fire blast as wide as a rocket fuselage. It tore through the side of the building it was aiming for, but Yaoyorozu, who had been standing there mere moments earlier, leapt away, using her boots to completely clear the area. She landed on a nearby roof, but before Baran could adjust, a spiral of yellow energy hit the side of his head. "Beset by locusts!" He growled and swept his arm to the side, generating a shield of fire that absorbed the energy before launching forwards, expanding wide.
Nejire was just barely able to escape over the top of the projectile and shoot off a few more blasts. None of them did much more than annoy the Monarch.
"Whelp! My flames were born at the beginning of existence! You think an attack like that will do anything!" As he shouted at Nejire, her spiraling energy bouncing her around the sky, he held a hand out behind him, creating another wall of fire and completely dissipating the bullet that Yaoyorozu fired. "You can't beat a primordial Mage like myself with such weakness." He held his hand out to his side, several daggers spawning. Made up of the clean white flames he used, they created perfectly straight lines in the air as Baran launched them at Yaoyorozu.
Yaoyorozu would have attempted to shoot each and every one of them out of the air with her futuristic and sleek anti-material rifle, but the rifle was too slow. Instead, at the last minute, she slammed her hand on the ground, a wall of pure white metal sprouting up and catching each of the daggers as they attempted to pierce the defense.
Correnic had once again expanded the limits of her Quirk, now, she could create things within a short distance of herself, not just from her skin.
Thomas meanwhile, knowing that whatever Yaoyorozu was holding had hurt Stellian, leapt away from the Monarch and up to her roof with his massive strength. By the time he did so, Stellian had already regenerated his arm and was jumping after him. So before Thomas could even say anything to Yaoyorozu, she jerked to the side, firing around him at the swiftly approaching human-Monarch missile.
"NOT THIS TIME PREY!" The bullets created noticeable dents in Stellian's skin, but now that a full layer of silver metal covered his body, they could no longer penetrate.
Thomas was about to step up, his fist ready to collide with the steel body, even if he knew it was suicide, but Yaoyorozu once again stepped up, doing a repeat trick and creating a thicker wall than the one she used to block Baran. It popped up mere milliseconds before collision and there was certainly a collision.
Like a knife slicing through butter, the shockwave created from the impact tore a foot wide gash for a solid mile. Moments later, it expanded outwards, obliterating the buildings that it seemed to have gently sliced through.
Yaoyorozu scowled, such an attack undoubtedly created hundreds of casualties, if not more. Unfortunately, that was simply the reality they were living now. These were gods, forged at the beginning of creation, and they wanted destruction. Because of them, there were going to be a lot more deaths.
The barrier held solidly, but Stellian was now too close for ranged attacks, Yaoyorozu's speciality. She was capable of comprehending even the fastest of motions if she focused hard enough thanks to Correnic's enhancements to her mind, but she didn't actually have strength or speed comparable to a Monarch. Regardless, she still pulled two broadswords from her side, her Awakened abilities allowing her to wield them far easier than should've been possible.
"Gimme one of those!" Thomas shouted as he and Yaoyorozu leaped away from Stellian's sweeping arm. It sprayed metal shrapnel that forced Yaoyorozu to make a small shield and Thomas to hit the ground, creating a small Demolition shockwave that pushed back the metal fragments.
"Doesn't work like that!" Yaoyorozu shouted back, briefly letting go of one to show how it reverted to a basic sword once she was no longer in contact. Guns worked a bit differently though, there was just enough time for a bullet to reach its target before it turned back to normal.
"Correnic…" Stellian drawled, realizing his opponent, "It's been a while."
Yaoyorozu created a speaker attached to the side of her arm, "Hasn't been long enough."
"It was long enough to give me some time to think," Stellian attempted to sound genuine, but the maniacal smile told otherwise, "I think we can make it work. Just so long as you give up and become my prey again."
"Uhh… You didn't…"
"Date him? It's… a complicated story, perhaps for later, for now, Nejire is struggling, you need to kill Stellian."
Yaoyorozu realized that she had left Nejire alone with a Monarch. Such a fight was so one-sided it was almost sad.
Without hesitation, she jumped into action. Thomas, being the adept Hero he was, felt her move before she even did, meaning he was the first to reach him. It should've been enough to distract Stellian, even for a moment, but it appeared that the Monarch was tired of playing around with the National-Rank Hero.
Thomas was batted aside just in time for Stellian to see Yaoyorozu come flying at him with both swords swinging. He caught them in one hand. They dug into his palm and fingers, but no blood spilled forth, not to mention the fact that he seemed to not even notice it.
Yaoyorozu let go of the swords and lurched backwards before Stellian's massive hand could reach forwards and wrap around her torso. She formed an assault rifle, getting off a few shots before Stellian swiped, his metal shrapnel shredding the gun.
"That was always your weakness. In order to reach your full potential, you needed time and planning." Stellian ignored Yaoyorozu as she jabbed a dagger right into his forearm, sliding under it and avoiding him again. "You Rulers had limitations to your strengths, meanwhile, us Monarchs are just strong."
"AHHHH!" Yaoyorozu's eyes widened as she heard Nejire screaming out in pain. Ignoring her instincts of self-preservation, she turned around, watching with horror as Baran's white flames washed over her, seemingly searing random parts of her.
Stellian didn't even bother trying to stop Yaoyorozu as she leapt off the roof and hurled herself down towards the crater, landing in a roll right as Nejire collapsed to the ground, fully unconscious from the pain.
"Correnic!" Yaoyorozu created an injector, but Correnic didn't bother filling it.
"There's no point…"
"What? Why not?!"
As if he heard her question, Baran answered, "There are a total of six beings in the universe that can inflict damage that cannot be healed. While in a host body, my flames cause incurable burns. Even a Ruler can't fix that!"
Half of Nejire's body and face were covered in the searing flesh. The pain alone would kill most people. If the burns didn't heal, there was no way she would live.
"She'll live only if we can get her out of here!" Correnic shouted, "The burns cannot be fixed by any medicine or magic, but they will heal with time. They'll leave massive scars and be painful as hell, but she will live! So focus!"
Yaoyorozu abandoned the injector in her hand and spun around, lobbing a cluster grenade in Baran's direction. His eyes widened, not expecting such a sudden response. Even worse for him, he wasn't very durable.
But Stellian was more than powerful enough to tank the blast, appearing before Baran just in time. Only the first explosion was even powered by Correnic, the rest returned to the state of a normal cluster grenade before it could do any damage.
"Give up my little Prey," Stellian growled, stalking closer as Yaoyorozu shuddered instinctively, "You're coming with me."
"I think not." Tsukauchi was suddenly standing next to Stellian.
"What the he-"
Stellian tried to take a swipe, but Tsukauchi jabbed his right arm in half a dozen positions within the span of a second before leaping back. "Humans are exceptionally adaptive, but their bodies also hold plenty of weak points to expose."
Stellian's arm fell limp to his side as he roared, "PULRA!" He rushed forwards, abandoning any tactics, instead choosing to crush the much smaller man.
Tsukauchi slipped past the punch that Stellian threw, using his entire body as a lever as he planted his right palm on the Monarch's chest. With minimal effort, he pivoted, throwing Stellian over his body and to the ground.
"Where-?!" Baran tried to eek out a question, but Yaoyorozu's bullets filled his chest before he could finish. He fell to his knees, pain lancing up his body as he healed.
Thomas, Tsukauchi, and Yaoyorozu regrouped by Nejire as the two Monarchs pulled themselves back together.
"How do we stop these things?" Thomas asked, clutching at his chest, at least three ribs were fractured, but he barely showed it.
"We can't," Tsukauchi responded, "Not like this, I'm not powerful enough, and Yaoyorozu would need too much time to build something capable of killing them."
"So then what do we do?" Yaoyorozu asked.
"We hold the line… until either Ryukyu or Izuku are free to assist us."
"Ryukyu?"
"We'll explain it all later." Tsukauchi once more got into a defensive stance as Stellian pulled himself off the ground and finished regenerating the arm he pulled off. The easiest way to counter Pulra's weakness exploitation was to simply remove whatever had been affected and let it regrow. "For now, Thomas, take the girl somewhere safe."
"You asking me to run?"
"I'm asking you to do your job and save her life."
The seriousness in Tsukauchi's eyes must've convinced him that it was really all he could do. Solemnly and with defeat evident on his frame, Thomas gently scooped up Nejire and leapt away, moving as far away as possible from the fighting.
"The only way we survive this is if we each hold back one of them. Can you handle Baran?"
Yaoyorozu pulled out her anti-material rifle and a pistol to hold in her other hand, "I think I can manage."
Izuku felt like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders as Quaresha's life disappeared into oblivion. He didn't even question the morality of feeling such relief at the death of another living being, especially since said being was an omnicidal god who hurt Miruko.
"My King!" Beru shouted as Legia shoved aside Apophis and jumped through the air, aiming to completely flatten Izuku with his body.
Izuku spun around just in time to see the shadow of the Giant block out the sun. He put all of his Mana into the flight Skill of his armor, but he knew that he wouldn't make it in time.
That's when a roar filled his ears and the only other Dragon currently on earth that could match Apophis's size tackled Legia aside.
The two massive bodies went skidding along the ground, tearing up entire neighborhoods and turning an entire swath of ground into chewed up rubble.
Izuku didn't even bother spending time to identify his savior, he could feel Ryukyu's presence, so instead, he rushed towards the ground, landing right beside Lucifer and driving his fist into his side. The Seraph went skidding away from the four Generals dealing with him, it was just long enough for Izuku to reach out to Tatsuya, "I'm gonna need that!"
Tatsuya underhanded the Lance to Izuku, who caught it and shot back into the sky. Considering the size of Legia, Izuku was currently more likely able to kill Waruk, the Beastly Fangs Monarch, but he made a promise to Legia in order to free him. If there was any chance that he could release the Giant from his current prison, he would take it. Besides, with Apophis now freed to deal with either Lucifer or Waruk, Izuku had more time to try this.
[Mana: 157362/207362]
The Angels were doing a number on his Soldiers, but it wasn't going to be enough to defeat them.
Izuku leveled out, moving his arm behind his head as he prepared to send the Lance of Longinus heading straight for Legia's heart.
But before he could, Lucifer's voice boomed all around for miles, "Quaresha has perished and more Rulers have appeared, the primary objective of reactivating Razar's forces has been completed. It's time to leave."
Izuku's arm shot forwards, but Legia and the rest of the Monarchs were swallowed by Gates, saving them from the same fate as Quaresha. It was frustrating, but at the same time, relieving. He had killed one and forced the others to run. He had finally made progress.
"My Liege, there is a problem with your secondary partner," Hinata's voice rang clear in his head as he called the Lance back to his hand. It took just a few moments to realize who Hinata was referring to and the wind was roaring past his ears in no time as he crashed down next to Miruko, who was going pale as a green poison snuck up her veins.
"It appears that Quaresha was able to sneak in a poison while we weren't looking," Hinata said calmly, contrasting the absolute panic on Izuku's face.
"Well can you heal it?!"
"The poison is too strong for me to stop, I can only slow the progression." Hinata's hands shone with light as she did just that.
"T-Then what do we do?!"
"Allow me," Ryukyu said as she crouched down next to Miruko, now in human form again. "Where is the entry wound?"
Hinata pointed to a small pinprick on Miruko's neck. Ryukyu nodded and took a deep breath, preparing herself for whatever she was about to do. She leaned down and wrapped her lips around the wound, beginning to suck on it.
The green slowly dispersed from Miruko's veins and rushed into Ryukyu's. Miruko's skin even returned to her normal tan as Ryukyu shuddered and lurched back, having taken all the poison away.
She turned away and threw up. "Sorry, but Monarch poison can't simply be sucked out, I had to transfer it somewhere."
"W-Will you be okay?"
Ryukyu waved him off as she shuddered again and again.
Miruko's eyes fluttered as she pulled herself back to consciousness. Izuku let out a heavy sigh of relief as he pulled her up into a sitting position and hugged her tight, resting her head on his shoulder as he stroked her hair, "Thank god."
"Wha…" Miruko muttered quietly.
"You're okay now." Izuku hugged her closer, realizing just how at peace he felt with her heart beating against his.
"God… if I could… move… I would… kiss you…" She said with a smile, the heat of the moment sending their emotions where they hadn't gone before.
Izuku chuckled, "Maybe later when we're sure everything's okay." Miruko smiled, telling that he meant it.
"My Liege, the Island has been cleared of Demons and all the Monarchs have retreated. We're bringing your family back. Our Lady is fine, but Nejire has been… injured, she's being looked after by Thomas and a team of doctors," Kojin reported.
The information made Izuku's human heart skip a beat, while his secondary heart continued on without pause. "Is she going to be okay?"
"It's-"
Ryukyu cut off Kojin unintentionally as she stumbled back over to the two, Izuku still holding Miruko, "Things are definitely not okay." She collapsed to her knees, obviously exhausted, but neither the fight with Legia nor the poison could've done that much to tire her. "Razar has betrayed the Rulers and taken mental control of our armies. As soon as his forces are gathered… he plans on attacking, and it's enough to destroy the planet."
Thanks for reading! Next chapter is going to be the special one-shot that was voted on! After that, it's gonna be right back into the action! For those who didn't notice, I'm doing my best to speed up some of these relationships cause I don't want to waste too much of your time if you came here for the Harem lol! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed!
