~{Author's Notes}~
There seems to be something some of you don't understand. When I first started this fic, I was in high school. Highschool. In my senior or junior year, to be exact. So I actually had a lot more free time to make a fic. And I'm sure a lot of fellow writers understand this, but when you just start a fic with passion, you tend to write with a good flow and pump out a lot of chapters early. So it was so much easier to make chapters and post them. Chapters came out quickly because they were SHORT. They came out quickly because they were RUSHED and BARELY edited. They were SO much worse than what the retypes are now.
Once college started, at first, it didn't seem bad to choose to retype this fic and start my pokemon fic at the same time. I was just taking some small classes and the such at the time to satisfy my General Education requirements, and I didn't really study, so I used my time for my fics instead. But you wanna know what happened? I nearly FAILED my first quarter classes. So yeah, I used the time I should've been studying to instead work on my fics, which is why those chapters usually came out fast and consistent much earlier.
But as time went on, as I progressed more in college, things got WORSE. Classes were harder, there's a lot more work to do, so much so that I decided to pause the pokemon fic and keep working on just retyping the MHA fic. I thought I'd be able to post things sooner and at a good quality, but it's not that simple.
The more chapters I progress retyping, the more changes I have to make to chapters I'm retyping because they're longer, so it takes more time to remove parts, add them, change dialogue, read through it all, and post them. And I've mentioned this SEVERAL times before, right now I'm in the PEAK of the retypes that need the MOST work. As in, the current chapters I'm retyping need MUCH more work put into them so I'll need even LONGER amounts of time to fix and improve them all.
So with so much work added in college and studying, together with the fact that chapters take so much longer to retype the more I progressed in number, you'd better BELIEVE that it takes a DAMN long time to post them.
But hey, it's summer now. And I finished my second school year of college. Woohoo. So I guess that means you're thinking, 'oh, I guess I'll expect him to post faster.' That should be the case, right?
FUCKING WRONG.
I don't know what I wanna fucking do with my life, I still haven't even chosen my major yet and just ended my second year of college. And it's been so stressful that I'm actually going to take a YEAR off from college.
But DON'T assume that it means that chapters are coming out sooner. I need this time to decide just what the fuck I want to do with my life. Growing up, I was never 'good' at anything, I didn't have a 'passion' for anything, I was just an average kid that got into college because it was expected of him too. I didn't think about what I actually wanted to do, and now it's biting me in the ass. So I'm going to try using this free year I have to expose myself to things and get myself ready to get back into school with a career in mind. And no, I'm not being a writer just because I made fics. I already know that writing isn't right for me as a career.
So if I don't post for a while, then EXCUSE ME for not meeting up your expectations when you don't know just what I'm going through. It's stressful, fucking stressful, and at this point, it feels like working on my fics is more of a hassle than anything else.
It's tempting to drop them.
But I don't WANT to drop them. I LIKE my fics, and I know YOU guys like them too, seeing as how much feedback I got on them. I'm still going to try to work on them the best I can with whatever free time I can get, but just understand that if I don't post for a while, THERE'S A REASON, alright? If I could, I'd use all my time to work on my fics, but I can't. I still gotta eat, I still gotta sleep, I still gotta LIVE my life. There are so many authors that have gone through this shit before, and it's why they tend to drop fics, because they can't handle balancing them on top of everything else. Despite the hardships I'm going through, I still want to post chapters for you all to enjoy, but I can't do it as fast as I want to.
Sorry for going on a whole rant, but I hate comments and messages that express disappointed expectations that I'm not posting quickly. Not just here, mind you. I've gotten more on the other sites and personal messaging.
I'm trying, I'm really trying guys. Don't think I'm not. I wish I could post faster, I really do. But... things aren't always the way you want them.
So I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and if I don't post for weeks, months... You know why.
*Shrugs* Sorry, not sorry.
Answered Comments:
PasiveNox, blue grimmoire, Guest: Thanks for leaving comments on every single chapter, even if small.
Exia Zero: I try my best. And who doesn't love misunderstandings, right? And in case you didn't see some of the comments, the reference was indeed from Victorious.
Rovsan143: But of course.
jbran104: That wouldn't really be good, because his hero name is already Deku.
SkeltonFlu: Could be interesting, but I feel like Enso is a treasure in this. Gotta love sass and bluntness.
cari: I wouldn't say it's entirely Izuku being clueless or innocent. It's more like he just didn't believe that a girl would love him because of his low self-esteem. (But that's nearly all but gone, so he's noticing things a lot more, heh.) Also, some of those phrases are kinda interesting. Might use some of them.
Thepreator: *Eyes bulging* It's... It's beautiful. Brings a tear to my eye.
Guest: Wha-? Teach him how to jump out the window? I'm pretty sure you don't gotta be taught that, lol.
mtkrani26: That sounds about right. It actually sounds cooler when I see you point it out like that.
all514yer987: Oof.
Guest: I did NOT notice when my fic got to 1000 favorites. Thanks for pointing it out! It makes me feel so happy!
RavenKiller901: Fucking hell, spoken like a scholar. I applaud you, that was great. And hopefully, others read and realize why the fuck Izuku's character is how it is.
Spicer4: I feel like that would be a whole debate. I really don't have a definite choice on the matter. The first thing that pops in my head is batman only because he doesn't have powers, but even then I'm sure there's a lot more to it than just that.
FlamingFireBlaze: 1) Rather than 'enhance' Izuku himself, I'd say that Ikari helps to add more power to One For All to make himself stronger. But besides that, he could simply use Ikari like a kind of armor to make attacks without full cowling still hit hard. And I guess he could also get faster using Ikari in ways such as creating that jetpack or mimicking Bakugo's explosions to give him some speed. Overall, Ikari doesn't necessarily boost Izuku's body itself.
2) Technically, he could create multiple weapons/daggers with his energy, but the more weapons he creates and holds at once, the frailer they'll all be. That's why Enso usually fights with one dagger. Because that's when it's the hardest to break.
3) I'm technically going to be retyping all the chapters, but the very last ones will be more of just skimming for grammatical errors and maybe making a few small changes.
4) Yeah, I've been thinking to create super moves for Todoroki and other characters. Mostly IKARI enhanced super moves. But I guess moves with his usual powers should also be made.
Guest: I think Fa Jin is pretty interesting as a quirk, and as for the public hero safety commission, I can't say I'm surprised. There are obvious dark sides to these kinds of societies that do dirty things.
TQ679, Atomic11: Fixed that Todoroki mistake, thanks for pointing it out.
Guest: Lynch's name wasn't exactly meant to be 'good.' It's merely the way he named himself because it's the way he wants to kill Enso. He wants to wrap that noose around his neck and hold him there, feeling him slowly lose his life.
'What kind of meaning is there in killing without conviction!?'
He didn't get it. He just didn't get it.
Shigaraki's hands were balled into fists within the pockets of his black hoodie, the urge to scratch his neck already kicking in.
What the hell was everyone on about? Why did Stain get the entire supply of attention while the League got the bottom of the barrel?
He was just so angry... angry that the Nomus in Hosu were basically mutilated, angry that Stain acted better than them, and angry that Stain was the one who got all the attention doing the same thing Shigaraki has been doing for so long, destroying things he didn't like.
What the hell was up with that? What the hell was the difference between them?
Shigaraki had only shown that video of Stain because Sensei said that it'd help the league grow larger. And while that was true, people only came because they were attracted to Stain.
Stain, Stain, always damn Stain.
And then he had the fucking nerve to vanish from the world? After doing all that? After pissing him off, stealing the spotlight, and saving that fucking brat? He did all that before getting tossed like a ragdoll by... that thing?
Shigaraki gritted his teeth as two different people suddenly came to mind. Well... he didn't even know if he could even call one of them an actual person.
After all, that thing he saw was something he could only call a monster.
It fell from the sky and landed right behind Stain while he was on his last legs... it was all skin and bones, yet towering in appearance. He had blasted Ureshi, teleported right above the heroes, and snatched up Midoriya right in front of everyone, and vanished without a trace.
Yet the media didn't report it? And not only that, but the brat ended up coming back to school like nothing happened?
Shigaraki shook, confused and angry, as he wondered just who the hell was that guy? He had asked Sensei, but...
'Hm, I can't say that I have any knowledge as to the identity of that... 'individual.' However...'
He recalled his excited voice of anticipation.
'It appears that things will become rather interesting in the future, won't they?'
Even Sensei didn't know...
So there are only two people that Shigaraki knows would know just who that guy was.
That Midoriya brat is the first...
Shigaraki deeply hated him the most out of anyone, even more than All Might. He got in the way of killing that frog-girl, he copied All Might's smash like some kind of deranged fan, and... and...
He caught the attention of Sensei.
Sensei wanted him alive. He wanted Shigaraki to... 'capture' him. Sensei had always supported Shigaraki. Sensei always supported his choices while not asking for too much back, if asking anything at all. Yet now...
He had basically commanded him to acquire that boy.
...
Why?
Of all the things Sensei wanted him to do, he wanted him to capture the brat he hated with every fiber of his being!? Why is he so damn special? Why is Sensei so interested in him!? Him and that other brat, Enso Ureshi!? What did Sensei mean that he'll 'come to them' if he captures Midoriya? How does Sensei know that?
Speaking of which... Ureshi was the second brat Shigaraki knew had the answers he needed. Not just about that freak that arrived in Hosu, but also about just what the hell kind of secrets he's keeping in general. He knew that Enso was anything but a high school student.
He killed a Nomu using experience and technique as if he was used to fighting faster and stronger enemies. He overwhelmed everyone at the sports festival with his unique 'quirk.' And he even arrived in Hosu like a guardian angel for Midoriya... before getting blasted away like nothing by that creepy corpse of a monster. So, just what the hell is his connection with that freak and Midoriya? He's clearly not like any other student in that academy. Even Sensei said so. So what the hell is up with him?
Why couldn't he and Midoriya just die? Why couldn't they disappear from this damn world? Why won't Sensei just let him crumble them into ash? Why was everyone looking at the Hero Killer!? Why was that thing able to knock Ureshi away where Nomu barely got a hit in!? Why were those brats always involved!? Why does Sensei want them!?
Why...?
Why!?
WHY!?
...
Shigaraki stopped walking.
His eyes caught sight of someone.
His eyes widened through the large crowds of the Kiyashi shopping mall as he saw a particular set of green hair standing around.
It was exactly the person he needed to see.
A crazed grin found its way onto Shigaraki's face as he walked right over to him.
"Why did I run away... Why...?"
Ochako hung her head in defeat, seated on one of the benches on the mall's second level. She willed back the climbing tears of shame that were on the verge of coming out, her cheeks still lingering with red.
"I left him there..." She mumbled with a depressed sigh. "I asked him... I actually asked him, but then I ran..."
That had been her moment. That was her chance to get the first and last date with Izuku she wanted. That was her shot at making time to be alone with him in the future. Hell, she could've even just asked him to just go together exploring around the mall as their date, but she ran away because of her own embarrassment. She thought she was better than this...
She blew it. She threw away the perfect chance to get a date.
She buried her face in her hands and tightly pressed her teeth together.
"I'm so pathetic..."
"Oi."
"EEP!"
Ochako jumped in her seat and turned to the left to see Enso standing beside the bench, hands in pockets and staring down at her with his usual neutral expression.
"E-Enso?" Ochako quickly wiped the just developing tears and straightened her back, giving the boy a forced smile through her puffy eyes. "H-How are you doing? D-Did you need something?"
"Well, you were feeling depressed with something clearly on your mind. So out of pity, I came to check on you."
Ochako's smile tensed. "I-I don't-"
"Are you really gonna deny it? Or should I just go tell Izuku how you feel about him?"
"NO!" Ochako blurted as she shot up from her seat in a panic, turning deep red once again. Several people paused and gave her weird looks, which caused her to meekly look down and fiddle with her fingers. "I-I mean..."
Enso sighed and sat down on the bench Ochako had been seated, patting the spot next to him.
"Sit."
"Huh? I'm not a dog-"
Enso's eyes flashed. "Sit."
"Yes, sir."
Ochako planted herself beside Enso, nervously shivering.
The two sat in silence for only a few seconds before Enso let out another sigh.
"Good grief, I didn't think I'd involve myself in something as foolish as this..."
"Y-You don't have to-"
"So what's wrong? And don't say that it's nothing."
...
...
Ochako was silent for a few seconds before letting out a sniffle.
"I...I have to leave U.A..."
Enso kept his gaze at the passerby's walking past them, no reaction on his face to hearing this news. "As in you're being forced to leave the academy? May I ask for the details?"
"It's... It's because of money... My dad's company is going bankrupt... So w-w-we have to move."
A. pause.
"I see... And you haven't spoken this to our class?"
A shake of her head.
"No..."
"I'm assuming it's due to your selfish desire of not wanting to see them unhappy?
"Hey, why you gotta say it like that?" Ochako frowned, her depressed gaze still facing the ground.
"Not like I'm wrong. But that's not the problem. The main issue at hand involves Izuku, doesn't it?"
Ochako flinched.
"I've seen you stare at him for nearly the entirety of yesterday."
Eh!? Did she really stare at him for that long!?
Ochako couldn't help but get flustered yet again, opening and closing her mouth repeatedly as she turned to Enso.
"I-I mean-! I didn't-! I was-!"
"Save it. You've apparently accepted that you'll have to leave, so simply tell me what you're planning to do."
Ochako closed her mouth and gulped nervously. She felt really embarrassed saying this out loud, but she managed to speak.
"I-I... want to go on a d-d-date... w-with Deku..."
"I assumed so..." Enso sighed.
"Then don't make me say it out loud!" Ochako abruptly snapped at him.
"Hey, you're getting unnecessarily embarrassed about it." Enso rolled his eyes.
"Geez..." Ochako was getting annoyed now, grumbling as she turned away from Enso with another pout.
"..."
"So, when are you gonna ask him?" Enso continued.
A shameful pause.
"I... I already did. But... then I ran."
There was a twitch of Enso's eyes.
"Are... Are you serious right now?"
"Eh?"
Ochako turned her head to Enso and found him staring at her with the most disappointing deadpan a person could make.
"You didn't even let him answer? You just high-tailed it out of there?"
"E-Er-"
"And you're just gonna leave it at that?"
"I-I mean-"
"You're deciding that everything is already lost? That's you've messed up your chance with no hopes of fixing it?"
"What are you-?"
"This is Izuku we're talking about, Uraraka. He'd be glad to go on a date with you."
Ochako's mouth was open as the blush on her face now had her resemble a tomato.
"But you chose the route of cowardice. You chose to be pathetic and abandon your goal before even taking the full first step..."
Ochako's blush turned into a glare.
"H-Hey, I-!"
"You're just going to leave him and everyone you've known without saying anything, like a coward. You'll leave without any goodbyes because you don't want to see any of their sad expressions. Izuku will never know how you feel."
Enso's eyes narrowed.
"You'll be all alone, and he'll end up with someone other than you."
Hearing that snuff out any angry rebuttal Ochako was going to make. Her glare faltered, and her expression looked as if she had just been shot.
There was so much pain in her eyes.
She looked down, mouth closed and a wave of guilt and depression overtaking her. She pictured Izuku with such a bright smile on his face, surrounded by people who loved him. Surrounded by so many others who were much more amazing than her.
"I-I know, alright? I know I'm a coward... I didn't have a chance any-OW!"
She clutched her head from Enso suddenly flicking her forehead.
"Stop right there, you idiotic ball of mochi."
"Wh-What!?" Ochako turned back to him, a red mark on her head and with a puffy face expressing her current annoyance at what he did.
"Who was the one that gave him the nickname he holds so proudly as his hero name?"
Ochako's glare faded as he told her that, yet she started turning away with yet another disheartened stare.
"That... That was Baku-OW! Would you stop flicking me!?"
"Not until you stop being a self-loathing moron. I've dealt enough of that kind of matter with Izuku."
"Hey, that's insensitive to him!" Ochako snapped.
"And it's insensitive of yourself to lower your own value as a person even though it's clear how special Izuku views you." Enso retorted.
Ochako froze.
"M-Me? S-Special-?"
"What you stated about who gave him his nickname is wrong, idiotically wrong." Enso cut her off. "The nickname Bakugo gave Izuku told him that he couldn't do anything. It told him that he was weak, worthless, a waste of space, and it haunted him for all his life. That name gave him fear, it took away his confidence, it made him a source of ridicule, it's only ever been horrible for him."
Enso crossed his arms.
"But the nickname Izuku holds now is doing the exact opposite. It fills him with pride, it gives him hope, it lets him know that he can do anything. It tells him that he's the hero that can do it. It may be the same word, but it holds a different meaning ever since he's met all of you. It's no longer Bakugo's nickname."
Ochako blinked several times, staring at Enso with widened eyes.
"So let me ask you again; Who was the one who truly gave Izuku the nickname he holds so dear?"
"...me."
"Who?"
"Me!" Ochako lifted her head with her arms pumped up, staring at Enso with a determined expression.
Enso nodded in approval to her more upbeat answer.
"You've done something that'll always have a place in his heart. You changed something that tormented him into something that motivates him. You changed its meaning by always using such a name with your own definition. He respects you. He thinks you're amazing. He feels nothing but joy being around you."
Enso placed one leg over the other.
"So, of course Izuku would only ever think positive things about you. He'd be overjoyed, if not confused, that you'd be interested in him romantically. To assume that you've never had a chance for his affection and that everyone else was better suited for him, it's idiotic."
"I..." Ochako found herself unable to say anything back. Enso was doing what he always did, being blunt and not holding back when pointing things with his own understandable logic behind it. With logic that wasn't flawed at all.
"So here's what you're gonna do. First, stand." He commanded, eyes even flashing.
"Y-Yes!" Ochako found herself listening and shot up from her seat, her back straight as she stood tall and proud, although nervous.
Enso stood up and stepped right in front of her. "Next, you're gonna go back and look for Izuku. And once you find him, you'd better get a damn answer from him and move on from there. Whether you tell him you're moving or not is up to you, but you shouldn't hold back on telling him how you feel because of a foolish idea that you're not good enough, alright?"
"R-Right!"
"Then off you go. This conversation might've taken some of my brain cells..." Enso sighed, turning away from Ochako and resting his arms on the second-floor railing, rubbing his temples with his fingers.
Ochako, feeling a surge of determination from getting swept in Enso's pace, patted her face with her hands before taking a deep breath. She's read.y She turned around and started marching away to go through with the rest of her goal.
But after a few steps... she stopped and glanced back at the stoic male.
"Hey... Enso?"
"What it is?"
"...thank you."
"..."
Enso narrowed his eyes, not looking back at her.
"Just go."
"..."
Ochako smiled before marching off with more determination than ever before, leaving Enso alone with his own thoughts.
Enso's eyes gazed over at the large crowds around the enormous mall, resting his head into a hand as his fingers tapped the railing.
"I didn't think I'd ever act as a wingman... I guess I was just that annoyed with how things currently are... Like watching a child reach for a high shelf for so long when there's a ladder beside him. You can't help but do something about it yourself when it's so simple..."
Cross-veins formed on his head.
"I'm sure that rodent would be laughing right now seeing me get involved in 'relationships' of all things..."
He pictured a maniacally laughing Nezu holding a cup of tea.
"...He really has a punchable face."
Enso stopped tapping his fingers.
"Well, it's up to you what you do now, Izuku. Both you and Uraraka..."
He spent the next few minutes staring off at the mall.
"Normally, I wouldn't ever bother with something like this..."
And it was true. In any world he's been in, he'd always get straight to the point. He always sought out the one his watch detected, not bothering to get involved in anything unless it benefited himself.
He never made close relationships. He never helped anyone for the sake of helping them. Everything he did was always for himself in some sort of way. Before coming to this world, he never had these kinds of relations with anyone. But now? He spends day after day interacting with the same people, day after he found himself experiencing things he hardly ever felt before.
He got annoyed, sometimes he got amused, he even got... happy?
...
That last one was still a ways off.
He still never felt genuine joy for something... The best thing that usually brought up some kind of positivity in him was cooking. But apart from that, he was still rather distant with many of his emotions.
Yet every day was still interesting, to say the least. Class-1A was a unique bunch in which each student had their own defining traits. Classes were still boring though, as his well-developed mind had him easily carry on through school with perfect results... to the point where Nezu is starting to tell the teachers to shove harder work onto him.
Damn rodent.
And yet, even with all the small annoyances and inconveniences, Enso didn't regret trying something different in this world. Something that didn't involve just rushing through a world to kill someone like some kind of speedrunner. Now he was understanding and appreciating the world around him. He was finding alternate paths of progression.
He was now on the pacifist route...
...
But it wasn't so simple as to just change your ways.
Thoughts of simply slicing down a foe to make things easier have emerged in Enso's mind before. The thought to take a life to reduce the risk of innocents dying, to take a life if someone would be too dangerous if left alive, and even now, Enso still believes that there will be one point where there will only be one option at one moment...
To kill.
Lynch was here, after all.
Whether Lynch forces him to play another twisted game, or Enso would finally take him down... he knew he couldn't avoid keeping his blade clean on this world. The Nomu he 'killed' before was an exception, as it was anything but alive in the state it was in, basically reminisced of a programmed corpse.
Enso viewed Lynch as something similar... something that has long lost its humanity and was now complete insanity. He still doesn't understand how Lynch ended up the way he did or why he directed so much hatred at him, but...
Enso knew Lynch would stop at nothing to destroy anything he has a connection to.
If Enso knew him, which he did, then Lynch was undoubtedly building up in preparation for something horrifically grand yet again.
Enso knows Lynch has to be eliminated at all costs. However, by taking matters into his own hands while still under the guise of a 'student' or 'citizen,' that'd just interpretative him as a 'villain' in the 'hero' society. Well, technically a vigilante, but they and villains are basically portrayed the same way according to the law.
From what he read and what he's been told by Kamui, the overall authority heroes have on killing is... nothing. It's out of the question entirely. It's in order to dismay others from ever using their quirks in such a criminal-like way of taking another's life.
...
Bullshit.
It was foolish how simple the authorities make it out to be. They make it seem so concrete even though there are so many other factors that determine the situation.
Such as between All Might and All For One.
All Might fought, and for all he knew, 'killed' All For One, and wasn't reprimanded for it. Why? Simple, because he's supposed to be the world's top hero, and All For One was apparently some sort of monster that had to be taken down. So of course the higher-ups of the law would give leeway to such an important figure while any other small-time heroes would suffer a consequence for committing such an act. So only the strongest, most important heroes would be given passes for killing.
Enso released a disappointed sigh.
Such a grey line in this hero society... He knew he wouldn't ever get the authority to kill, nor would he get any leeway for it, especially since he didn't belong in this world. He'd be viewed as dangerous to everyone just for being not from here... And Nezu especially made it clear that if he took any life, they would be done.
But Enso knew what he had to do. He would cooperate with Nezu and wouldn't kill anyone to the very end...
But that thing is no longer a person.
So it was obvious what he should do.
*Beep* *Beep*
"Hm?"
Enso looked down at his beeping watch, narrowing his eyes.
Apparently, there was some kind of extreme change in Izuku's body; otherwise, he wouldn't have been pinged.
Enso pressed the screen with his finger, to which a small profile of Izuku came up. He raised an eyebrow with an uncomfortable feeling going through him.
"Rapid increase of heartbeat? Even more so than everyday interactions with females..."
Izuku saw his life flash before his eyes.
Shigaraki's hold made him feel like he was going to die. His heart threatened to burst by its rapid beating as his gaze went straight down to the ground.
He was slowly led towards an empty bench, held at the neck and fumbling with his walking as he did so.
"Come on, we don't have all day. Stop stumbling. Just act like I'm an old friend."
Izuku felt chills as Shigaraki's breath blew against his neck.
"Partner, although I'm weakened, I'm sure I can still blast him point-blank or stab him!"
His breathing hitched.
"N-No, Ikari! We can't be reckless! There are people too close to us! We can't risk him using them to his advantage!"
"Grrr! Then what do we do!?"
"Just... Just let me handle it."
Despite saying this, Izuku didn't feel too confident about handling the villain. Hopefully, one of his friends in the mall would see him and get help.
Soon he and Shigaraki were seated side-by-side, with the villain's grip not loosening any time soon.
"There we go. That wasn't so hard, was it?" Shigaraki's chillingly whispered. "I'm sure you know this, but no sudden movements. Otherwise, you'll crumble to dust in less than a minute."
Izuku gulped, the image of Aizawa's arm decaying flashing through his mind. But at the same time, it also gave him some valuable information.
"B-But... your quirk is slow..."
"Oh?" He heard Shigaraki huff.
Izuku pressed on. "S-So even if you try it... I-I still have at least a m-moment to get out of your grip. A-And... would you really kill me right here? And risk who knows how many heroes to come out from the crowd?"
Rather than any pause of reconsideration, Izuku heard a heartless chuckle.
"Oho? But I wonder just how many of them I could turn to ash before then?"
Izuku felt his heart drop at his tone, knowing that Shigaraki would be true to his word.
"You see, that's the difference between you and me, between you 'heroes' and us ' villains.' Laws and regulations don't hold us back. I wonder just how many of them I can crumble before I'm caught?"
There was a threatening growl.
"I-Ikari! Calm down!"
"All we need is one shot at his neck... That's it."
"NO! Stop it!"
He paced his breathing to calm down, hoping Ikari would also calm himself before anything could happen. His tightly gripped knuckles loosened as he relaxed. He just had to stall; he just had to keep him talking.
"Wh-What do you want?" The boy asked nervously.
"I fucking hate you."
...
Good start.
"Um... I-I'm sorry?"
"Shut up and let me talk."
Izuku felt Shigaraki's grip tighten for a split second, immediately having him zip his mouth as the villain continued.
"I don't see what's so damn special about you... Every time something pisses me off, you're always there in some way. From USJ, all the way to that damn Hero Killer screwing things up... I hate you even more than him."
Izuku, fearing Shigaraki may place his last finger by how angry he sounded, quickly brought up the other one mentioned.
"B-But wasn't Ch-Chizome with you?"
...
"Chizome?"
Izuku felt his heart freeze.
He messed up.
He could already picture Shigaraki's piercing red eyes right on him.
"Since when were you so familiar with him?"
He had to fix this, now.
"I-It's a habit of mine, c-calling people by first names!" Izuku quickly stammered.
...
Well, it wasn't a lie.
But he didn't dare look up at Shigaraki. He couldn't let him get any read on him.
After a few heart-wrenching seconds, he heard the villain huff.
"You're god damn weird... I don't get you at all..."
Izuku didn't dare release a breath of relief. He couldn't give Shigaraki any clue about his connection with Stain.
"And no, I never acknowledged him as a part of us, but that's how it ended up in the news... Tsk!"
Izuku felt his neck itch and knew he'd have to disinfect it if he got out of this. Shigaraki's nails are no doubt gonna give him something.
"Everything I did ended up being just some damn side story... Me, someone who had the nerve to invade U.A. Yet everything I did was practically overshadowed by Stain... why?"
Izuku heard some scratching. It appeared that Shigaraki was irritatingly clawing at his own neck.
"Why... Why did he get more popular than me? What did he do that was different from me? We both did the same thing... We both destroyed what we didn't like, but he ended up the highlight. I don't get it... I just don't get it..."
So he was jealous of the attention...
"And that's where you come in."
Izuku blinked. "E-Eh?"
"You've run into both of us. You've seen both of us up close, so now I'm asking you. Just what's different between him and me that makes everyone flock to him?"
He threatening gave a squeeze to Izuku's neck.
"What's. The. Difference?"
Shigaraki was expecting something out of him. And it was clear to Izuku he had to give it now.
"The... difference?"
He recalled the things Stain did. He recalled the things he's said. It all came to him.
'That's why I'll fight. You can bring the change that this society needs. You can change the pathetic ideas that the world runs on about heroes. That conviction you have to become a hero... It's what this corrupted world needs.'
Izuku took a deep breath.
"Th-The difference is... I can actually understand Chizo- the Hero Killer..."
"Hah?"
He continued, deep into his thoughts now.
"I-I understand what he fights for. I understand that no matter how broken he gets, he'll keep fighting for what he believes in. And his beliefs are... 'understandable' to others, and that's what draws people to him."
Shigaraki was quiet as he listened intently.
"He... He doesn't just kill heroes because he can. He doesn't do it just because he doesn't like them. He does it because... he wants change."
...
"Shigaraki... I know you fight because you hate All Might... I know you fight because you hate heroes in general, but..."
Izuku's eyes narrowed.
"Have you ever thought about what you want your end result to be? What you want to change? How you want the world to change in the end?"
A tense silence followed.
Shigaraki was making no sounds or movements, and Izuku grew nervous by the second. For a moment, he thought he might've pissed him off enough that Shigaraki was contemplating on killing him here, but...
"Hah, heh..."
He... was snickering?
"I... Haha. I get it now."
Izuku didn't like the sound of that.
"So that's why!" Shigaraki sounded brighter than ever. He sounded... genuinely happy, in a creepy way. "It's as simple as that!"
Izuku heard him laugh creepily for a few seconds.
"Hah, heh... You know? I hated you Midoriya, I really did. But I think Sensei was right."
... Sensei?
Izuku felt Shigaraki's grip around his neck slightly loosen, to which he instinctively turned his head to face the villain.
He wishes he hadn't. That face was gonna haunt him for days.
Shigaraki had the most disgusting of grins on him, and the air around them became twice as heavy. That look he had in his eyes was dangerous, something that had Izuku's blood turn cold, something that he's seen before from the Hero Killer himself.
He might've just created an even more dangerous villain.
"I think we're gonna be good friends, after all." The pale man chuckled.
Izuku tried to speak, but he was choking even without Shigaraki's hold. Sweat went down the side of his head as he pressed his teeth together in a nervous stare. It didn't feel like Shigaraki was planning to kill him, but at the same time, that made things seem so much more dangerous.
He felt Shigaraki move his other palm to his shoulder, making him flinch.
"And as, 'friends,' we can tell each other secrets, right?"
Where was he going with this now?
"So tell me..."
Shigaraki's face got uncomfortably close to his, and Izuku had to resist the urge to puke as he felt the villain's dry breath against him.
"Who was that guy that snatched you in Hosu?"
...
What?
Izuku blinked, eyes losing color.
"H-Huh? What are you-?"
Shigaraki chuckled as he narrowed his eyes.
"Now, now, we don't have to hold anything back from each other. You know exactly who I'm talking about."
He did.
He didn't want to, but he did.
Hallucinations of death flashed in his mind. He saw his head crushed like a bug in that horrid figure's hand, he saw his corpse in pieces on the ground, he saw himself vaporized out of existence, he saw so many ways of dying just by thinking of... him.
Then rather than hallucinate, he remembered.
He remembered being chained to a chair, he remembered his large and disgusting figure towering over him, and he remembered the pain.
'I'll engrave that meaning right into you~.'
The pain.
'This'll leave a mark.'
The burning iron.
'In the face of power, in the face of ME, you'll always be...'
And so much pain.
'Useless.'
His hands shook. His vision blurred. Sweat dripped all over his face as he vividly remembered.
He choked as he remembered his skin melting by the word branded on his back.
His chest grew tight as he remembered the meaning of what was imprinted.
A meaning that wasn't the one he accepted.
Breathing was so hard right now. Izuku honestly thought he was gonna pass out. The whole world was darkening around him, and any moment he was going to-
"Oi, Oi, what the hell?"
He felt his neck squeezed, and he let out a harsh choke, getting snapped out of his panic attack. He had almost forgotten the whole predicament he was in.
"Take deep breaths and calm the fuck down. I don't want you attracting attention." Shigaraki's voice was cold and demanding now, his expression also turning stern.
Izuku listened and started taking deep breaths, turning his head away from Shigaraki as he stared at the ground. He swallowed his saliva and let out some small gasps before his breathing finally returned to a composed pace.
"I-I... Sorry..."
Did he really just apologize to him for a panic attack? He was a hostage!
"..." Shigaraki narrowed his eyes down at Izuku. "What the hell was that just now?"
Izuku didn't know what to say to that. He could only clench his fists tightly as he addressed what Shigaraki had asked him before.
"H-How did you know-? I-In Hosu-? Why-?"
"I was there."
Izuku got quiet.
"When the flying Nomu scooped you off the ground, I watched it all. From when your friend came running in, to... whoever the hell that was, arrived."
Shigaraki leaned close.
"I know nothing about him. And anyone sent out to find anything about him came back empty-handed. It's as if he doesn't exist. Like he's just some kind of myth... Yet, you know who he is..."
He felt Shigaraki breath on his ear.
"Don't you?"
Izuku turned pale. He couldn't let the league come in contact with him. He couldn't. But Shigaraki wouldn't tolerate him stalling at this point. They've already been seated for quite a while. What should he say? What can he say?
"Well, Midoriya?" His captor already sounded like he's getting impatient.
Izuku saw a flash of his neck crumbling, and his mouth gaped open in small chokes.
"I-I-!"
"De...ku?"
Izuku felt pure despair at that soft voice that called him.
No.
No no no no no.
He rose his head and saw her.
He saw Ochako standing just ahead of him and Shigaraki. She was staring at them.
Frozen, confused...
Afraid.
"Y-You're...?" She whimpered, visibly trembling as Shigaraki's red eyes fell upon her. Eyes full of malice.
She could feel him threatening her. Like if she did anything at this moment, then it'd all be over. But despite this, she wasn't gonna be a coward for the second time today. So she forced words out of her trembling lips.
"L-Let... go... o-of him." She couldn't even make herself appear strong, not when her best friend's neck was being held by four fingers, just waiting for the fifth to be pressed down.
Shigaraki frowned, the fingers of his free hand twitching as he moving it.
Izuku knew immediately what he was thinking. And both of his own hands shot up and grabbed the villain's moving wrist.
"Don'tyou dare."
Shigaraki was shocked by the sudden action and nearly pressed down his last finger on instinct. His eyes widened from hearing an assortment of two voices come from his captive, his emerald eyes even turning blood red with a dangerous glare.
And in addition to this, something was poking his neck.
Shigaraki realized that a spikey black protrusion was poking his atoms apple. A spike that was from Izuku's shoulder, threatening to pierce him.
Ochako's eyes also widened to see Izuku directly challenge Shigaraki in such a dangerous way. Still, she could only watch, fearing that any move she made would result in Izuku's demise.
The two males had a staredown, one waiting for the other to make the first move. But despite the situation, Shigaraki formed a grin.
"Well, well, well. Are you actually thinking about killing me, Midoriya?"
Izuku just glared daggers as his teeth pressed together. This had been on instinct, his anger from the thought of Shigaraki harming Ochako causing him to act. But going through with it? It was out of the question.
Shigaraki knew this and called him out on it, even pressing his neck a bit into the black spike as if daring him to continue.
"Don't you remember? You're supposed to be the 'hero,' aren't you? Imagine all you'd be throwing away if you killed me right here. It doesn't matter if it's in self-defense. You'd be viewed as a murderer for the rest of your life."
He was taunting him.
"How tragic, isn't it? You know you can't do anything without suffering the consequences of this shitty hero society. So go ahead, ruin your life. Become what you're trying to fight against."
Izuku shook, not refuting or confirming what the villain was saying. He had to be calm. He couldn't let his judgment be clouded for even a moment. Otherwise, he'd be making a terrible decision. He or Ikari could end up making a horrible choice.
He took deep breaths, on the verge of breaking down.
"Ikari... Retreat, please."
"..."
"Ikari... Now." He thought sternly.
The black spike reluctantly retracted back, and the red from Izuku's eyes faded back to green, bringing a chuckle out of Shigaraki.
"Exactly. You can't do anything. You won't."
But then something else pressed on the back of his neck.
"He won't. But I will."
Shigaraki's grin faltered.
Izuku and Ochako both formed new expressions of shock.
The air seemed to stop.
The decaying user slowly turned his head enough to look back, catching sight of a third 'student.' His red eyes had no signs of light in them. He had no shred of mercy in his eyes; the light faded from them and replaced with only killing intent.
"E-Enso?" Izuku coughed out.
He'd normally be glad to see his teacher here, but his eyes were drawn to the signature black dagger pressing on the back of Shigaraki's neck.
"Shigaraki."
His cold voice gave them chills.
"I'm giving you one warning."
Only danger emitted from him.
"The instant your last finger presses down-"
His signature dagger pressed harder.
"-I'll send your head rolling."
Shigaraki was actually surprised. Enso wasn't using any powers, but he could practically see the menacing aura around him.
An aura of danger. An aura of death. An aura different from any he's encountered.
Enso meant what he said. He'd slice his head off if it meant protecting Izuku, even if it'd jeopardize his entire life, even if he'd become an enemy to the world.
But rather than scared, Shigaraki was intrigued.
He found himself actually grinning.
"Enso Ureshi... Another guy I wanted to see."
Enso narrowed his eyes as the villain chuckled.
"You really are different from all those other brats, aren't you?"
"..."
"You actually understand. You actually know that sometimes, people just have to die. You'd kill someone if it meant guaranteeing what you want."
"If you believe that, then you know that I'm absolutely serious." Enso retorted.
Izuku knew this too, and worry filled him at the possibility of Enso slashing Shigaraki right here. If Enso really went through with it, then he was just done. His life would be in shambles.
Izuku mouthed 'don't' to him, which Enso saw but made no change to his stance.
"Ureshi... Just how important is Midoriya to you?" Shigaraki asked him.
"..."
"You're willing to kill someone with no hesitation if it means saving him? You, someone with no background of any kind? Someone who just... 'appeared' in U.A?"
"You've been looking me up?" Enso frowned.
"After that shit at USJ, of course we did." Shigaraki snapped more aggressively. "So... Enso Ureshi...
"..."
"Just who are you?"
"..."
Ochako didn't know what to think.
She was frozen on the spot. She was confused and scared. Confused about what Shigaraki was implying about Enso. Scared of the same things implied.
Willing to kill?
No background?
He's unlike everyone else?
Enso's a classmate. He's a friend. He's blunt and doesn't care about others' opinions towards him. He's strong; he has a weird habit of jumping out windows. Ochako knows this about him.
But... he wouldn't kill anyone, right?
Well, this same friend of the class had his dagger pressing behind Shigaraki. This same friend didn't deny Shigaraki's claims, and if anything, his silence was unnerving to her.
Just who really is he?
Enso's voice became the sole focus of them all.
"I'm someone who's learning."
"Hah?" Shigaraki scoffed.
Enso's eyes regained some of their red color, a look of reminiscence holding his face.
"I'm..."
He thought about the hero society he was in.
"...someone learning concepts I would normally never amuse."
He thought about his classmates and connections.
"I'm someone learning to cooperate with others for needs that aren't my own."
He thought about day after day in this world: every fight, every interaction, every person.
"I'm someone still learning about himself."
His eyes once again reflected danger.
"And Izuku's in the center of it all. It's his existence that has exposed me to so many new experiences. So if you were to take him right here..."
There was a glint in his dagger.
"Then I'd no reason not to end you right here."
Despite the somewhat vague answer, Shigaraki was still satisfied as, at the very least, Enso's words confirmed something he had been wondering. Something that would play a key role in the future.
That Izuku was the deciding factor in where Enso would go.
"Sensei is right... Wherever Midoriya will go..." He menacingly grinned. "Ureshi will follow."
He could get the rest of his answers later. When they both fall into his hands.
For now, he's been here long enough.
"Alright, I guess I've had my fun here." Shigaraki said, slightly relaxing his hold on Izuku's neck. "I'll know about the guy that blasted you in Hosu soon enough."
For a second, Enso's expression reflected shock.
And Shigaraki used that moment to let go of Izuku.
The boy immediately clutched his own neck and started coughing, and at the same time, Enso made a swift movement of swinging the heel of his foot towards Shigaraki's head. But Shigaraki reacted by jumping off the bench and to the side to narrowly avoid getting hit. Good thing he managed to throw Enso off a little by his last remark. Otherwise, he probably would've gotten hit.
"Oi, don't get any ideas of taking me down now. That'll just create more problems for you." Shigaraki backed up with a grin.
Enso glared as many civilians walking by had their attention now on him from his attempted attack.
"Isn't that...?"
"From the sports festival?"
"Is that a knife!?"
Enso clicked his tongued and quickly made his dagger vanish as he crouched by Izuku, checking his neck and examining the bleeding caused by Shigaraki's nails.
"Deku!" Ochako immediately rushed to his side as well, worry all over her face as she finally started releasing deep breaths.
"If any of you follow me… then I'll get angry." Shigaraki threatened the trio, turning around and proceeding to walk off with his head down.
But Izuku managed to catch his breath as he gazed forward at the villain's back. "Wait, Tomura Shigaraki!" he attempted to shout in his hoarse voice.
"Did he say Shigaraki!?"
"From the League of Villains!?"
"Call the police!"
Neither Shigaraki nor Izuku seemed to care as the people around them panicked and ran, with some bringing out their phones as people screamed. The villain merely stopped walking for just a moment, with the novice hero forcing more hoarse words to come out.
"What… Is All For One after...? " Izuku managed to ask in a rough cry.
"..."
Shigaraki shrugged his shoulders.
"Who knows? I don't know how he wants everything to end. But I do know one thing he wants by the end of it all."
Izuku saw a chilling grin from the barely visible face just peeking out of Shigaraki's hood.
"You."
Izuku's blood grew cold as the same visions of the menacing man he saw during the sports festival appeared in his head once more. His tall figure grinning by the corpses of previous predecessors.
Shigaraki's grin was similar to his, showing just how much he's taken from the man.
"I'll be seeing you again, Midoriya. Mark my words."
Then Shigaraki started running, as the panicking crowds were meant to be his cover.
Enso narrowed his eyes and thought about chasing after him, but he knew he'd be in for a scolding by Nezu and other authorities if he did.
This hero society really was like a cage.
He turned back to Izuku, seeing him as a shivering mess as he apparently recalled something.
And as for Ochako...
"I'm sorry... *sniff* I-I'm so... I shouldn't have left you! I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" She was now hugging Izuku with her face buried into his shoulder, overwhelming guilt causing her to sob.
Enso turned his head away and saw several of his classmates running towards them with varying expressions of worry.
What a day this became...
~{Meanwhile}~
"Oh... look at that!" A sadistic laugh echoed. "Taking it like a champ!"
Tsukauchi trembled in his seat as he did everything he could to keep himself conscious. His seat and the platform underneath him were all covered in blood. He had lost four pawns, a knight, and a bishop so far.
So he had first lost four fingers, before that hand had been cut off entirely, then followed by one of his feet. In place of his hand was his shirt, which he had used to attempt to stop any bleeding. But in addition to this wound, his right foot was all but gone, leaking blood onto the floor.
"Amazing... Amazing! And you're still going!" Lynch laughed as he saw Tsukauchi use every ounce of his strength to take his black bishop.
And in turn, the human-sized rook Tsukauchi used now moved to this spot, lance forcibly aiming at the muffled screaming man trapped in his designed bishop arm. And in the next moment, it stabbed right through the man's head, then being flung right off the board with blood spattering around the giant blood-soaked board.
By now, the remaining civilians trapped in armor either looked hopeless or entirely dead inside. Some of them had their eyes clamped as they waited for their demise, while others simply remained lifeless with all the color faded from their eyes.
Tsukauchi was in so much pain. Not just from his brutal wounds but also feeling aching from his head from every person killed on this board. He was bleeding out, and this 'game' was taking a toll on his mind. It wouldn't take much longer before he'd pass out...
"You know you can give up?" Lynch taunted from afar. "You give up, and this will aaaaaaaall be over. You'll get to leave a free man. So what do you think?"
He received hardened gasps and one pained word.
"Ch... Check..."
"Hm?" Lynch checked the board and saw that his king was getting pressured by Tsukauchi's rook after taking the black bishop.
This just seemed to please Lynch as he raised his queen...
"Heh, have it your way, detective."
And took Tsukauchi's rook.
Immediately afterward, the armored woman on Lynch's side moved from her current space right in front of the spot Tsukauchi's rook had taken.
The 'queen' brought an arm back as she held her blade and tilted upward towards the man on a short tower representing the rook. The man himself didn't react, just appearing lifeless as his fate came.
The queen then flung her sword with so much force that it pierced through the armor of the man's chest, going straight through him.
What immediately followed was an ear-piercing slice that echoed in the room.
Tsukauchi felt another surge of agonizing pain as the remainder of his hand-less left arm now plopped onto the ground, followed by blood spurting out from his shoulder.
"NGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
His bloody right hand clutched at his shoulder as he doubled over. His screams filled the room as the remainder of his rook disintegrated from the board to vanish completely.
Lynch was losing it as he watched Tsukauchi's agony, finding himself releasing harsh coughs by how hard he was laughing.
Tsukauchi pressed his hand tightly on his shoulder in a desperate attempt to keep blood from pouring out. But of course, his hand could only do so much to keep it in.
"We're nearing the end, detective! Either you bleed out here, or you lose, ending every one of these miserable fleshwads in the room!" He roared. "Can you REALLY go through with it in the end? Can you really continue throwing all of these pathetic pieces right into their deaths!?"
Tsukauchi said nothing and gasped in pain, gritting his teeth.
"Go on, detective, make your next move! Show me more of your fruitless suffering!"
He rubbed his hands together in anticipation.
"Show me the moment you finally break apart~."
Tsukauchi didn't even appear to be listening. Instead, he just moved his blood-covered hand from his shoulder and reached for the projected board in front of him.
He looked so tired, his hand shaking as he firmly held onto his own queen.
"Be careful, detective. This next move might just be your last." Lynch taunted, examing how his own pieces were most on his opponent's half of the board.
Tsukauchi just kept panting, desperately breathing as his vision blurred. He just had to move, that's it.
He forced the remainder of his strength to lift his queen, holding it between his trembling fingers as blood trickled onto it. He moved it diagonally across the board, red and black colors starting to cloud his vision. Lynch's fingers twitched as he excitedly waited for the detective to finish, planning for his next move to finally finish him off.
But instead, Tsukauchi slammed his pawn on an unoccupied space, the smallest of smug but pained smiles forming on his face.
"Check... mate..."
He then immediately fell limp, his head hanging with blood dripping down from him.
"..."
"What?"
Lynch eyed the board in a completely frozen stance. Tsukauchi's human-sized queen moved into space the detective had moved, then all became silent.
The remaining victims had become wide-eyed the moment they had heard the detective's claim, nearly all of them showing pained emotion again with some color returning in their eyes.
As for Lynch, he stared at the board for nearly a minute. He looked for any kind of discrepancy, for any move he could make to either protect his king or move it out of the way.
He found none.
He had lost.
...
But despite this, he simply chuckled as he leaned back in his chair.
"Well... I'll be damned."
He then proceeded to slowly clap.
"I got so excited that I didn't notice that the rook was merely offered as bait. I screwed up."
He continued clapping as he stood up from his chair.
"You actually god damn did it. I didn't expect you would even be able to THINK while going through so much pain. But you kept your head in the end."
Tsukauchi's lifeless body remained slumped in his chair, with no movement at all.
"And then you just pass out immediately after winning... What a fucking mad lad." Lynch couldn't help but feel impressed. "You'll probably be dead in a few minutes, though. Unless... hmmm..."
He rubbed his chin in interest.
"It's hard to come by a normal human with that much willpower. I guess he earned this."
Lynch's body vanished from his pedestal, and he immediately appeared beside Tsukauchi's body, crouching down as he brought a hand on top of the male's head.
"I did say you'd earn your own freedom. So I guess you'll be my messenger."
Lynch's palm then started glowing green.
Loud hissing filled the room from underneath his palm, the villain staring intently at the remaining pieces of the man that managed to beat him at his own game. Guess being arrogant can easily be your downfall. Lynch wondered why he hasn't learned by now...
After a few seconds of his hand remaining on Tsukauchi, Lynch removed his palm and stood up, staring down at the unconscious man.
"There. My going away gift."
Below Lynch, Tsukauchi's missing arm and foot had been replaced with smooth bionic limbs. These limbs were armored fairly well and were structured perfectly to replace his previous limbs, with his arm particularly looking rather strong.
The chains that had kept Tsukauchi restrained them crumbled to ash, freeing the detective who wasn't even awake to run.
"Wakey wakey." He flicked his head, to which a shock of electricity suddenly sparked on Tsukauchi.
"NN!" The detective woke up in a jolt, hyperventilating as his head immediately clutched his head.
"There we go." Lynch chuckled, amused by his reaction.
Hearing his voice, Tsukauchi looked straight up and panted hard in fatigue, sweat dripping down with blood.
"How do you like your new arm?"
Tsukauchi's eyes widened as he looked down at his left arm, only to see a metal limb in its place.
"Wha-?"
"It's a part of your body now." Lynch immediately explained. "You like it? I even made it out of something I guarantee you've never even SEEN before."
Tsukauchi just trembled as his right hand grabbed at his new robotic left, immediately trying to pry the limb off, only to not find it even budging. He probably couldn't even pull it off even if he tried, as all his blood loss had him feeling both cold and tired.
"What the hell do you think you're doing? I healed you up and everything, you know? What's with this reaction?"
Tsukauchi had a weak grip on his metal arm as he glanced up at Lynch with an exhausted glare. If there wasn't any blood on him, you'd be able to see how pale he was. "You think... *huff* I'd trust having something *puff* like this... from you!?"
"Aw, how cute." Lynch chuckled, getting to one knee to be on the same eye level as Tsukauchi. "But in all seriousness, it's nothing more than an arm. Even better than one, might I add. Same with your new foot."
Tsukauchi looked down at his new metallic foot, one that didn't have toes and simply acted as a prosthetic for him to walk on. He flexed his metallic fingers and clench them into a fist, yet unable couldn't feel anything in his new arm. To be given something like this from someone that had just taken his limbs off. It disturbed him, and he'd honestly rather not have these stuck on him, reminding him of just what happened here today.
Speaking of which, Tsukauchi noticed that he was no longer bound to his chair and remembered how and why he ended going through that sick game moments ago.
"I... won, right?" He looked up and stared at Lynch right in his empty burning red eyeholes. He felt so tired, but he couldn't pass out again. Not yet, at least.
"Indeed you did." Lynch chuckled.
Tsukauchi then turned his head forward at the remainder of the large board, where the remaining survivors were still trapped in their armored suits.
He honestly didn't think it'd be so simple, but...
"Let them go, Lynch." The detective was firm and confident as he gazed back up at the villain, stating his right for what he asked for being the victor in their match.
Lynch stared at him without any movement, as if daring the detective to keep going. But Tsukauchi kept a stern glare as he challenged Lynch to keep his word.
"Heh. You went through hell and can still have the balls to keep that face. You really are the best." Lynch chuckled.
Tsukauchi kept quiet as he just waited for him to commence his part of the conditions, wondering if the villain would even go through with them.
But sure enough, Lynch brought up a hand and snapped his fingers.
An instant effect occurred. All the armor trapping the remaining victims fell to pieces on the floor, the people previously captive falling with them.
Tsukauchi shot out of his chair in an immediate attempt to run to the group, but he stumbled right off the short pedestal he was on and fell right onto the ground. Walking with his new prosthetic foot would take a bit to get used to.
"Detective Tsukauchi!"
Tsukauchi grunted as he rose his head from the ground, eyes blurry and ringing in his ears as screams started echoing in the room. If he remembered, everyone had their mouths taped shut, but they must've ripped them off immediately upon being free.
He couldn't see clearly who approached him. He couldn't make out any words as the scent of blood violated his nostrils more than ever. He didn't even process as he was raised to his feet and supported by someone's shoulder.
It wasn't until the screaming of others was beside him when his senses recovered.
"Nngh..." He turned his head left and saw someone he recognized.
"Tama..kawa...?"
The one supporting him was officer Sansa Tamakawa, a lean man with large yellow eyes and the head of a ginger tabby cat. His police uniform and vest were splattered in blood from the gruesome match, but the feline man himself appeared to be handling the event well.
"We have to leave!" Tamakawa called out to the two other officers that were helping to gather up the survivors.
"There's no way out!" Another screamed, seeing no exit of any kind in the room
It was then Tsukauchi had a look at a heartbreaking sight around him. The several survivors left were either sobbing beside the corpses of people they once knew or were just staring off into nothingness on the ground with dead eyes, numb to emotion now.
"Cmon, we have to get out of here!" One of the officers urged a woman on her knees, crying beside the impaled body of who appeared to be her husband.
"N-No! *sob!* I-I can't just leave him here!" She cried, pulling her away from the officer that had attempted to bring her up to her feet.
"Oh, you won't have to worry about him."
The woman turned her head and gasped in fear as Lynch stood right beside her now.
"When did he-!?" Tsukauchi's head glanced back at the pedestal Lynch should've been on, finding him no longer there.
The woman fell on her behind, then frantically scooting back in pure terror before the officer behind her brought her to her feet.
The dozen or more people in the room felt their breathing hitch as Lynch's closer presence froze their nerves. None of them but Tsukauchi had been able to get a close and clear look before, but having him here so close around them, his mere presence emitted an aura of danger like no other.
"They'll all be put to good use."
Then the center of his palm tore open, where a swarm crawled out.
What Tsukauchi witness was what he could only call disgusting. The 'pests' that came out were each the size of a tennis ball, were dark blue and purple in color, and had eight legs on them. Each had a face consisting of several extendible, tentacle-like organs with tubular shapes in the front for feeding.
"Feed, my Corrupticks."
These 'Corrupticks' immediately swarmed the area with clicking sounds, engulfing the corpses of anything lifeless and digging themselves into their bodies.
"Wh-What are they doing!? DON'T TOUCH HIM!" The woman that had been afraid moments ago was now desperately trying to reach her former lover on the ground, who was among the bunch getting infested with these pests. But the officer beside her held her back, face equally horrified as the woman.
"Now, now. All I'm doing is making him better. Just you see."
Lynch then raised his hands up as if preaching.
"Now rise... RISE!"
The sound of cracking and tearing echoed as the bodies on the floor violently deformed and spazzed out.
"Witness from death, the growth of living grandeur!"
The bodies' colors changed to red and purple.
"Witness an army where death is simply a pathway for a better service!"
New limbs and features starting sprouting from their skin.
"Any army with weakness not in their nature!"
The bodies violent spasmed as they stood up with blood-curling shrieks.
"Corrupt in body but unfailing in loyalty!"
Lynch's eyes burned vigorously red as he started maniacally laughing with his arms open.
"Behold, your worst NIGHTMARES!"
And they finally stood up in full view.
They were creatures of all shapes of sizes. All of them were vaguely humanoid in terms of head, arm, and leg placement, but that was all you could call 'human' about them anymore. Overall, their bodies had purple and red coloration, they all had tentacles sprouting out from different parts of their bodies, and they all had either a circular mouth with sharp jagged teeth or a head of only bone and muscle.
This was where these creature's similarities ended, though. Some had abnormally large, muscular arms they used to walk, others had multiple arms with sharp claws, some didn't even have arms or legs and instead either had only tentacles replacing these limbs, or they simply floated in place through some sort of ability.
From the size of an average human to the large behemoth in the back, all of these creatures released blood-curling, inhuman screams of agony.
"He... He used their corpses... to create those THINGS that easily!?"
Tsukauchi was horrified at the sight of previously human beings being turned into these... Nightmares. Compared to the Nomu's that the League makes, these creatures were apparently able to be easily produced by simply a corpse and a minute of transformation. Several dangerous questions and possibilities came to Tsukauchi's mind as he explored just how serious this new discovery is.
These Nightmares needed to be produced by their host, Lynch himself, through the form of small 'Corrupticks,' but just how many can he make at a time? Just what can each of them do? Was each one unique? How many has he already created?
The monsters were staring directly at the group, making no movements besides their tentacles wiggling in place.
"Hm?"
Lynch's growing excitement died down when he sensed something from outside, to which his red eyeholes and open mouth momentarily glowed blue as he checked something out by the eyes of something else outside.
Even though he couldn't make any expression, Tsukauchi could practically see the anticipation oozing from the villain.
"Well, what do you know? Perfect timing."
His eyes returned red as he glanced down at the petrified civilians.
"It seems they've finally brought out the big guns."
Tsukauchi's eyes widened. "Does that mean an assault is coming?"
"I guess this is where we all part ways. I had such a pleasant time with all of you."
Lynch's gaze then focused on Tsukauchi, with Tamakawa cautiously backing up with him with a stressed-out expression.
"You truly were amusing, detective. Perhaps the next time we meet, we can play another game?"
He then raised his hands up, and they started glowing a dangerous black.
"One last thing..."
Tsukauchi narrowed his eyes.
"Say hi to Reapy for me, would you? Tell him things are gonna change once again very soon."
His hands then closed, cueing black portals of muck to suddenly spawn in the ground underneath everyone alive. Many screams rang as people fell into these puddles and sunk quickly, disappearing without a trace.
Tsukauchi and Tamakawa fell in one puddle together. Both let out a shout as they fell as well, with the last thing Tsukauchi seeing being the image of Lynch standing proudly in front of the silhouettes of his new creations.
Then he blacked out.
"*Cough* *Cough* Is everyone alright!?"
Sansa Tamakawa spit out the rest of the muck that had gotten into his mouth before raising his head to take a look all around him.
Everyone else was covered in black sludge and was coughing it out as well. Only a few had instinctively held their breath before falling into the murky portals, and these few people were patting the backs of others to help them throw up what they just took in. They had all ended up in a large field of dead grass, one which resides right next to the large brick building they had just been inside. The sky was covered with clouds of a yellow color, and plenty of dead trees with dead leaves resided everywhere around them.
It appeared that they were the only signs of life around, which was a blessing considering what they just saw.
Tamakawa looked down at his side and saw detective Tsukauchi on his side, coughing out black as well before remaining limp on the ground. Tamakawa quickly checked his pulse and saw that it was somewhat weak, but he'd be fine. These new... limbs he had appeared to have sealed off any opening of blood leaking out since Tamakawa didn't see any fresh blood past the already drying blood.
"Can everyone move by themselves!?" He shouted, turning his head to everyone around him once more.
"We're checking them all one by one, everyone is malnourished and dehydrated, but they should be able to walk!" One of the two other remaining officers answered back.
"Then help me carry him!" Tamakawa instructed, crouching down and lifting Tsukauchi from the ground.
"I expected him to be heavier with that arm..." He couldn't help but think as he and the other officer supported Tsukauchi on their soldiers.
"Let's move! We don't know if he'll send anything after us!" Tamakawa shouted to everyone.
And so started the rush to go home, the rush for everything to be over.
They trudged through the dead field and over the dirt road, no one looking back as they frantically ran all the way into the woods. They didn't know how long they ran, but they spent a while stepping over thick roots, ran past the thick trees, and jumped at each sound they heard from afar, afraid that something could be following them.
"How do you know we're going the right way?" The officer helping Tamakawa asked as they struggled to catch up to everyone.
"I didn't know if we were going the right way at first, but look, there's some damage from when those things ambushed us." The cat officer answered.
Sure enough, there were broken tree trunks and craters in the area they went through, indicating they were indeed retracing their steps.
Everyone's breathing was getting harder, everyone was feeling tired, but they refused to rest. It was too dangerous to rest. They had to keep moving. At any moment, this 'Lynch' could just change his mind and send something after them. So they had to keep running until...
Until...
"Oh? It appears we've found some survivors."
Tamakawa stopped with widened eyes a deep sense of relief filled him.
Although dimmed down to avoid lighting up the surroundings, those familiar flames belonged to someone the police force put their full confidence in to always save the day. He was here, surrounded by many other notable heroes and a SWAT team already rushing to help them.
"E-Endeavor..."
The large man proudly stood over everyone, looking down at the officer with a stern gaze.
They had brought the big guns indeed.
~{Author's Post-Notes}~
I'm really satisfied with how this chapter turned out. I made a shit ton of changes and it just feels SO much better. And from what I've read, this next chapter will probably have the MOST changes out of any other one. How long will it take? Who knows!? Could be weeks, could be a month, could be more. But just know I'll try my best to work on the fic as always.
Let me know your thoughts on the chapter! and until next time!