Disclaimer: I don't own Boku no Hero Academia
Chapter 115:
Sardonistan, Central Asia
In most countries around the world, the number of heroes had dwindled while the amount of villain incidents rose. Some places managed to keep pushing out new heroes at the speed they were losing them, but even in those places the same thing could be said as the ones where heroes had become few in number. Society was no longer overrun with hero agencies, it was not even saturated with them. Thousands of heroes were killed, many more retired as it became clear that heroes were risking their lives every day they stepped out their front doors. It had become a job that was less glamorized than it had been in the past.
As much as people still looked to heroes as the best in their societies, parents no longer wanted their children to grow up and be heroes. Heroes' families begged them to stop, and some gave up not in fear of their own lives but in fear of what would become of their families should they die. How much strain they would put on the people they loved, or even what villains could do to their loved ones just to get to them. In a time with the most villain incidents ever recorded, in a world where there were more villains than heroes, heroes can't be everywhere. They have to pick and choose where their agencies are, even if there are multiple places requiring the help of more heroes. In countries where the hero population had dropped the lowest, villains flocked. They swarmed into rural towns that local heroes had to be called away from to help with the excessive amount of crime in the cities where so many more people lived.
These towns with no heroes were easy to corrupt, impossible to protect, and they were given a name by their own people who were stuck in what had become horrible places. Lawless towns. The villains came in and there was no one to call to stop them. Poorer countries had it the hardest, because police officers were not paid high amounts especially in small towns and areas where little crime was reported. Little crime was ever reported in these towns though, because the majority of the police's salaries came from the villains setting up in their towns. Bribes had become commonplace and without heroes around constantly, the police had little to dissuade them from accepting just to turn a blind eye to villain activity. What were they going to do on their own? How could they fight villains who had decided to use their towns? And when heroes were called in to deal with flashy crimes, or just to check on the situation of a town with too high a death rate recently, the heroes would tell the local police beforehand to get a room set up for them, a place they could stay while they check on the area.
Whenever a hero would come on those occasions, the police would tell the villains to lay low for a while. All the citizens of the towns knew the heroes will leave sooner or later, and they were too afraid to rat out the police who would be the only ones left to protect them even if they were mostly corrupted. In these towns full of people too scared to make a change, police who don't care, and villains who run wild whenever they want, others had to step in to take the place of the missing heroes. Lawless towns were not without conflict, and villains were more confident to walk around in the open in some towns compared to others. Because a consequence of a lawless town, was almost always the emergence of vigilantes.
In southern Sardonistan, there was a large town hundreds of miles from the second biggest city in the country, and much farther than that from the capital. Saimon was the largest town in the country without any heroes in it, and it was the base of operations for three different villain organizations who ruled not only in that town but in the rural countryside around it. One of the organizations, the Frighteners, had their HQ in Saimon but a dozen smaller bases of operations in towns all across southern Sardonistan, as well as rumored ones in neighboring countries too.
In the largest lawless town in the country for villain operations however, three vigilantes had teamed up, and the villains of the city were not confident enough to walk around out in the open. At least during the day, Saimon was mostly safe, as long as certain sections of the town were avoided. The vigilantes could hand in villains directly to the police and ensured they were recording whenever they did it, leaving copies of recordings with the villains they handed in directly to cops. That way the cops could not let them go right away, nor could the villains threaten the cops to do so either or it would be clear to everyone else the video got released to that villains were running the show here. The three vigilantes were each strong, they each had their own reasons for why they had chosen this risky profession where they could be hunted and killed any day, yet they were currently arguing over the biggest villain organization in their town.
"The Frighteners can't be stopped by three people," Snore said, shaking her head and glaring towards the leader of their team of three standing before them in their hideout. They were in a secret attic above an inn/bar that they could only get into from the roof. The owner of the inn did not know that they were up there. No one in the town knew where to find them. Snore was a heavyset woman, sitting on a bench of plywood in the attic that creaked as she leaned forward and back on it. She did not have to worry about the people downstairs hearing her thanks to the Quirk of her comrade on her right side, Dead Silence, Quirk- Mute.
Dead Silence added after Snore, "I want to take them down too, but we can't rush this. They've got ties with Hydrale, Steel-"
"It's because they're able to operate so freely out here, that they can help Hydrale out in the cities," Manbat snapped back at his comrades louder. Dead Silence ground his teeth at how Manbat started, and he turned away from his comrade in a darker all-black costume who finished, "Which keeps the heroes stuck in the cities fighting a losing fight and lowering in number even more."
"I heard some Americans and Japanese heroes are coming by in a couple of weeks," Snore mentioned, holding up one of her chubby hands and shrugging her shoulders as she said it. "If we can keep holding on for a little while longer-"
"We've thought that, so many times," Manbat said, glaring at her that she was suggesting it.
"But things are getting better now," Snore countered right back at him. "In their countries at least, and a bunch of others around the world. If they're taking the time to come to our country then it's because they know the situation here and want to help."
"And if they can't find the villains?" Manbat asked, glaring at Snore and then back at Dead Silence. His other comrade nodded once but had a dark look on his face still, since he knew there was still nothing they could change about that. "If the cops keep working with them through the foreign aid, and they just start back up as soon as the heroes are gone again? And are we really supposed to wait a few weeks to do anything and just keep-"
"We all want to do something," Snore said, standing from her bench and glaring harder at Manbat. "But we're not stupid enough to rush into the Frighteners' base. We know they'd all be after us if we make ourselves their primary enemy."
I know that, Manbat clenched his teeth hard as his comrade countered him again.
"And when they come and hunt us down, and re-establish their base here once we're dead, we won't be able to stop anyone. We won't be able to protect anyone. And we won't be able to beat down smaller operations, or fight the Playboys or Deep-Riders anymore. What we're currently doing, is all we can do. Any more and we're done."
"Maybe just a bit more, is all the people need to rise up," Manbat said. Snore shook her head at him, and he turned to Dead Silence to try and get some support, "All we need to get more comrades, is to show them that we aren't afraid to fight anyone."
"But we can't fight anyone," Dead Silence retorted. He was wearing a purple jacket, with a tighter dark purple undershirt underneath, and he had on a baggy pair of gray sweats over his tight black pants. He had a pair of goggles resting over his messy brown hair, and he had a sniper rifle on his back, brass knuckles in his jacket pockets, and knives hidden in his waistband and on either of his black boots. He glared at his team leader and the strongest of the three of them, "We can't do it. I want to too. We're doing jack shit as is… but it's better than nothing and nothing's all we'll be doing if we take on the Frighteners tonight."
"During a fucking deal no less," Snore said to Manbat with a shake of her head at him, sitting down on the bench behind her again. "You know the security's going to be on the lookout for us, considering those guys we turned in were sure to tell the cops on their payroll that we overheard. They'll have sentries, they might change up the location and we get nothing, or it could be one big trap to just kill the three of us. Even if it's not though, and they just go ahead as usual without caring about us, we still wouldn't be able to take them. They run this town, and we haven't put a dent in them so far."
"Because we're afraid to do it-" Manbat felt a buzzing on his right side and pulled a communicator that was blinking red off his black belt. He read the message on it and narrowed his eyes, "Officer Tamby says we just got some help."
Snore jumped up off her bench, her eyes wide at the sound of that. Dead Silence looked at Manbat in a confused way though at the way Manbat was looking at his communicator. "What is it?" Dead Silence asked.
Not good. This is… "We're heading out."
"It's still light out for another hour-"
"The Army of Death is in Saimon," Manbat said, darting his eyes back to Snore whose eyes stayed huge as she looked back at him. Then her eyes narrowed as intensely as Manbat's were back at her, "Tamby says two figures in all black wearing helmets were just spotted walking straight down Main Street before cutting into Deep-Rider territory. Let's go."
"And do what?" Snore called at his back as he spun around again.
"We don't kill," Manbat said, making for the hatch in the ceiling and opening it without hesitation and despite the fact that it was the middle of the day. "It's the last thing that separates us from the villains, the last thing that the people in this town can rely on." Manbat leapt up onto the roof and his legs started getting thinner, claws sticking out the bottoms of them. He spread his arms out to the sides and they turned into black wings in his costume, and Dead Silence and Snore leapt up on the roof behind him. "So we'll go after them, and we'll take on whoever they're fighting and make them do things our way. And if need be, we'll take them down too."
Manbat sprinted across the roof on three-pronged claws, then he leapt off and flapped his wings to shoot himself farther towards the middle of town from the outskirts their base was in. I need to use their appearance as an opportunity. I can't just chase them out, but I can't let them do whatever they want here. This town is- Manbat almost fell out of the air as he messed up the next flap of his wings, because an explosion went off in the direction he was headed. He landed down on a roof and a grappling hook slammed into a chimney on his right before Dead Silence flew up to his side. They both stared forward towards the rising smoke and saw a flash of white light go off in that direction just below the smoke.
We can't do it, but… they can.
"Holy shit they're here!"
"They really came for us?! We haven't done shit!"
"Run away!"
"None of you will escape." A deep, modulated voice came out of the helmet of a teen already speaking in a scratchier voice than usual. Death waved his right hand forward and five trails of Death flew off his arm shrouded in darkness. The trails shot down the hall and one curved into the first room on his right where a man who looked back dove into to escape. The other four were hit in the backs while the one in the room pushed away on his hands only to collapse down on top of them.
"Stop it!" Zach turned his head to the side and looked back behind him. His eyes opened wide behind his visor at the sight of a man who looked like a bat, holding Gentle up against the wall with one claw while glaring his way through red eyes visible through his black mask that only covered the top half of his face. "Put your hands up, or I will hurt-"
"I know we're not allowed to attack heroes," Gentle said while looking to his left out of his purple visor. "But if he does not loosen his grip, I am going to break his teeth."
Manbat darted his red eyes back to the left and the man he had just slammed into the wall. Gentle turned his helmet straight back towards him and glared through the purple visor into Manbat's eyes. "Put me down, and we can talk like civilized people. There is no need for savagery among peers."
"Manbat! They already know who we are!" Snore's voice called around another corner in the five story apartment complex they were in. "And apparently everyone who lives here is a villain! Like all the tenants!"
Manbat turned his head back towards the figure shrouded in darkness, only for him to stare in a bit of surprise as the leader of the Army of Death was no longer surrounded in that aura. Death was walking towards him though, and he said, "Put him down. We're here to help, Manbat. There's no need for this."
Manbat grit his teeth but pulled his claw off of Gentle. Those costumes are made of something strong. I was putting a lot of pressure but it didn't cut through.
Gentle brushed his hands down his chest in his purple gloves. He wiped some dust off his shoulders that fell there when his back hit the wall, then he glared harshly at the vigilante in front of him, "Is this really a way to greet your saviors?"
"Gentle," Zach said. "Go gather everyone up. We'll move out in five before more get here." Zach spoke before Manbat could snap at Gentle, and before Gentle could antagonize the locals who he knew could help them. As Gentle humphed and headed off, Zach turned to the other man with him. "Manbat, we don't have a lot of time so I'll talk fast," Death stepped up closer to the man who turned his way and glared through red eyes that were not glowing now but just had red irises Zach could see through the man's black mask's eyeholes. The mask only covered the top half of Manbat's face, and despite it having eyeholes, seeing an anti-hero with a black mask like that reminded Zach of an old mentor. The look Manbat was giving him seemed like one Webb might have on his face too.
"Alright, speak fast then," Manbat said. "I don't like-"
"I know. Checking this area out, it was clear the vigilantes don't kill heroes. We don't either, not usually," Zach paused for a moment while Manbat stared at him in some confusion. "Villains die when we fight them usually either because one of us was about to be killed and it needed to be done, or much more often, the villains shoot and kill each other while trying to get us. They care more about their own lives than anything, and they spray-and-pray, fire off huge attacks in the direction of comrades in hope of stopping one of us, and that's how most of them die fighting us. Those men down there, all alive," Zach motioned back the way he just made his last attack on the villains trying to flee instead of fight.
Manbat looked past Death and down the hall, then he spun back to the man still speaking through a modulated voice though not as scary anymore without his black aura. "When the cops arrive here, you don't need to do things like usual. They'll arrest these villains, because the knowledge that we are here strikes fear into villains' hearts. And it definitely scares the cops, especially considering a paper trail incriminating the chief of Saimon's police department was just turned over to Rankor City's. We'll see how that plays out later," Zach continued while Manbat just stared with huge eyes through his eyeholes at the figure before him. "As for now, I have to know if you're willing to fight with us. Not join the Army of Death, just help us out while we're here and help us take down all the villains who have infested this town."
"You seriously don't kill villains?" Manbat asked, leaning closer to the shorter figure in a black helmet who had it lifted a bit to look into Manbat's eyes. "You're labelled as a terrorist-"
"That hasn't stopped other vigilantes from working with me before," Zach countered. "It hasn't stopped most heroes from it either."
"I don't believe you."
"Fine. I don't need your help," Zach said it and glared harder into Manbat's surprised eyes. "The people of this town look to you and yours for support though, for hope, so I don't want to take you down and make the people here think you're a weakling. So stay, out, of, my, way." Death walked forward and past the shocked figure in black who turned and watched him going by. "If you fight with us, then when we leave people will still think it was all because of you. And you can be part of the reason the villains are taken down. And you can help me protect my comrades by giving me information only your team has acquired so far. We can help each other Manbat. Decide right now what matters to you."
"Manbat," the leader of the vigilantes looked down where Death just walked, seeing Snore and Dead Silence step out into the hall. Snore looked at him with lifted eyebrows as if asking why he was being so stubborn, then she turned to Death and said, "We're helping you. We can't let you be the ones to save this town. Not alone at least."
"My thoughts exactly," Death replied to her, then he kept walking and went straight past her.
Dead Silence turned and watched Death take a few more steps, then the hallway they were in became silent. Zach glanced over his shoulder and could see the three vigilantes talking quickly, though he could not hear a word they said which had him staring at the man in a pair of orange goggles who just glanced back towards him too. They can probably hear me, just not the other way around. "We're leaving right now." The group of three glanced around at each other again, nodded, and then they headed towards Death who turned away from them. Zach started walking towards his comrades he saw gathered up with Gentle, and he spoke loud enough for everyone around to hear him, "The Deep-Riders have a few more establishments under their control around here. We take all of them down before moving on to the Playboys. Once all the smaller organizations are down, we take down the Frighteners, mess with the big shots in the cities' cash flow, lure them out…"
It was dark outside of Saimon, Sardonistan. The lights in the town nearby kept the air gently lit, but it was still dark enough that the stars could be seen by the hundreds of people gathered near a farmhouse at the base of a hill. There were farms more spread out past the hill, and there were some barns and stables scattered among the fields all owned by the Frighteners through a farmer who was not involved with criminal activities in order to keep the property clean and off the radar. The farmer was currently inside his house, pretending like an entire gang of villains, and a gang of villains they were purchasing weapons from, were not just outside his doors.
The man sitting upstairs in his bedroom even ignored when the doors opened downstairs, imagining maybe some of the villains just needed to use his restroom or get out of the cold for a minute. It was very cold after all, and he leaned out of his chair to grab a log and toss in his fireplace before continuing his book. His seat was not too far from the window of his bedroom where he could occasionally glance out and check on the dark yard outside and all the silhouettes in the night, but he had only done that twice over the past hour. A quarter mile away at the top of the hill next to his house which dipped down a bit on the other side but still leveled out at a higher elevation for his neighbor's fields, Dead Silence lifted his goggles up from his eyes and shook his head in annoyance while glancing to his right at the shorter dark figure next to him. "Don't know if we can call him a hostage, but he doesn't look like much of a villain. Still, I didn't think Tinkuno would just sit around and let something like this happen on his property."
"Maybe he doesn't want it," Zach said in a low voice, though he reminded himself that the man at his side's Quirk would keep their voices from reaching the gangs on the yard below. They were crouched, and since the area they were on was not technically owned by farmers on either side, the grass was overgrown and gave them some cover. "Who could he count on to help him, and protect him if he ever turned them in though?"
"Has the deal started yet?" Gentle questioned behind Zach, staying away from the edge of the hill to keep as much of their presence hidden as possible. Behind Gentle crouched eighteen other members of the Army of Death, as well as Manbat and Snore who stayed closer up near him than the rest of the Army of Death soldiers. "I am getting impatient," Gentle added in mild annoyance.
"They're talking down there, but I don't see the shipments yet," Death replied. His voice was not modulated, and he stared through his zoomed night vision down at the villains he saw dealing with each other down near the farmhouse. Their team was not much higher in elevation, but the hill was a decent distance from the house that even the guards around the gangs who were not looking at the opposing gangs were just standing near the outsides and looking around. None were at the top of the hill, and it seemed to the group laying in wait that the villains trusted each other enough that they were not getting ready to double-cross each other by setting up snipers around the deal.
"Think our information was off?" Snore wondered, glancing towards Manbat past the soldier with a purple cloak.
Manbat hummed to himself. Trucks should be here. The deal was already worked out, so to meet for a while like this shows they suspect something is coming. The Army of Death spotted so close could be one reason they are anxious, why they brought so many men… Manbat darted his eyes to the right and the left, checking the rest of the hill and then turning his head to look back the other way. He glared back through the darkness, and he closed his eyes. Echolocation.
Manbat's eyes snapped open. He had not seen anyone, but he shot up and said in an angry voice, "Behind us."
"Way to let them know you spotted them," Gentle remarked coldly, while standing up straight and turning as well.
BANG
Zach glanced behind him, then he turned forward while getting out of his crouched position. He looked down the hill and saw all the villains spinning towards the hill, and they all rose up their weapons or started running immediately like they were ready for this to happen. Zach ground his teeth, and he growled in an annoyed voice, "Was really hoping we wouldn't have to deal with a snitch tonight."
Dead Silence glanced towards Death again, then forward at the villains running towards them who slowed down even as bright lights shone on the group standing at the top of the hill.
Bang bang bang BANG
Gentle stepped forward through the other dark soldiers behind him all standing up with him. "And I almost thought I put it up for nothing, this Gentle Dome."
Villains stopped firing towards the group at the top of the hill. The man who took the first shot and popped out of hiding before all the others sneaking up on the Army of Death lowered his rifle. He glared towards the enemies protecting by a nearly translucent dome of Elasticity that kept pushing in on all his shots only to bounce them back out. The guy tossed his rifle to the side, and another villain near him caught it before running forward to keep up with the burly man wearing a black tank top despite the cold. His muscly arms stuck out of his sleeves covered in black fur, and his head had a mane of black hair around it with his teeth sharpened and in a grin across his face.
"Surround them!"
"Get on either side!"
"We've got 'em!"
"Dresh tunka iin kano!"
"Esty Unrek!"
Zach glanced around and saw some of the soldiers with him spinning their heads every which way. Some held shaky weapons, and he could imagine the looks on some of their faces. "Everyone stay calm," Zach said, then he lifted his left hand and tapped a button to modulate his voice on his helmet. He turned off his night vision at the same time too, considering some cars and trucks started rolling up towards them on different sides. They rolled off of dirt roads and across fields, driving past villains who slowed down and set up positions all around the trapped Army of Death and vigilante team.
"Let's get you all down here!" One of the Frighteners on the lower side of the hill shouted. He slammed his palms down on the ground, and the hill ahead of him shook before lowering down in elevation to give a more gradual slope from the gangs originally being watched to the ambushing teams. All the villains were running around Death though now on all sides, so there was not much of a difference between which side one was looking at. There were villains everywhere.
The leader of the Frighteners, Jason, stepped farther up than many of his men. A few of his strongest moved up with him though, staying on his sides as he got close to Death who looked straight towards him. Jason smirked. "Death," he said, and he held his arms out to the sides which made a few dozen of his men point their weapons straight at Death. Weapons cocked, fireballs ignited on men's hands, and a farmer looking out his window dropped his jaw at what he saw going on down there. "Welcome to Sardonistan! How's your stay been going? Everything to your liking?"
"We've captured you," a voice said on Death's other side. He turned and looked the other way as Jason, and he saw a furry man he did not recognize but who came closer to the Gentle Dome without any men around to protect him.
"Those fucking vigilantes too-" another man flanking on Death's right started, only he froze quick while stealing a glance towards the man with a black mane who turned and glared at him.
"We knew you were all working together," Jason started, unable to let things continue without him speaking up. He motioned a nod of his head to the right, where a silent man who had come forward with his gang of weapons' dealers to help ambush Death stood. "You think anything goes on in this country without us knowing?"
"Telling from the number of villains here," Death began, his voice modulated and low as he spoke in English. He wore the same outfit he wore in Hatto, easy to distinguish among the soldiers in black. "You were too afraid to try stopping us on your own." Death stared straight down towards Jason who was still on a little bit of a lower slant despite one of his men flattening the ground out. "So you," Zach turned and looked at the man with furry arms and a bushy mane. "I'm guessing you're not one of the Frighteners." The man he spoke to lifted his smirk more and showed off his sharp teeth, and Zach said, "I should at least know who's really capturing me. Are the Frighteners really responsible for catching Death?"
"Dark Panther," the man facing Death said, speaking past all of the soldiers and vigilantes between them as Death was still on the other side. "Of Hydrale."
"You seem like a big shot too," Death said. "Guess they wouldn't send someone small to take us. It makes sense why Jason back there's staying quiet if you're pretty important. How about the rest of you? You all a bunch of pathetic Frighteners who needed Hydrale's help-"
"Steel came too." A dark voice growled on Zach's left, and a figure tripled in size and stomped towards the Gentle Dome. The man was eying the dome up that he could barely see anymore, and he reached his hand out and waved at it to see if he could touch it.
"Darkside!"
"Playboys!"
"Fuck you! Don't talk shit about the Frighteners!"
"Tama," Death turned to a short woman ahead of him who Snore moved out of the way of so they could look at each other's visors. "Target all the ones who aren't Frighteners. We'll use them for getting more information."
"I've marked them," the young woman with the Quirk- Target, replied to her leader. Her voice came out feminine but also deeper and masked by a modulator.
Their voices were loud, and over two hundred villains around them felt uneasy at the casual conversation the two just had. "Is everyone ready?" Zach asked, looking around at the group around him who all nodded and then lifted their weapons or fists, getting ready to attack.
"You do not disappoint!" Dark Panther shouted, and he flexed his arms and got into a fighting stance himself preparing to rush through. "Give me cover when they drop the dome!" He shouted towards others around him.
Jason's eyes were wide on the other side of the Gentle Dome. "What are you thinking?!" He shouted towards Death. "We've got you! Don't be stupid, you're outnumbered ten to one!" Death glanced over his shoulder and down at Jason, then he just looked straight ahead again back at Dark Panther who was his main focus. That shade did not go unnoticed by the villains all around Jason, and he clenched his fists in fury, and a line of spikes went down his back while his arms bulged and grew thicker. Quirk-Stegosaurus, Jason's hands made small quakes as he slammed them down on the ground in front of him and aimed his back spikes towards the dome preparing to drop. "There are twenty of you up there! Not including those vigilante wannabes. You don't have a fucking chance!"
"You're a fool," Death said without looking back at the man shouting at him. The other villains all getting ready to fire and starting to shout like their leader fell quiet. "First off, each of my men is worth a hundred of yours, so you're the ones outnumbered here." As he said it, the Army of Death members moved fearlessly closer to the edge of the Gentle Dome. Right as that happened, Dark Panther sniffed a few times and darted his eyes around. A few other sensory villains noticed early too, and a dozen in total noticed the light covering of fog moving in before Death continued.
"And secondly!" Zach shouted, "Did you really think I didn't suspect the cops we told about this, might tell you we were coming?"
The fog rolling in got heavier, and it rose up from the ground at the villains' feet where they all started looking in panic as they noticed it surrounding them.
"Fog?!"
"Oh shit!"
"This is-"
"It's Enfog's power!" Jason yelled out, taking a step back with his back right leg. Then he felt a jolt on his tail and his head started turning to the side, and Jason's eyes opened huge as a man whose agency was supposed to be in the capital, wrapped both arms around his tail. The Number 1 hero in Sardonistan, Enfog stood eight feet tall and was covered in ripped muscles he used to tug the large Stegosaurus man to the side and swing him into his stronger lieutenants.
"He's over here!"
Enfog disappeared into his Quirk, Fog-Roll, as a white mist rose around him so thick that everyone close enough to see what he just did lost sight of him. They still started firing, and then they started screaming out as the country's top hero emerged and attacked on every side.
Dark Panther expected that more of the Army of Death might be hiding around there, or might be called in by Death, but the moment he saw the fog his fur stood on end. "Pull back," he said, and he jumped backwards fast as he saw shadows moving in the thick fog ahead of him where he suspected the enemies' protective dome just fell.
"The Number 1 hero is here! Everyone scatter!"
On the far side of where Enfog emerged among the villains, eleven who were clustered together since they were all part of the same gang started running away from the middle of the field. They were out of the fog that never got thick around them as they had not been too close to the middle, being too nervous to do so when their gang had become so small in the period of a single evening. The Deep-Riders stared forward though in panic as a man was running towards them, a man in a bright green costume that they all recognized.
"Distance too!" The temporary leader of the Deep-Riders shouted. He had convinced his comrades to come and avenge their arrested friends and leader, but he was seriously regretting that decision as another top hero from the country emerged ahead of them. "Screw it! Let's push through him and get out of here!" Out from his back emerged a blue genie that curved over the top of his body with three eyes on the top of its head. The genie lifted up its arms and two more sprouted out beneath it, and his comrades ran after their leader only to find Distance getting farther away from them.
"What is this?!"
"It's his Quirk!"
Every step they took towards Distance, he looked like he was two steps farther away. They had to stop running towards him since he was getting so far and all they were doing was tiring themselves out. A few rose firearms and tried shooting at him, but he looked so far away, and then someone took a step back. Others started backpedaling, while Distance ran forward, and the illusion of his Double Distance Quirk mixed with his own speed made him approach them in instants. He swung his right leg around in a roundhouse, taking the gang's temporary leader off his feet before his genie could even reach down for him.
Arresting the police chief of Saimon and sending him to Rankor City, asking for the pro heroes to help out without caring that it's against the law for them to work with us, Manbat rushed through the fog and grabbed a villain by the back of his head. He flapped his black wings and rose out of the fog, then he shot back down and slammed the man screaming in his grip into the arms of another who was aiming his guns towards an Army of Death member. Would the pros have helped if we had been the ones to do this, or is it because of the Army of Death? Everyone decides to work with them despite everything. Manbat snapped his head up and glared through red eyes out his mask at three men charging at him and using their Quirks. Two hesitated, and Manbat flapped his wings behind him to fly at the third. He spun his body around in midair and dodged the man's blue beam he shot out of his chest, then Manbat grabbed him around his face with his talons and swung his body like a bat into the other two behind him who finally stopped hesitating and tried to attack.
That looked a bit like Aoyama's power, Zach thought as he watched a blue beam fly past Manbat. He's got quick reflexes though. Not as quick as Dark Panther's though. He's strong, quick, reflexive, and he definitely knows a lot. Hydrale's big. Connections to League of Shadows big, and to Atlas Corp which still operates here after they purged a couple of execs. Let's see if I can't kill three birds with one stone. Zach shot into the fog on his right, and an explosion of darkness went off followed by more screams of the villains who saw their comrades drop like flies.
"Screw this!" one of the Frighteners back behind where Jason was staggering up shouted. He turned and started running, and others around him turned and ran out of the fog too. They ran out of the fog, but their heads all snapped up as they heard something rumbling above them. They looked to the sky and could still see the stars, though part of the sky was covered in clouds now. The rumbling was not from thunder though, but from four helicopters that shot out of nowhere and flew over the farmhouse where the farmer inside stared up with his jaw dropped.
Dead Silence slammed the butt of his rifle into the face of the villain who had just tried slashing him only for an Army of Death member next to him to block it. He looked up while Michael grabbed the man they just took down, and Michael threw that man into the thicker fog where he saw shadows trying to run away. Then he looked up and watched from an area where the fog only reached up to their waists, as the helicopters flew above them and dropped six soldiers from each one. The birds slowed, and ropes dropped out of most of them that the soldiers in black rappelled down using harnesses. A couple of flying soldiers dove out of the planes and to the outsides of the fog where villains who had been on the outskirts originally were trying to escape. Another four heroes had come with Enfog and Distance, and two black trucks rolled up into the roads blocking the paths of cars that were trying to drive away.
Snore ran up behind Dead Silence who she finally saw for the first time since they all split up upon the dropping of the Gentle Dome. "This is wild," she said through panting breaths at one of her partners. Dead Silence looked at her and nodded, then they both started gazing around as the fog near them was getting lower to the ground. Shouts from villains for the Army of Death to stop, shouts of surrender and pain, echoed out across the fields. Then all the fog dropped at once.
All the fog dropped, and fifty members of the Army of Death looked around for Enfog only to freeze when they saw him. "Oh I am good," Dark Panther said, while every person on the field gawked towards the executive of Hydrale, his right and left claws dug into the chest of the country's top hero.
Dark Panther pulled his claws out fast and dove away, then he leapt again with a panicked look covering his face. No other villain moved, as a blur of darkness shot after Dark Panther like a rocket. "You bastard!" Death yelled, charging past Enfog who fell backwards, slamming hard into the ground right on his back. Zach heard the shouts of other heroes nearby who saw it too, pained yells of grief from Distance and one of Enfog's sidekicks especially. Dark Panther stopped jumping backwards, and he shot the other way instead, sticking his claws out towards the dark form charging at him.
"Idiot," Zach growled, waving both hands in front of him and swinging winds of Death at the villain who opened his mouth and roared while flying at him twice as fast as he had just been dodging around. Dark Panther flew through the dark smoke, and Zach stepped to the side. Dark Panther's legs hit the ground and came out from below him, his face slamming down into the floor instead and then dragging a few feet forward. Zach glared around before Dark Panther had even stopped skidding, "Anyone else wants to keep fighting, I'll tear them apart. Death has come for you."
A villain turned and tried to run thirty feet on Zach's left. He pulled a knife off his side and flicked it at that villain, nailing him straight in the back with a blade covered in darkness. Manbat stared over with his eyes huge as the villain trying to flee fell to his knees instead, reaching his arms back for the weapon for a moment and then just dropping limp, the front half of his body hunching over into the dirt. Death, Manbat glared back towards the leader of the army that had every villain around them laying down their weapons and putting their hands up. I don't know if you just killed him or not, but either way…
Snore scratched her chin with an uneasy look on her face, and she glanced at Dead Silence to see how he felt about that. Dead Silence just looked away from Death though, to the spot that Death just turned to himself and looked at through his visor. This could not, be any crazier, Dead Silence pursed his lips and watched as Death started back for Enfog. It's him. It's really… him.
Zach walked up to Enfog, he got on his knees and checked the top hero's pulse, then he tssked and turned his head to glance at either of the heroes kneeling next to him. "Go help round up the villains. I'll bring him back." The two next to him stared at Death with their eyes huge, then they watched as Death slid his fingers out of the glove on his right hand and pressed it down on Enfog's muscular eight-foot-tall body. Zach felt claws pierce through his chest, all the way into his lungs and heart and stomach and liver. "OH SHI- uggghh- cchhh- Fuuu-" Zach tried to hold in his voice, and he just ground his teeth as he felt shallower wounds where Dark Panther had ultimately slashed through the front of Enfog's body.
"AaaaAAAHH!" Zach let out one last yell, and then he yanked his hand off of Enfog fast as he felt the man come back. Fuck, FUCK! Zach stood up and shook his head around. Alright. Focus. FOCUS! He tried his best to distract himself from the feeling of just dying, again, and he knew exactly what got him angry enough to do it. He lifted his left hand to his helmet, while Enfog's sidekick dropped back on her knees and started shouting at him which got Enfog to stir a bit more than he had been. "Rebel, you figure out which of them it was?"
"Soon as y'all got ambushed, I started checkin' for calls. Ran this number that sent a call out from Saimon's station right after y'all went there to talk 'bout it. Mother fucker didn't wait a minute before ratting you out."
"Let's get back to the police station then," Zach said, his eyes dark inside his visor. "And make an example of cops who work with villains."
Smack Thud, Smack! SMACK! Death had Officer Yiolio grabbed by the front collar of his uniform with one hand, and he nailed his left fist into the man's face again, and again, and again. Blood splashed out to the side of the man's face and got on the wall near them the next time due to the angle of Zach's punch, and Manbat snapped behind him, "That's enough."
Death hesitated for a moment, gripping his hand tighter into the officer's clothes and tightening his fist more. He could see his own soldiers in his peripheral vision looking towards Manbat, and he grit his teeth but then threw the cop he was holding down into the ground. The vigilantes here are the ones who will stay and keep making this place safe. I won't let my guys fight them, and they might if this guy comes at me. Still though, Zach's teeth ground again and he yanked a knife from his belt, and he stabbed it down into the cop's right knee right as the man was trying to sit up.
The cop screamed and blood splashed out of his mouth. "Hey Death," Enfog started, after staying quiet longer than the vigilante since he did not think he should say a thing after Death had just saved him. Death stood up and turned towards him, and Manbat was glad Enfog spoke up since he was about to run forward. "What are we doing with him?"
Distance glanced over towards Enfog, then he just nodded in agreement with his decision and looked towards Death himself for an answer. Manbat spun his head from Enfog, to Distance, to the other officers gathered around the Saimon police department who were staying quiet while in the presence of half a dozen scary figures in all black costumes. Snore stared at Enfog in shock at his question too, then she looked to her leader as if asking him what they were supposed to do here.
"The police are meant to protect and serve," Zach started, his voice low and modulated for the room of police officers to hear. He stared down at Yiolio who lifted his head from his knee to stare through bloodshot eyes full of rage at Death. Those eyes showed pure terror in them too, but Zach did not care as he stared at the man in front of him. "I want to send a message, to the police in this country who think it's alright to work for villains." Zach reached down and he yanked the knife out of the cop's leg, and the man screamed while Zach reached back and put the knife in a sheath on his side.
Darkness spread around Death, a dark veil emerging around every inch of his body while the room stayed silent. "You can't," Manbat started behind Death. He glared around at all the officers and heroes in the room, then he turned to Death, "You cannot kill him."
"Death can do, whatever he sees fit," Mark said, using a Sardonistani accent in his English and glaring through his visor at the leader of the vigilantes who Zach warned him might be jumpy.
"Pl-please," the officer in front of the scary dark figure started. Death's costume was partially visible through the veil, but not on his right arm where it started to get thicker. A claw of darkness formed off of Death's right hand, and the cop on his butt with his back against the wall in front of him leaned back with fear spreading across his face.
"I won't kill you," Death said. Then he reached his hand forward anyway as the cop's eyes started opening wide and his smile rose. Zach knocked the man out and then pulled his arm back. "But the message will be sent," he continued in his scratchier, modulated deep voice. "Thrown in prison, I'm sure he'll receive a nice warm welcome from the inmates thrown in there by men of the law." Everyone in the department started staring at Death with wider eyes, except for his comrades who just nodded at his decision.
"What are you talking…" Manbat started, his face getting confused for a second.
"The prisoners won't care if he says he was on their side," Zach said. He turned and looked straight at Manbat while turning off his Nightmare form. "They'll kill him, or something," he added since he was not all too sure about it. "But he won't have any friends in there. A cop who got a hero killed, but still a cop, he'll have no friends in the whole world." Zach turned his head a bit and glared towards the other officers in the police station, one by one through his visor while they all leaned back with sweat on their faces. "And when everyone sees what becomes of him, not long after he's thrown in there I'm betting, we'll see how quick the police are to accept bribes and work with villains."
"Sounds good," Distance said, gritting his teeth but nodding his head at the idea. Throwing him in prison, it's what I'd do anyway. The way Death says it makes it sound worse, but that's where hero-killing scum belong.
Enfog nodded his head too after a few seconds. "Death, your assistance has been appreciated. And for bringing me back from the dead, I'm forever-"
"Don't," Death started. He turned and started for the front door of the police station. "We're getting a bunch of information from those villains we captured. Thanks for leaving them in our care for a little while," Zach continued while pausing closer to the exit of the building. His comrades had started towards him too, but they all stopped as well and looked back when Death did. "We didn't torture any of them, they're just afraid we might so they were quick to tell us everything. I'll leave all that information to you, Enfog. We have to get going."
Enfog's eyes widened as did most of the people in the police station who gawked at the man who had the most control there. Death continued, "I don't want to put you in a jam, and I don't know if someone hasn't already called the Anti-Death Task Force anyway. Besides, we have to keep moving. There are no further operations set up here yet, and we can't waste our time."
"There's still so much to do though!" Snore called out, which got her an angry look from Manbat who stepped forward after it.
"That's fine, you can go," Manbat said. He glared into Death's visor, and then he begrudgingly added, "For you help here, thank you. But the way you do things is not heroic. It's not-"
"Speaking of heroism," Enfog started, deciding to cut this off before it got confrontational. Manbat and Snore glanced back at him, and Dead Silence looked over from where he was leaning against the wall near the cop who was just beaten bloody and left unconscious on the floor. "I just got the go ahead from President Nuné, all three of you are being granted hero licenses."
"What?" Snore asked, her eyes bulging just like her comrades' did. "Are you serious?" She asked, and the top hero in the country nodded back at the vigilante.
"We've heard for a while the work you three have been doing down here. I didn't think it was much since the few times I ever came here the town was clean, but I should have realized it was too clean for what I heard in the rumors," Enfog lowered his mouth into a frown and finished, "For that, I'm sorry. But with this I'm hoping you can work with the police more openly, and keep protecting-"
"Before any of you continue," Death started up, and he took a step farther back into the station. He turned his head and nodded out at the others who had waited with him, and all but Mark left the station to go out front where there was starting to be a big commotion. None of the people inside the station were privy to the communications of the Army of Death, so they did not hear that all the members were gathering outside and getting ready for departure. They heard helicopters coming down though, and there was wind blowing into the front of the station through the open doors. Death spoke to the group in front of him in a serious tone while wind blew in around him, "I'd like to offer you a place with the Army of Death too."
Zach looked straight at Manbat as he said it, then at Snore, then over at Dead Silence. Then Zach turned towards Enfog too who looked back at him skeptically and with his eyes growing wide, before they narrowed and he started wondering if other heroes had accepted the offer before. A glance at Distance who shook his head fast told Zach what he wanted to know there, and then Manbat called out at Death over the loud sounds of the helicopters and shouting outside, "This is our country! We're going to protect it from here."
Snore nodded her head. Then she froze though as Manbat continued in a louder, and angrier voice, "Your methods put people in fear! They look at you and see an armed force of dark soldiers, who aren't accountable for anything they do! As much as you helped us here today, you're spreading fear across the world-"
"That's wrong," Zach called out back, shaking his head once at the vigilante, now pro hero, in front of him. Manbat glared back, but then he got a confused look on his face as Death continued, "We're the Symbol of Fear." Everyone looked towards Death and even Mark turned a bit and looked at his friend and leader in surprise as he heard that shout. "I know All Might was a Symbol of Peace, and…" Midoriya, Zach thought for a second, but continued shouting with, "The new generations, will one day have someone or many heroes to fill that role! All For One was the Symbol of Evil in this world, and I know I do represent something as Death too. And that is the Symbol of Fear, but only for villains."
"The Army of Death does not represent hope or anything like that, or we wouldn't be dressed all scary and menacing like this," the noises outside got lower as all the helicopters landed so it was just the army outside talking that was making noise, as well as the citizens gathering around the station. Zach got lower, "We aren't supposed to be looked up to by people, and we aren't looking for recognition which is why we all wear masks." Zach looked straight at Manbat and hoped the man would understand him, "Uncompromising. We crush villains, destroy evil organizations, and make criminals afraid to act. More than heroes can, because heroes have to keep an air of heroism around them. Because heroes can't just kill villains if they decide to, whereas the Army of Death has gone that far before, depending on the villain… Depending on what they've done."
"You're admitting to being murderers," Manbat said, and Enfog glanced to his side at the new hero next to him with his eyebrows raised. He's got the making of a top hero. His ideals are pretty strong, but Death's- "I won't let that continue," Manbat said, his voice as threatening as ever and making the mood of the room drop.
Mark took a step farther back inside. "I won't fight you," Zach said. He shook his head at the vigilante who grit his teeth back at the man he could only see as a villain in front of him. "Because the people of this town already are looking to you for support, and once we're gone you need to keep up your work. We aren't going to be the ones to save this town, this country. That's on you. We just helped. And even after we've left, crime will decline, because of the idea that we could be here at any time." Zach rose his voice a little louder for the cops in the back, "And maybe I will leave someone behind, maybe someone will be watching this town from the shadows to let me know if I need to come back here. But there's an entire world out there, and I really don't want to come back-"
"I'll come with you."
Zach turned his head to the right in surprise, as he did not think he had any takers in his offer before. He smiled inside his helmet though, as this was the vigilante out of the three who he actually liked the most so far. Plus, Mute is an amazing Quirk. Utilizing that on his own or even just with a couple of comrades, is nothing compared to everything I can do using that. "Great, let's go," Zach said, and he turned and started for the exit.
"Are you serious?" Snore asked, stepping towards her comrade who just pushed off the wall and started walking.
"Dead Silence, wait," Manbat stopped staring in shock and started for his comrade. "What are you thinking? Those guys are-"
"They're going to go fight more battles like earlier, ones they've already got set up which is why they're heading out in such a hurry," Dead Silence said, and he kept going for the door. He had his goggles up over his head, his rifle on his back, and he decided in that moment that he did not need to go grab anything else. He stepped into the door with his two comrades running after him, and Manbat grabbed him by the shoulder as he saw Dead Silence looking towards one of the helicopters.
"You can't do this. Saimon needs you. Sardonistan needs you-"
"We need you," Snore added, looking at him in a softer way that had Dead Silence hesitate for a second.
"You're going to have to be responsible for keeping the town peaceful without him," Death said, looking at Manbat and Snore who darted him angry looks as he cut back in. "You have to keep other villains from taking over now that there's a power gap." As Death spoke, behind him Gentle saw him come out and started telling everyone to go. Gentle called over to Floater, and she ran to the two black trucks they had on the ground and pressed her hands into the sides of them as they started driving almost side by side. Floater used her Quirk- Rise and Fall, and then she ran to the right and hopped up, grabbing onto the hand of a friend who reached out the back of the truck for her. Both of the trucks she pressed her palms into started rising into the air in the same direction they had been driving, then two other Army of Death members flew up and pushed on the backs of the trucks to direct them a bit.
The vigilantes in front of Death tried to focus on him with what he was saying, but seeing that in the background made them stare with wide eyes like most of the people of their town. Everyone stared at the trucks flying up into the sky, in the direction of a very dark cloud with some lightning sparking out of it. There were stars in other directions, but one side of the sky was full of dark clouds, and as a bolt flashed up there a silhouette of something huge appeared that those trucks were flying up towards.
Dead Silence looked back down after staring in amazement towards the sky for a few seconds. "To me, it sounds like they're an army of heroes, or just an army that's needed to fight the world of villains." Zach had opened his mouth for a second just like Manbat did as Dead Silence explained, but they both closed their mouths as Dead Silence finished his explanation. "I think I'll be more help with them, to not just our people but everyone in the world." And besides, Dead Silence thought, while Manbat started trying to argue with him again, though Snore was looking at him in some awe now after hearing that reasoning. Dead Silence turned from them and looked next to him at Death, He's the reason I became a vigilante. Long before Mongoloid, before he even killed Kurogiri. Lifebringer, made me who I am. I had hopes, but I always thought I was just being hopeful because… but he's him. My heroes, were the same person. Of course, I'm going to follow him.
"…Dead Silence, just stay and think about it for a little! See how much crime goes down first, so you know you're not leaving us with a ton of villains on our hands."
"Even if they've gone down for now," Snore added after Manbat. "They could always rise up again-"
"The rise of villains is over," Zach said. He turned from the vigilantes and started towards one of the helicopters, the closest one to him that had some empty seats on it waiting for him and Mark, as well as another extra one. Other helicopters were lifting off and flying away, and Dead Silence walked after Death towards the helicopter. I've known it for a while, Zach thought, as the other vigilantes made a desperate last attempt at stopping their friend. I realized it after Breakneck, that the rise was done. The old age is past. Dead Silence did not stop and his comrades finally came to stops behind him. Manbat and Snore stared after them and listened as did everyone around as Death spoke on his way to his helicopter.
"They have risen already. Now, is the time for war."
A/N Now, is the time for war. The Army of Death efficiently moves through another location, ridding a lawless town of its villains and leaving the area in a better way than they found it. Zach claims the Army of Death as the Symbol of Fear, only for villains though. They continue to move around the world, and we see here at the end Zach turns back and sees if any of the ones who fought with him want to join Death, which he does get a taker with Dead Silence. The Army of Death grows, takes down more villains, and works to stop corruption in the places they go. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Now is definitely the time for war... next few chapters going to be lit. Still doing a whole lot of work though and this is me procrastinating right now to get this chapter in to you guys, so might be a bit again. Thanks for reading though! And leave a review below telling me what you think and predictions for what's ahead.
MiladyAnna chapter 114 . Nov 25
I would like class A to meet the death army during one of their mission in Japan and guess that it's Zack. I think that the army of death is going to focus on the new league and sought to eliminate the different leaders.
Your chapter is still so good. France says helo from me.
We'll see... No spoilers so can't say whether or not it'll happen. We see Zach think about in this chapter how Hydrale had some connections to League of Shadows and Atlas Corp (so he's still after the Fergus too), and he had Tama mark the non-Frighteners specifically to get more info on the next gangs they're going after. Villains are quick to snitch when they're thinking they might be tortured, so Zach's got too much information and has to keep moving around... Anyway, glad you're enjoying the chapters! Hi France!
Bass4penguin chapter 114 . Nov 25
I can't remember didn't Zach have his own cult at some point or am I thinking of the cults of stain making comments about him
Zach did see some creepy video about him when he was at the library some afternoon after the Sports Festival, but we haven't seen too much around that and not a cult yet for sure. Though here with Dead Silence we see Zach did have a crazy amount of support even around the world, though instead of becoming crazy hero-killing cultists because of Lifebringer, some people became vigilantes. Thanks for the review!
Gamma-X chapter 114 . 19h ago
Can't believe you killed Stain off... He was a cool guy! But better him than any student in Class 2A and 2B. Yes, *even* Mineta. Mineta actually has enough good character development to finally be an actually good and relevant character now. Have we seen Icefall before? Because I think she could've been a character we would like... Can't wait for the next chapter! Keep it rollin' mah gud mahn! xP
- G.X
Glad you caught up! Thanks for all the reviews up 'til now! And I'm glad you've enjoyed Mineta's development through Death. I try to focus on a lot of the students other than Zach, try to develop them all so it's not just a static group that Zach might meet again but a collection of actual characters. I feel like they all would change over time, so instead of just showing them be the same or be drastically different, I like to put in stuff about them too. The fact that you care at all about Mineta in this story makes me glad so thanks! That was the first time we saw Icefall, might be the last too... but who knows? Zach did leave that offer up for the leaving 4 to be able to come back if they ever changed their minds. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks again for reading so far!
Super Power Sensei chapter 114 . 9h ago
I don't want Zach to settle.
Back in June he started with a small group of five and a goal. Over half a year later he has an army, resources, authority, and knowledge about the world few have.
Not long ago he was trying to figure out how to make money just to support himself. Now, money isn't even an issue anymore.
Zach should always be growing, influencing, and/or doing more good for the world. I'm not just talking about the AoD either. All the funding and equipment he has comes from L, investors and donors right? One way he can help the world is by using them as a stepping stone to push the world forward (at least technology wise). In the manga it's confirmed fully functional prosthetic arms exist ie. Compress, but in this story that doesn't seem to be the case ie. Grappler. You could introduce the Quinjet(marvel inspired), a hybrid between medium-large helicopter and fighter jet, as a new form of transport for heroes, police, and civilians alike in places where there's an abundance of large unsettled land ie. Saudi Arabia. The very strong and safe strain of trigger Zach and his crew uses can be professionally researched, tested, and politically pushed to being used by heroes.
One of Zach's strengths is that he always thinks about the common man. So how about he tries to upgrade the world's outdated general electrical system EVERY common man uses?
(My eyes shot open while thinking about this)What if Zach's end goal is to make his own country/city or shape an existing one in his own image?...I like to imagine everyone Zach's ever known and/or ever doubted him looking at him while he dances with "How You Like Me Now" playing in the background.
Small group of 4* (unless you're counting Hunter back then but I really wouldn't). I think Cee's addition was probs early July... But I digress! Lol def right that Zach's come a far way since back then. I wouldn't say prosthetics don't exist just cuz of Grappler, as we did see Roady thinking about getting a new leg back right after Lifebringer Incident in that same chapter. Maybe there's another reason Grappler couldn't get new arms, like something up with the surgery or maybe a complication with his Quirk... or something, but yeah I def agree Zach could do a lot with the money he's getting (though all the equipment, The Cloak, vehicles, food for the army, etc might be more than you think. I've kind of glanced over most of the boring stuff like that which is happening in the background while the AoD moves around). I'm def thinking about some new cool vehicles too though, especially since the BnH movie had All Might in this super cool jet thing back in his heyday. Anyway lots of great ideas in here, lots of stuff to think about that I won't confirm/ say much about but might be revealed in the upcoming War Arc chapters. Thanks for the long review!
Yes chapter 114 . Nov 26
Are we reaching the end?
Hope not.
Hahaha, nope. Don't worry, this is gonna be at least 170-200 chapters. Thanks everyone for reviewing!