Disclaimer: The intellectual property rights to Hellsing belong to Kouta Hirano, as does the My Hero Academia series, with Kohei Horikoshi.
Author's Notes: Forgive me for the delay. Exams have forced me to focus on other things. But anyways, I'm still trying to pin down Alucard's personality, so if you find certain sections a little inaccurate, don't hesitate to tell me. Thank you for all the feedback. Please enjoy this chapter.
0.0
There were no lights in the room. Only the glowing screens of televisions and telecommunication devices served to illuminate the lone person residing inside. Comfortably situated in his luxury chair, the man sat with his hands neatly held before his face. Dressed as though he were off to attend a formal celebration, the pleasant façade faded away whenever someone looked at what lay above it all. Most would hesitate to even consider the man human. The entirety of his head was contained within a massive black capsule, covered in tubes and respirators.
The man, infamously known as All For One, sank into his cushiony chair, relishing the sight of his apprentice, Tomura Shigaraki, testing out his latest creation. The only reason he permitted this operation was to see how effective his experiment would prove against Japan's Symbol of Peace, and his nemesis, Toshinori Yagi. But on the side, All For One also saw this as an opportunity to give his apprentice a lesson. The child lacked any semblance of refinement, and he hoped that being humbled by U.A's heroes would teach his student the value of patience and intimidation.
That would have to wait, however. Toshinori had yet to arrive at USJ. The Symbol of Peace was making a mad dash to the location, so there was no rush. He would arrive eventually. And once he did, he hoped to see something interesting.
Recent times had seen some … odd occurrences taking place. Through his vast underground network of spies and informants, All For One had heard about the Principal of U.A's most recent activities, though to little extent. All he knew was that the dear Principal had flown off to a hidden location in Europe. Official records put it as a brief vacation, but Nezu wasn't one to take vacations. He was a thorough workaholic, unwilling to give up a chance to spout more dribble about heroism and bravery.
It was the trip itself, however, that galled him. There was a strange lack of secrecy around it, almost as if it'd been set up that way. There could be times where the veil of secrecy was so thick that it revealed what it was meant to hide. Yet this felt like the wall had not been constructed to hide something, but purposefully designed to seem complacent. Like any other government file. But what if it really was just that? Just another political move, like every other action the Japanese government took. A game of golf with a foreign politician? A fancy picnic? Some international liaison?
All For One easily stood amongst the most intelligent individuals in the world, manipulating situations and people as if kneading dough. None could evade his field of view. So by all accounts, this one airplane flight should have been something for him to disregard. It had happened, and nothing particularly significant seemed to have come of it. Yet there was a strange itch in the back of his head that urged him on.
*BZZZZZZT*
He reflexively tapped the control pad, activating one of the numerous screens in front of him. Another figure, one cloaked in darkness, appeared on screen.
"Sir… we've done as you requested."
"And?"
"… Nothing. From what we've gathered, U.A's Principal landed somewhere in the United Kingdom and met with some political officials and academic leaders. There, they talked about transfer programs and whether some students might consider studying abroad. There was nothing more discussed, it seems."
"…" He held on to his doubts. This felt too simple. Too blatant. Surely, they had overlooked something. Despite his fluffy exterior, the Principal of U.A was far more cunning than he let on. But what if there really was nothing to be found here? Wouldn't that make this a great misallocation of resources?
He slowly brought his hands together in contemplation. "Well then, I suppose we'll turn our eyes elsewhere." All For One announced. "Leave a few agents to keep watch on that side of things. Have the others rejoin us here. I have other operations planned, and their presence will be required."
The shadowy figure bowed low before cutting off their connection. Twiddling his thumbs, All For One considered the interwoven web he had strung throughout the entirety of Japan. Like a spider, he would wait for his prey to entrap itself within his web. It didn't matter whether or not Nezu had made some preemptive move during his visit to the United Kingdoms. He'd spent years laying down these hints and clues. And during that time, Toshinori could only have grown more desperate to find him. Sooner or later, he would take the bait and All For One would seize control of One For All.
Now it was time to see how prepared Shiragaki was for what was to come.
0.0
"Have you recovered yet, Midoriya?" Asked Alucard.
Izuku tried to fake it, but the expression on his face made the truth quite transparent. His middle finger would be broken until he went to a hospital. And if he had to sacrifice a finger for every attack he made, that left him with nine shots.
Still focused on carrying them to shore, Alucard remembered that he had a role to play. "I beg your forgiveness for earlier. I should have done more to help. Perhaps then, Midoriya would not have broken his finger."
"Your Quirk is really helpful, Alex-san. You've already done more than enough, ribbit." Tsuyu nodded, as did Izuku.
"Don't worry about it, Alex-san. I'll be honest, this-" He winced, gripping his bruised finger. "-this happens all the time, so I'm used to it."
Alucard gave him a warm smile. "I'm happy to hear that. Are you still considering my proposal from earlier?" He asked, referring to his suggestion that they train together to improve his sense of self-preservation, or at least that was Alucard's intention.
Izuku gave him a pained smile, his finger still pulsing. "Yeah, I'd like that. But we should probably focus on calling for help and saving our friends, for now."
"Of course." Raising the speed of his flight, the squad flew with greater velocity towards the center of the action.
"If possible, we should follow the shoreline and make for the exit, avoiding the plaza altogether." Alucard agreed with the boy's sentiment. They were as of yet unready to engage the enemy directly. And Alucard, simply not allowed to. But as they were gliding past the plaza, Alucard noticed their eyes being drawn towards the exact spot they were supposed to be avoiding. There in the center of the plaza stood Aizawa, exhaustedly enduring the waves of enemies who'd surrounded him. He had no right to complain, since it had been Aizawa's decision to draw their attention.
"Right… Looks like Aizawa-Sensei is drawing a large number of them to the plaza." She tried to hide it, but Tsuyu's voice clearly gave away her anxiety. Izuku, however, wasn't one to shy away from his emotions.
"…There're too many of them. Of course he's more than holding his own out there, but… It's too much for him. He knew that, but he jumped in to protect us." Izuku seemed interested in lending Aizawa a hand, no matter how dangerous it might be.
"Eh…? Don't tell me you're that stupid, Midoriya…" Mineta gasped. Alucard did as well, but for an entirely different reason. He was aghast at the fact that for once, he shared Minoru Mineta's feelings. For Izuku to consider helping Aizawa was another one of his admirable traits, yet it also put on full display the boy's foolhardy carelessness. Just because he could blow a crater in the ocean didn't mean he could handle himself against… Well, actually…
While Alucard hesitated to call these "villains" seasoned warriors, they certainly held the edge in experience over the students of Class 1-A, as Izuku had so aptly pointed out earlier.
"I'd consider it unwise to rush into battle when you yourself admitted earlier that they outmatch us in both numbers and experience, Midoriya." Although he made the effort to dissuade Izuku from making such a rash decision, he knew the boy already had his mind set on helping. Tsuyu ribbited her agreement.
"I'm not saying we should dive right into the fight. Just that we watch for an opening… and do what we can to lighten Sensei's load…"
Well, there was no need for them to worry about that. In a dark corner of the roof, one of Alucard's familiars was currently hidden from view. Upon Alucard willing it, the familiar's mouth opened unnaturally wide. The beak grew circular as it unveiled a black abyss inside its body. And from this abyss emerged a lanky arm wielding one of Alucard's signature firearms, the Hellsing ARMS .454 Casull Auto, nicknamed the "Casull". Its silver casing shimmered in the darkness. Firing custom-made explosive rounds crafted using the melted silver Christian cross from Manchester Cathedral, the steel bullets were normally meant to be fired at unholy beings like vampires and zombies. But of course, being explosive, they were no less effective against human targets.
And it was this lethal weapon that Alucard had put away as a contingency in the event Aizawa faltered. He'd pull out his other weapons soon enough, but the Casull would suffice for now. He'd simply play it off as some mysterious vigilante who'd lent Class 1-A a hand. No one would be the wiser. After all, who would expect a teenage noble to be carrying a gun?
It wasn't long before they returned to the plaza. Alucard made sure to land far away from the ongoing battle, as they had agreed. He hid them away behind some rocks, although he doubted this would be enough to mute Mineta's voice. They'd arrived quickly enough to potentially lend Eraser Head some help. Unfortunately, there was one factor none of them had accounted for. The arrival of a truly formidable opponent.
None of his familiars were close enough to listen in on what was happening, but what he saw was indication enough that things weren't going well for Aizawa. A portion of his elbow had crumbled from what Alucard assumed was one of the villains Quirks. Now, an imposing foe had pinned him to the floor. "My oh my..." Alucad mused. One glance was enough for him to tell that this beast was no ordinary villain. A hulking mass of sinew and muscle, this new creature had easily overpowered Aizawa and rendered him utterly powerless. From the bone-haired child's muttering, Alucard could guess that this creature was the League of Villain's secret weapon.
"So why does its head resemble a duck's?" Alucard wondered. For all its brutish strength and menacing aura, the battle-scarred monster's image was offset by a, frankly, silly face. As he pondered this, the massive beast slammed Aizawa's face into the concrete floor. Alucard considered using his Casull to perhaps help the ailing Aizawa escape his current predicament but decided against doing so. This newcomer was different from the fodder that'd come before it. And no matter how inane it looked, there was no knowing what powers it possessed.
Looking back, Alucard found his companions shaking in their boots.
"This is bad, Midoriya… Time for a change of plans, yeah…?"
"Ribbit…"
Their fear was understandable, albeit unhelpful. The mere sight of this new entity had shaken Mineta and Tsuyu to their cores. Retreat, at this point, would have been the most logical option. Regroup with their classmates and plan a counterattack. But then the bone-white leader revealed an intriguing tidbit of information following his reunion with the man who'd generated their portal.
"Tomura Shigaraki." The man spoke.
"Kurogiri."
"So, those are their names." Alucard was satisfied to finally have another way to refer to them besides the foggy man and the bone-haired one.
"Is Thirteen dead?" Asked Tomura.
"She's incapacitated, but… there were some students I couldn't warp away… and one of them escaped."
Like a spoiled brat, Tomura Shigaraki couldn't contain his frustration. Putting it on full display for the entire world to see. Insisting that he would have turned him to dust were he not their ticket out of USJ, Tomura wrung his fingers as if strangling Kurogiri.
"We won't stand a chance against dozens of pros. It's game over, man… It's game over, for now." The fact he was so worried about pro heroes, despite the presence of the being he'd referred to as "Nomu", implied they had come solely to kill All Might. If that were true, this Nomu must have some abilities that could overpower him. Alucard wondered what those could possibly be. "…We're leaving." Shigaraki mumbled.
"…? Leaving…? Did he just say they're leaving?" Mineta couldn't contain his excitement, no matter how much Alucard wished he could.
"I think so." Tsuyu placidly replied, trying to keep her voice down.
"W-We're saved! Yes!" Mineta went in to hug the girl. Though whether it was intentional or not, his left hand moved to grope Tsuyu's bosom. Alucard, already having predicted such an attempt, promptly grasped Mineta's arm and stopped his lustful hopes.
Alucard gave the hopeless pervert a sunny grin. "My my, Mineta. While I do sympathize, now is hardly the time."
Tsuyu gave Alucard a grateful glance before shoving Mineta's head below the water's surface. "I've got a bad feeling, Midoriya." So far into their first lesson together, the frog girl had performed quite well. She'd not only managed to maintain her cool throughout most of their trials, but she possessed a thoughtful outlook that helped her properly assess situations. He had high hopes for this one.
"Yeah… To do all this… and just leave on a whim…" Apparently Izuku hadn't yet realized that the primary reason this League of Villains had come here today was to assassinate the Symbol of Peace.
"But before that." From the center of the plaza, Tomura Shigaraki purposefully raised his voice. His intent was transparent. "Let's leave a few dead kids…" Veins crossing his corneas, Tomura spun around and dashed right at them.
"…To wound the pride of the Symbol of Peace!"
His speed was impeccable. Far outpacing any of the villains the trio had faced so far. There was no doubt that Tomura Shigaraki was swift and talented enough to keep up with the whole of Class 1-A. Save one.
"Pardon me."
*FFOOOMMP*
Shigaraki couldn't even react before a foot traveling faster than lightning met his jaw and sent him careening through the air, landing on the floor with a loud *THUD*. And the plaza went dead silent. No one knew what to say. Everyone, from his three classmates kneeling behind him to Kurogiri and even the Nomu, was left flabbergasted at what had just happened. There were simply no words to describe their amazement.
From Izuku's perspective, the foreign transfer student whom he'd known for only a couple hours had just done the unthinkable. When they'd first met, he'd immediately felt comfortable in Alex-kun's presence. The tall boy simply had all the qualities of a soothing older brother, gently pushing Izuku to try harder and act with more confidence. He'd had his doubts about Alex-kun's skills after he'd learned about his Quirk, but all those doubts had disappeared in light of what had just happened.
Nothing could ever make Izuku falter in his idol worship of All Might. He would forever look up to All Might as the hero who'd inspired him to do the same. But Alex-kun was certainly leaving his mark on the young boy, and he didn't seem to be stopping any time soon.
Alucard stood with his back to his classmates. "Forgive me, but I cannot allow you to harm them." Though Alucard knew he couldn't take on the Nomu without revealing his true form, he could at least fend off Shigaraki while still maintaining his front.
A trail of blood ebbing from the corner of his lips, Shigaraki gradually rose from where he lay, emitting a miasma of rage as his eyes met Alucards. His eyes, which had been wide with ecstasy only moments prior, were now narrow like a serpents. The little miscreant could barely contain his fury. Voice seeping outrage, Shigaraki pursed his lips and whispered
"…Nomu."
Like a blur, the creature which had been restraining Eraser Head now bounded towards Alucard, intent on tearing him apart. Unfazed by its swift approach, Alucard stood stock still. He knew what was about to happen.
"SMASH!"
*WHAM*
As the Nomu creature moved in to try and kill Alucard, Izuku did the same to do the opposite. Slamming his fist into the Nomu's flank, a gigantic plume of smoke blew through the area in front of Izuku's fist, engulfing the whole thing and much of what lay behind it. Anything hit by such a blow would have been critically injured, if not eviscerated.
But the noise was off. There was no sloshing, no wetness, to the echoes. No flesh tearing or bones breaking. Alucard was more than an expert in gore. In fact, it sounded more like Izuku had punched a giant pillow. As the mist dissipated, the reason for the lackluster reaction grew clear as well. There stood the Nomu, as ominous as ever. Izuku's attack left nary a mark on it. The region around Izuku's fist had deformed under the pressure, but other than that the Nomu was unscathed.
Most worryingly, it'd craned its long neck down to stare sneeringly down at the astounded Izuku. It readied itself to crush the poor child.
"Uh…" Izuku mumbled, utterly dumbfounded.
"Some type of impact reduction ability? An absorptive quality?" Alucard mulled over this as he moved in to the boy's rescue, Tsuyu doing the same as she deployed her long tongue to save Izuku from the bloody massacre he was moments from receiving.
That was, until the entrance doors opened. Not exactly opened, but rather, they were broken down. Alucard had been hoping that this entire situation could be resolved without either his or that man's assistance, but it was too late for that now. Through his familiars, Alucard watched his classmates react to the man's arrival. Uraraka and Ashido both had tears streaming down their cheeks. Tsuyu and Izuku stared at him, utterly amazed by his sudden appearance. The man who entered bore a striking resemblance to the Nomu, except for one important detail. Thank goodness, thought Alucard. He didn't look like a duck.
"Fear not. I… am here!" The man loudly declared while ripping off his tie.
"ALL MIGHT!" Mineta cried out, giving voice to everyone's feelings. Children grew teary eyed in the presence on the Symbol of Peace.
By all accounts, all the members of U.A present should have been overjoyed by All Might's arrival. However, after looking at Izuku's face, Alucard could tell that the boy didn't share everyone else's excitement. As All Might's successor, Izuku too must have been made aware of All Might's waning power and was now afraid that he wasn't strong enough to defeat the Nomu.
With blinding speed, All Might instantaneously struck down all of the grunts, knocking them unconscious and severely shrinking the villains' numbers.
Now dispersed, the villainous league kept away from their target. All Might knelt at the side of the heavily injured Eraser Head. Examining the inert Shota Aizawa, All Might gingerly picked up the poor man. "I'm sorry, Aizawa." He murmured.
Gingerly slinging him over his shoulder, All Might now stood face to face with the main threats of the League of Villains, Shigaraki and the Nomu. The formidable pair stood ready to face All Might, but it seemed that he wasn't willing to do that just yet. A single glare was enough to halt them all in their tracks, as he immediately whisked Alucard, Izuku, Tsuyu, and Mineta away from the area.
"Everyone, to the entrance. Take Aizawa. He's unconscious, so hurry!" Now that he got a closer look at the man's face, Alucard could see why Nezu had been so worried. Though All Might had given no indication, the clues had been piling up throughout this otherwise impressive display of power. The hurried speech. The speed. The trail of steam constantly ebbing from him. And most notable of all, the vacant smile. Nezu himself had gone so far as to highlight All Might's ever-present smile, there to embolden the civilians and strengthen their resolve. Its absence only served to cement All Might's weakened state.
"Ahhhhhh… no good… I'm sorry…!" Shigaraki scooped up the disembodied hand All Might had knocked off his face. "Father…"
"Is that his father's hand?" Alucard wondered.
The hand, tubes attached to the bottom of it, hissed as it slotted back into place on Shigaraki's face. "Throwing punches to save people… Ha Ha Ha. That's our state-sponsored violence. You're fast. Too fast to keep up with, but not as fast as expected. Could it really be true…?" So, he'd also noticed those details. "That you're getting weaker…?" From beneath his mask of hands, Shigaraki sent All Might a petrifying glare. His mouth was surrounded by a ring of cracks and wrinkles, and it would have been intimidating if Alucard actually found him… intimidating.
"It's no use, All Might! That brain villain! One for- I mean, my attack wasn't strong enough to break my own arm, but… he didn't even flinch! Up against that, you…"
"Midoriya. Kid." All Might flashed Izuku a wide smile, though Alucard could see how strained it was. "Fear not!"
All Might charged the Nomu and delivered an admirable cross attack onto its chest.
"CAROLINA… SMASH!"
To no effect at all. The Nomu tried to grab All Might, but All Might managed to dodge the Nomu's massive arms. By a hairsbreadth, though.
"No effect. Because he's got Shock Absorption. If you really want to damage Nomu… you'd be better off slowly ripping him apart, piece by piece… Not that he'll give you the chance." Shigaraki sounded incredibly confident in the Nomu's abilities, which only proved to Alucard that there were other elements at play. Perhaps it would be better if he did use his Casull…
"Thanks for the info. Appreciate it! No Sweat!" Dashing behind the Nomu, All Might grabbed it by the waist and suplexed it into the floor.
So far into the fight, All Might seemed to be doing just fine. Any outsider looking in would have been forgiven for favoring All Might in this bout. All of Class 1-A were members of that group, for that matter. All of them, except for Izuku and Alucard. From where no one could find it, one of Alucard's familiars had tucked itself away in a corner and was keeping an eye on All Might's condition for him. And it was through its eyes that Alucard caught wind of All Might's current condition.
The suplex he'd just executed had been astoundingly powerful, creating a massive explosion that nearly reached the roof. However, in doing so, All Might had injured himself. Alucard was watching as All Might spat out some blood. The longer this fight went on, the worst his condition would become. To make matters worse, his attack hadn't even been effective. It had been rendered useless by Kurogiri's interference, generating a portal that allowed the Nomu to warp around and grab All Might by the waist.
"So you hoped to drive him into the concrete and seal his movements? It wouldn't have worked. Nomu is as powerful as you. Well done, Kurogiri. Perfect timing, really." Shigaraki gloated, just like every villain did.
"Impressive, for first-time offenders… But prepare yourselves!" At this point it was obvious to both Alucard and Izuku that All Might was mostly bluffing. He was clearly struggling to deal with these simultaneous threats. An entity that could match and absorb his power, and a villain who could summon portals wherever and whenever he wanted.
From another portal not too far away, Kurogiri's head appeared. "I can't say I much like the idea of having blood and guts inside my gate, but… if they're yours, I'll happily oblige. You see, it's Nomu's job to get around that blinding speed of yours and hold you down. And it's my job to close the warp gate on you while you're halfway through and immobilized. Thereby cutting you in two."
"So that was their scheme. Quite clever, in all fairness." Alucard applauded their preparation and planning. It was clear they'd done their homework, whereas All Might had not. He should have done more to compensate for his waning strength, and his neglect had likely contributed to this situation. Well, he hadn't exactly done nothing.
"Asu-Tsuyu!" Izuku called out. Alucard looked back at the young boy, Izuku's face hidden by his bushy hair.
"You finally got it right. Nice. What is it, Midoriya?"
"Take Aizawa-Sensei for me…!"
"Sure… But what're you…" Tsuyu looked uneasy, and for good reason. Izuku had a habit of running off on his own whenever he got emotional, and now was no different.
"ALL MIGHT!" The boy screeched loud enough to rupture eardrums. Tears rolling down his cheeks, Izuku made a mad dash for the endangered All Might.
"…Not again." Alucard moaned. This was even worse than when he'd leapt off the boat. At least then he'd given it some thought, but now he was reacting purely off adrenaline. The villains, holding the advantage, reacted as he would have expected. Kurogiri warped in front of Izuku, catching the rampant child off guard. Alucard might have been worried, were it not for his endless supply of eyes. He'd kept watch over the other students who'd been teleported to other locations and knew that they'd all succeeded in overcoming their challenges. And luckily for everyone there, the rest of Class 1-A had finally shown up.
"GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE!" The bloodthirsty Bakugo showed up with a bang, delivering an explosive punch to Kurogiri's neck guard. Surprisingly, the attack seemed to have stunned him in spite of his gaseous form.
Alongside Bakugo's attack came a river of ice, one that ironically consumed half of the Nomu and left it completely immobile.
"So I heard you people are here to kill All Might." Said the whiz of Class 1-A. By all accounts, Shoto Todoroki should have arrived much sooner with how quickly he'd dispatched his opponents. Was Alucard going to criticize him? Under normal circumstances, with pleasure. But for the sake of maintaining his persona, no.
Next came Kirishima, who tried to tackle Shigaraki. Shigaraki easily dodged his attack, unfortunately, and left the redhead with nothing to show for his attempt at stealth. After all was said and done, All Might was able to break free of the Nomu's now loosened grip.
"Scum like you could never kill the Symbol of Peace." Todoroki sounded so sure of himself there that Alucard could barely bring himself to pity him. So unaware of the truth of the world, that there's always a bigger fish. One day, the talented young man would be enlightened to that reality. And no matter how much Alucard admired his arrogance, he'd enjoy watching. After all, he himself had gone through much the same.
"You've pinned down our way out… Well… this is a problem…" Shigaraki's intense was unnerving to say the least. And even though his main target had finally appeared, Shigaraki still found his gaze drawn back to Alucard. The soreness in his lower jaw hadn't abated just yet. Alucard sent him a tiny smirk, and he swore he could feel the boy's fury from several meters away.
Bakugo was too busy showing off to pay any attention to Shigaraki. "You slipped up, you bastard! And it's just like I thought! The parts you can turn into that foggy warp gate are limited! And you're using that misty crap to hide your real body, yeah?! Am I right?!" Alucard applauded the hubris shown by his classmates. Bragging about their invincibility. Gloating with how much more they thought they knew. They must have been aware that it would one day come back to bite them, but they relished it nonetheless.
"Don't move! If I decide you're doing anything fishy… I'll blow you straight to kingdom come!" Yeah… Bakugo wasn't exactly shaping up to be the most heroic student. And Kirishima agreed. "That's not very hero-like, dude…"
Shigaraki seemed unbothered by the mounting odds. "Not only have you beaten our level, but you're all at full health…" The boy played games? Huh, he never would have thought a sociopath like himself would enjoy such a tame pastime. "Today's kids really are something… our League of Villains should be ashamed…! Nomu. Take out the explosive brat. We need our escape route back."
Like a slinky returning to its original shape, the Nomu reared up from the portal and broke its frozen limbs with ease. All Might, Izuku, and everyone else were stupefied at the sight as the Nomu began regenerating its limbs.
Alucard scoffed at the sight. "A being with multiple Quirks? And here I thought that was supposed to be impossible."
"I don't remember saying he only had the one. This is Hyper-Regeneration. Nomu is a super-powered living sandbag designed to withstand All Might's full strength." As he spoke, the Nomu regenerated most of its torso as well as its right arm. With its physical form back to normal, it now carried out its orders. The creature indeed shared many of All Might's physical abilities, as it briefly disappeared from view before reappearing nearby and began sprinting at Bakugo.
"Oh, yeah! I forgot about that. But maybe…" Alucard gazed coldly at Bakugo, debating on whether it would be better if the boy were to perish here to perhaps remove the risk of him ever switching allegiances. There was little point in him contemplating this as All Might did the thinking for him, thrusting himself in front of the unaware Bakugo and taking the full brunt of the Nomu's punch in the boy's stead. Unlike the Nomu, however, All Might wasn't as adept at absorption and was blown through the concrete floor, narrowly avoiding a collision with the boy he'd tried to protect.
"Kacchan!" Izuku cried, deeply anxious about his bully's condition for some odd reason. "Kacchan?! You dodged that?! Wow…"
"I didn't. Shut up, you."
Just what was their relationship? He'd seen others like them during his long lifespan, yet he'd never grasped the reason behind such an abusive bond. But that would have to wait. At the moment, All Might had taken a massive blow from a formidable bruiser. From what he could recall of Nezu's explanation, All Might could only maintain his muscled form for so long before he had to recover. After receiving the full force of such a grievous attack, that timer was surely running out.
"Anything to save a comrade, right? Just like earlier when, uh…" he paused, once again glaring at Alucard. "…that one… the fancy one… He came at me with everything he had." That was an overstatement, but now wasn't the time to delve into semantics. "But violence in the name of other's is admirable? Isn't it, hero?" Shigaraki's raspy voice was mixing with anger as his tone heightened. "You know what, All Might? That pisses me off! Heroes and villains both thrive on violence, but we're still categorized. 'You're good, you're evil.' That's how it is! Symbol of Peace? Hah! In the end you're just a tool for violence, made to keep us down! And violence only breeds more violence. I'll show the world that by killing you!"
The impudent child was far too blind, or perhaps just unwilling, to acknowledge the hypocrisy in his statement. But then again, in Alucard's eyes, that was what makes a good villain. Who cares about what they think? You only live so long. Enjoy yourself! Bathe in the blood of your enemies until there are none left. Laugh in the face of your oncoming demise, for there is no escaping it. There were some details in Shigaraki's ideology that held some merit, such as how All Might's existence did serve to create a standard that restrained society to a single perspective. And the belief that violence breeds violence has existed for far longer than any of these people. But Shigaraki's execution was so hypocritical that it made it difficult to take anything he said seriously.
All Might, thankfully enough, seemed to also have seen through Shigaraki's pretense. "What a load of hooey. Idealistic criminals have a different sort of fire in their eyes. But you're just enjoying yourself, you big liar."
Shigaraki sneered. "You got me. Saw right through me…" It couldn't have been that difficult. The playful grin he wore served as a clear indication of that fact. As the two central figures of the battle confronted each other, Alucard let his mind wander. Not in the sense that he was distracted, absolutely not. When you can spawn an infinite number of familiars, how else are you supposed to describe it?
0.0
Normally, Momo Yaoyorozu found it easy to keep a cool head and to come up with the most logical solution to a predicament. That was precisely why she'd been elected Class 1-A's vice president. But now, in this crucial moment, she'd made a single oversight that might cost the life of one of her peers.
"Hands up. And no Quirks allowed." Their opponent threatened, holding up Kaminari like a prize. "Try anything and I'll kill him."
"Kaminari…!"
"He got him! Kid got careless…"
Despite beating most of the other villains there, Yaoyorozu, Jirou and Kaminari had been caught off guard when one of them had run up and grabbed the mindless Kaminari, burnt out after overusing his Quirk.
"As an electric-type myself, I don't want to kill him, but I will if I have to."
"Yay… yaaaaaay…" Kaminari's brainless murmuring didn't make their situation any less perilous. Yaoyorozu now struggled to devise a plan to save Kaminari and somehow knock out their last remaining foe. She was the vice-president of Class 1-A, she should know how to deal with this. If only Kaminari could still act on his own, this would be so much easier.
"He was waiting to ambush us when we thought they were all down… How did we not see this coming…?" Jirou whispered, just as frustrated as she was.
"An electric-type…! He must be the signal jammer that Todoroki mentioned…!"
They'd been thrust into a scenario that she hadn't anticipated. She really should have. The drawbacks of Kaminari's Quirk made him an easy target. "Get over there and don't move a muscle." The man ordered.
Maybe they'd get lucky, and backup would show up to help them out? As she tried to come up with a plan, Jirou seemed to have already come up with something. "…I always thought this about Kaminari, but…" Jirou didn't seem to have a real plan. "You electric-types. You're all natural-born winners, yeah?"
"What're you…-" But Jirou ignored her.
"-Never mind being a hero. There are so many different jobs you could do. This might sound naïve, but…" As she spoke, one of her earplugs was sneakily extending down the back of her leg. "Why become a villain? I just gotta wonder…"
"I get it! If Jirou can connect her plug, she can knock him out!" Yaoyorozu realized. Though risky, it was still better than anything else she could come up with.
But this man wasn't so easily fooled. His eyes narrow, he kept a close watch on Jirou as she continued to delay.
The villain shot her an intense glare. "Thought I wouldn't notice what you were up to?"
Both girls drew once they realized their last-ditch effort had failed. Jirou gritted her teeth, seeming to have run out of ideas. Momo had some, but none could possibly work out now that the jammer was on high alert.
"It'd take a real idiot to fall for a kid's stupid trick. Heroes in training should take hostage situations more seriously. If you two come quietly, I'll let this blockhead go, okay?" They couldn't possibly consider that option… If they did, they'd probably never see their friends or family ever again. "What'll it be? Your lives or his?" She shuddered, unable to process it all. She didn't want to sacrifice anyone, but there didn't seem to be any way for that to happen.
A distinct gloom fell over the both of them as they felt like they had no choice but to choose between themselves or Kaminari. But then, a small shadow descended over the villain's face. At first, she thought it might just be passing cloud. But the shadow was too small for that to be true. A bird, perhaps? Then, out of nowhere, a red-eyed crow plummeted from the ceiling and flew directly onto the jammer's face. Like a wad of clay, the crow deformed upon impact and engulfed his entire head.
"The fu-" He yelled, tearing at the black material now suffocating him. Not questioning where it had come from, Yaoyorozu bolted straight at the distracted jammer. Jirou joined her, dashing towards Kaminari. Wrapping her arms around her classmate, Jirou dragged him away from the still struggling kidnapper.
Activating her Quirk, Yaoyorozu pulled an iron rod out of her forearm and rammed it into his stomach. His lack of oxygen coupled with the painful blow to his vulnerable midsection instantly knocked him out as he slumped onto the floor.
"Hah…hah…" Yaoyorozu gasped, the adrenaline flowing out of her system. She poked the villain with her foot, this time doing her due diligence. They couldn't have another hostage situation like that again. "Kaminari?" She glanced at Jirou.
Her classmate examined him closely before nodding back. "He'll be fine. Still shorted out, but he'll get better."
A stupid grin still plastered on his face, Kaminari slowly mumbled "…yaaaaaayy…" before giving them a thumbs up. Whether that was to thank them or just some sort of muscle reflex, she couldn't tell.
"Ah!"
All the details suddenly flooded back into Yaoyorozu's head. She spun around and looked back at the villain's face. That strange black crow had disappeared. Where could it have gone? Who'd sent it? Her analytical mind already sorting through her memories, she finally recalled what that transfer student had mentioned. What was his name again? Alexander? Yeah, that was it. She remembered how he'd given a demonstration of his Quirk, "Composition", by summoning a bird like the one that'd just helped them out.
"But he's nowhere close by, is he?" She muttered to herself, still trying to sort out all the facts.
"Madam Yaoyorozu."
She reared back, instinctively drawing her weapon and turning towards the speaker. There, she saw the shadowy crow, perched atop some rubble only a few feet away.
"… Alex-kun…?"
"Yes, it is I." The crow's mouth didn't move. Instead, it simply hung open as the voice seemed to flow from it like a radio. "It's good to see you all safe and sound. As for me, I and many of our classmates are presently battling the leader of these villains. I've just used a brief moment of reprieve to help you. I'm running short on time, so I'd just like to say that it's probably best if you remain there. Professional heroes should be arriving soon to help you."
"Wait…" But by then it was too late. Before either of them could ask anyting else, Alexander's crow dissipated into a cloud of smoke.
For a moment, the air was completely silent. Neither of them could describe what had just happened. Yaoyorozu, for her part, was utterly stunned. Mere seconds ago, she and Jirou had been faced with a difficult choice. Then Alexanders's crow had come flying out of nowhere, transformed into an oily bandana, and choked the living daylights out of their opponent. How was she supposed to react? Sure, he hadn't given a very detailed description of his powers, but she'd just assumed Alexander's Quirk was limited to living things. She hadn't imagined he could manipulate them to such a precise degree, transforming them from lithe birds into face-coverings with a snap of his fingers. If he could do what she thought he could, the possibilities of his Quirk were endless…
"Momo… Momo!" Yaoyorozu jerked forward at the sudden shouting. It was Jirou, calling her back from her stupor. She hadn't realized how long she'd been standing there for.
"Mmmhh… sorry about that, Jirou-san," she smiled apologetically. "Everything that's happened… it's just been tough to stay on top of things."
Jirou nodded, empathizing with her friend's feelings. Looking back at what that strange boy with the white hair had said at the plaza, this whole thing was probably a lot bigger than just a school lecture or an ambush. This was a coordinated effort by Japan's underbelly to kill All Might and overturn the social order. And here they were, a bunch of teenagers trying to become heroes. How were they supposed to keep up in this sort of situation?
Jirou rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "So… should we do what Alex-kun said? Stay here and wait for the pro's to show up?" She asked timidly.
"…" Yaoyorozu wasn't quite sure how to respond to her question. On the one hand, she felt like she could trust Alexander. The European transfer student had only just arrived and he'd already proven himself. So if he said they could just stay where they were, it probably meant their classmates could handle the main group of villains. And by her own calculations, the pro heroes arriving now seemed right on schedule given how long it'd take to inform them plus the time it'd take to muster a rescue squad.
But she didn't want to just stand idly by and watch her friends fight for her. That wasn't why she'd applied to U.A. She'd come here to learn. To grow. To become someone others could look up to. Maybe it was safer to find a safe place to lay low and wait for the pro heroes to arrive. That was the most sensible option.
But that wouldn't help her grow stronger. That wouldn't help her become a hero.
"We're going." Not waiting for Jirou's response, she moved forward. Away from safety and towards danger. Staring in awe, Jirou could only sigh in resignation as she lifted the drowsy Kaminari onto her back and followed Yaoyorozu's lead.
0.0
Of all personality types, the hero's is often the most selfish. At least when observed from a different perspective. And when All Might insisted that he be the one to fight the Nomu despite Izuku, Bakugo and Kirishima all voicing their willingness to help, Alucard saw just that. All Might, perhaps unintentionally, occupying the starring role in this theatre of a battle. Alucard saw All Might's stubbornness as he rushed head on into the Nomu's charge, completely ignoring its "Absorption" Quirk. And in the furious exchange that followed, All Might's persistence was put on full display.
*SLAM*SLAM*SLAM*SLAM*SLAM*SLAM*SLAM*SLAM*SLAM*
The sheer force of their exchange generated a vast cloud of smoke, buffeting everyone away from what was now the centerfold of their attention. Some might think it folly for All Might to act so recklessly. And Alucard would have agreed with them. But he also wanted to cheer All Might on for so willingly dancing on the brink of his own demise.
Unfortunately, Alucard was currently preoccupied by a certain wannabe supervillain holding a grudge. With menace in his eyes, Shigaraki had wasted no time before charging straight at him once the Nomu had engaged All Might. The humiliation the boy had felt after the earlier denial must have been more significant than he'd expected because the ferocity of his attack was incredible.
"Stay here." Alucard had told them before sprinting to the right and leading Shigaraki away from his classmates.
Through his familiar's, Alucard had already grasped much of his fighting style. Shigaraki Tomura's style largely focused on circling his opponent, searching for an opening through which he could get close enough to grab them and use his Quirk. Yet, in pursuing payback for the kick to the face he'd received earlier, this rambunctious little s*** had abandoned his established style in favor of a full-on assault. How inelegant. Were it up to him, he would have just fired a bullet into Shigaraki's skull and finished it then and there. But sadly, he had to keep up appearances.
"Emotional, aren't you?"
Shigaraki was unfazed. "You first. Then All Might." He continued the onslaught, trying to drive Alucard into a corner.
"Really?" He smirked, deftly dodging all of Shigaraki's attacks. "Now's hardly a good time to be chasing such a petty grudge with time running low. The pro heroes are already on their way, you know?"
"You'll be dead before they ever arrive." Shigaraki spoke matter-of-factly, though Alucard knew such an outcome was simply unachievable.
"Is that so?" He replied, still smirking contemptuously. And then, after Shigaraki left himself open for perhaps the tenth time since their skirmish had started, Alucard decided to stop retreating and to instead teach him a lesson in self-awareness.
*POOOMPH*
"KUH!" The counterpunch he sent into Shigaraki's flank was a devastating blow. He could feel the boy's ribs crack beneath his knuckles. Alucard knew this wouldn't be enough to kill him, but at least enough to incapacitate him. Gasping for air, Shigaraki collapsed onto the floor while clutching his torso. Not too far away, his classmates once again had their jaws stretched to the floor. Even Bakugo. They were all taken aback by what they were witnessing. Was Shigaraki weak, or was their new classmate just making a habit of impressing them at every turn?
Alucard stood over the shattered wreck of the wannabe supervillain, practically begging him to give it another go. "You should have listened to my warning." Shigaraki clenched his fists. He wasn't broken just yet. That was good, he still had some fight left in him. If this kid was going to be an actual challenge, he needed the mental fortitude to take punches and give them back. "Now," Alucard lowered himself to stare directly at him, goading him to make a move. "…what are you going to do?"
And as he presented himself on a silver platter to the boy, Shigaraki finally took the offering. "This." Shigaraki's arm shout out faster than a bullet, taking a vice grip of Alucard's leg. Izuku, one eye on All Might and the other on "Alexander", immediately cried out when he noticed Shigaraki's hand was on his classmate's leg.
"ALEX-KUN! DODGE!"
But it was already too late. Shigaraki activated his Quirk instantly, disintegrating Alucard's leg and leaving his face completely exposed for his next attack.
Or at least, that was what should have happened. What Shigaraki hadn't counted on was… nothing happening. There were no cracks forming in their flesh. He could feel his Quirk eating away at him, but it felt like whatever he destroyed just came back a second later. All five of his fingers were attached to "Alex-kun's" leg. There was nothing between his fingers and his opponent's skin. Usually this would result in them losing a limb. What the hell was going on? Even Izuku, so worried mere moments before, couldn't process why nothing was happening.
*THOOMP*
A long metal pole slammed into Shigaraki's cheek, knocking him out of his stupor and sending him reeling.
"DON'T JUST STAND THERE, ALEXANDER-SAN!" Yaoyorozu shouted. Not far behind, Jirou and Kaminari stumbled in. Alucard snickered.
"So they ignored my advice? It's only natural, I suppose. They're just children, after all."
Shigaraki was still dumbfounded by the failure of his Quirk, so much so that he just lay there, his eyes wide with disbelief. Naturally, Alucard was more than aware of why Shigaraki's Quirk had no effect. You can disintegrate something, and that's usually enough. But with Alucard's vampiric powers, regeneration was a nonissue. And as Alucard slowly withdrew his leg from Shigaraki's grip, he made sure to give the befuddled child one last warm smile before smashing the boy's face in.
Surprisingly, even after suffering both physical and mental abuse, Shigaraki was still conscious as well as defiant. After being sent flying by Alucard's attack, he got back up and crouched on the floor as Kurogiri warped next to him. The look on Shigaraki's face, already angry, grew absolutely enraged as Kurogiri directed his attention to the Nomu. Things weren't going according to plan in that department.
"PLUS…ULTRAAAAA!"
*DAAKKKOOOOOOOOMMM*
There was no impact. The Nomu had been there one moment and gone the next. All they had heard was the sound of the Nomu breaking through the glass roof and the sonic boom that followed as it was sent flying through the stratosphere. His classmates could only stare in amazement at the sight beholden to them. That image of All Might standing there, muscles stressed beyond belief, would undoubtedly stick with them until the end of their days.
It was quite clear from his body language that Shigaraki's resolve had been shaken by the Nomu's deafening defeat. Even worse, he'd just been soundly beaten by some arrogant U.A. brat who talked like he was from some fantasy world. What were they supposed to do now, when everything seemed to be going against them?
Kirishima, one of those standing closest to the crater formed by All Might's attack, was the first to speak up. "Like straight outta the comics. He just smashed his way past the absorption. The ultimate bruiser… and against that power… the regeneration wasn't able to keep up with that rush of attacks…" he couldn't even conjure his usual charismatic smirk. So baffled was he by the ocean of power that separated his world from the professional world.
"Yep. I'm slowing down. Back in my heyday, five hits would have taken him out." Sll Might almost collapsed as he spoke but managed to tense his thighs before they could give out. "But now, it took over 300 mighty blows."
It felt like everyone there had taken a giant sigh of relief as All Might addressed his victory. They all seemed to think the hard part had passed, and all that was left were the scattered remnants of the League of Villains. But that simply was not the case. Shigaraki Tomura, the ambitious upstart who'd started this whole mess, was still alive.
"You… you cheated…" and kicking. Still alive and kicking. "You've weakened? Not that I can see… we're completely outmatched. How dare you do that to my Nomu…" Shigaraki grumbled, clearly shaken by the failure of his trump card. "He's not weak at all! They… they lied to me?!" They? Was he referring to All For One?
"Well? Coming to get me?! What happened to clearing the game? If you can take me, then bring it on!"
He was bluffing, that much was certain. With his vampiric eyesight, Alucard easily perceived All Might visibly shivering. He was in no condition to fight. Even Mineta, that bumbling moron, could probably beat him with relative ease in this state. He also alertly watched Kurogiri. There was a faint shudder in the Quirk user's mist like form as he counseled Shigaraki. Through what little he'd had seen on him so far, the man had proven to be a crafty individual. No doubt he too had detected All Might's vulnerability and was now advising Shigaraki to take advantage of it. The eager look in Shigaraki's gaze told Alucard of the boy's intent.
"Right… We're not ready for this level yet…" It sounded odd for such words to be coming out of Todoroki's own mouth, but he wasn't wrong. This was just their first taste of real combat, after all.
"Midoriya! We oughta just hang back for now. Rush in and they might take you hostage or something… All Might'll take care of the big bads. Let's go see if we can help the others…" Kirishima grabbed Izuku's shoulder yet was summarily ignored by his classmate. Izuku's irises had grown wide with anxiety at All Might's destitute state. Although he'd won his confrontation with the Nomu, he'd been left in such a vulnerable position that All Might could do nothing bot stand there and pretend.
"WELL? WHAT'S KEEPING YOU?!"
Bakugo, Todoroki, and Kirishima had already begun edging their way over to Kaminari, who still seemed winded after using his Quirk earlier. Izuku, on the other hand, didn't move a muscle. Alucard had already jogged to Yaoyorozu by this point.
"OW!"
"Didn't I tell you to stand by and wait?" He smirked. Rubbing the spot where he'd flicked her, Yaoyorozu realized that this was the first time she was standing so close to Alexander. She took note of his handsome features and oddly effeminate build before answering.
"Did you seriously think we'd just run off and do nothing?" She protested. "And what exactly were you doing, letting him grab your leg like that? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
In all honesty, he wished he could do that. But personal feelings aside, he could have handled Shigaraki on his own. He smiled.
"That was an excellent throw, Ms. Yaoyorozu." A hint of red appeared on her cheeks as he praised her. "I do hope you'll allow me to watch you practice once this is all over." Alucard tilted his head slightly, bringing his face closer to hers. She took a cautionary step back, her reddened cheeks now aflame.
"I- I mean..." she muttered. "Wait! Stop it, don't change the subject!"
Ah, the vigor of youth! Truly a sight to behold when mere flirting can elicit such a reaction. Alucard twirled back around, spinning on one foot. Class 1-A's vice president voiced her disapproval but grew silent as she caught on to the main issue. There still remained the problem of Shigaraki Tomura's next action. Would he choose to retreat and give up this opportunity? Or embrace his emotions and make a mad dash to the finish line?
Kurogiri, it seemed, had done most of the deciding for him. "Right… right… right…" The pale-haired boy whispered, listening intently to Kurogiri's every word. "We can do this… The final boss is standing right there."
Alucard was aware that by now, he'd done more than what had been asked of him. Too much and he might steal the spotlight, thereby placing himself under intense suspicion. And while he had no qualms with that, the time hadn't arrived just yet to breach his agreement with Nezu. So he was thankful when the wonderfully naïve Izuku readied himself for what was to come.
"This is… revenge for Nomu."
Just as Alucard had hoped they would, Shigaraki and Kurogiri made a mad dash at All Might, who could presently do nothing but stand and wait for them. Which was exactly why Alucard was so grateful when Izuku leapt into action, surprising both his classmates and the villains with his speed.
"He broke some bones to do it, as usual…" Alucard mumbled.
"GET AWAY FROM… ALL MIGHT!" The boy yelled, aiming where Kurogiri's real body should've been hidden. But in his haste to rescue All Might, he'd failed to consider Kurogiri's Quirk. In a proper display of teamwork, Kurogiri opened a portal next to Shigaraki, into which the smug child slid his hand. His hand then reappeared through another portal, one right in front of Izuku's head.
*BOOOOMM*
The thunderous clap of a gunshot rang throughout USJ, followed by a blaring explosion. And where Shigaraki's right hand had once been, now sat the mangled bits and pieces of it. For a moment, everyone stood still as they processed what had just happened. Izuku, specks of blood on his face, sat with his mouth agape at the sight of Shigaraki's stump of an arm.
"AAAaaaagghh!" Though still crying out in pain, Shigaraki's scream was quieter than most would have.
"He handled my earlier blows quite well also." Alucard pondered. "Perhaps this 'they' Shigaraki spoke of used far more severe methods than he's seen today, in whatever training he may have received…" As he stood thinking, the smoking barrel of his Casull sidearm slowly sank into the black puddle of his familiar. The familiar then melting into a black puddle, before disappearing entirely. It had served its purpose. There would be questions. Maybe some would even be directed at him. He had a good scapegoat, though.
"Snipe! What are you doing firing explosive rounds?" Shouted a female teacher, who was dressed in incredibly lascivious attire for some odd reason.
The pro hero Snipe was already closely examining his revolver. "What in tarnation… I swear I loaded ma' normal rounds this mornin'!"
"Anyways… Sorry, everyone. We're a little late. We brought everyone we could." Sitting on another hero's gargantuan shoulder was the little white mascot of U.A, Principal Nezu.
"President of Class 1-A, Tenya Iida! Reporting for duty!" At long last, the cavalry had arrived. Iida had taken longer than he'd expected, but better late than never, as the saying goes.
Relief engulfed the whole of Class 1-A as they realized that the worst of it all had come and gone. Uraraka could hardly hold back her tears as she and Tsuyu helped to transport the unconscious Shota Aizawa to the pro heroes.
"Ahhh, they're here… game over. Guess we gotta try another time, Kurogiri…"
*BLAM*BLAM*BLAM*
"Only ne-er-do-wells we got a shot at wranglin' from this distance are…" Snipe fired more bullets, aiming at Shigaraki's ligaments. Yet even with Thirteen using her black holes to suck in Kurogiri's portal, their efforts ultimately proved fruitless.
As he was being pulled into the portal, Shigaraki gave one last menacing glare at All Might. "I may have failed here, Symbol of Peace… But the next time we meet… You're DEAD, All Might." As his pupil receded into the darkness, Alucard noticed him direct one final glower at him before he vanished. The boy's rage was no longer restricted solely to All Might, it seemed. And like that, it was over.
0.0
Evening coffee. Not his preferred refreshment, but this brand Nezu brought certainly tasted better than what he'd drank in the past. He was grateful for this respite. Another few hours of fighting and his throat might have gotten parched.
"You did… much more than I asked." Nezu took a sip from his cup.
Alucard waved it off. "Hardly. I just did as I was told. Nothing more, nothing less." Grinning slightly, Alucard set aside his now empty cup.
After the League of Villains escaped the scene, the pro heroes had immediately moved in to escort Class 1-A back to class and transport the injured to U.A's medical office. Alucard, for his part, helped Jirou and Yaoyorozu with carrying Kaminari over to the front gate where they handed him to the professionals. Yaoyorozu tried to question Alucard about his Quirk and how he had helped during the fight, but he evaded her inquiries by saying that checking on Izuku's condition was more important.
It wasn't a bad excuse. That hasty child had broken both his legs, after all. Though the hero Cementoss had cut them off with an enormous wall of cement, instructing them to head over to the gate while letting the pro heroes deal with the wounded. He knew it was more likely that Cementoss wanted to prevent news of All Might's weakness from getting out, so he acceded and went with his classmates to be led back to U.A. Though throughout the proceedings, Alucard couldn't help noticing Nezu's eyes constantly wandering back to him. After their arrival, the uninjured among them were allowed to go home for the day. And as he was leaving, Nezu had summoned him to his office.
"I mean…" Nezu muttered, edging his fingers along the bottom of his snout. "Based on your description of events, you performed splendidly. However, there is just one tiny detail I'd like to ask about."
Alucard, having refilled his cup, took a tentative sip. "The explosive bullet?"
"…Yes. That was yours, no? I've never known Snipe to be so clumsy with his ammunition, after all."
Alucard was aware that Nezu knew it had been his bullet that had blown off most of Shigaraki Tomura's arm. The real question was whether such an act was permissible under the terms of their agreement.
"Shigaraki came close to erasing your dear Symbol's successor. I was worried a single standard round may not have been enough to save him."
"Yet detonating an explosive right in front of youngster Midoriya's eyes was? We're lucky it didn't blind him." Having blood splattered onto his face probably hadn't helped either. Though from what he'd seen, young Midoriya might have been too focused on saving All Might to really care about himself. That was just who he was.
Alucard snickered. "Do you doubt my abilities, Mr. Principal?"
"No…" Nezu waved his hand, as if batting away Alucard's suspicion. "I simply wish to see everyone safe and sound. And using such a dangerous round is simply too great a risk."
The sides of Alucard's lips stretched upward as he seemed to mock Nezu's objection. "Understand, Mr. Principal, that you cannot afford to treat lightly around your foes. Their stated objective today was to kill your Symbol of Peace. Do you really think they would be so crass as to hold back against anyone in their way?"
"No, but…"
"Then there is nothing for you to worry about. Young Midoriya is safe, as is All Might. The villains were driven off, and we have emerged from this incident with zero casualties. This is a time for celebration, not unease."
Nezu still had a myriad of doubts about Alucard's methods, but he couldn't deny the results. He still sighed, however, because he regretted that a boy as young as Shigaraki had to be mutilated for this small victory. "I suppose you are correct." He had to concede to the Prince of Darkness's logic. There were more pressing matters to worry about.
As he settled into his chair, Nezu recalled another matter he'd wished to discuss. "By the way, U.A.'s Sports Festival is approaching." he suddenly mentioned, waving a flyer in front of Alucard.
Taking it in hand and examining it closely, a sly smirk grew on his lips. "No rest for the wicked, I suppose."
0.0
*FWOOO*
A wounded and demoralized Shigaraki slinked through the portal and plopped onto the wooden floor. "Oww..." As blood dripped from his injuries, Shigaraki caressed the stump where his arm used to be. "I was shot... Both arms and legs... We got crushed..." The gruesome wound was the least of his problems. "He got Nomu too... Our cannon fodder was taken down in a flash... even those kids were strong..." The plan had been an utter disaster. Nothing had gone right. All Might was one thing, but for the League of Villains to not even kill a single kid? "The Symbol of Peace is in perfect health... You were wrong, master..."
Static shone on the quaint little bar's television. Then through the static, an elegant voice resonated and addressed the downtrodden Shigaraki. "No, I wasn't." Said All For One, speaking like would a caring father. "We merely got ahead of ourselves. Yes... we underestimated him. Good thing that League of Villains came cheap", he joked, "Anyway... What became of our creation? Nomu? Did you retrieve him?"
Having restored himself to his usual form, Kurogiri answered like the loyal servant he was. "He was sent flying. And unless we ascertain his precise coordinates... no amount of warping will let us find him. I just couldn't spare the time back there."
"After all the trouble we went through to make him as strong as All Might... Well... that's too bad. A real shame." His tone showed no signs of disappointment. Everyone there knew the vast expanse of resources All For One had behind him. This was no huge loss. There would be other opportunities, and more Nomu's to exploit them.
"Strong... right..." Images of the last few moments flashed in Shigaraki's mind. "There was one... One kid who seemed just as fast as All Might..." All For One cooed in interest. "Without that pest, we might have killed All Might... But that kid... that brat..."
Shigaraki clenched his one good fist. As Kurogiri wrapped his mutilated arm for him, Shigaraki could only envision all the ways he'd exact his revenge against those worthless U.A brats. Especially that kid who'd gotten in between him and All Might. He'd get the worst of it. First his legs, which had been what had helped him to interfere in his plans. Then his arms. And once he lay helpless on the floor, then he'd slowly rot away the kid's face until...
"Kkkhh!" With a tight *YANK*, Kurogiri finished bandaging Shigaraki's injury. The surge of pain that was sent into his brain instantly reminded him of the real one he wanted to murder. The tall one... That bitch who had hit him in the face, TWICE, and had even gloated about it! What was his name? That girl with the ponytail called him "Alex". It didn't matter who he was. What mattered was that he was going to eviscerate him. Pathetic trash. Forget that other brat, this kid had been the real obstacle. Stopped him from killing those three kids. Then he did it again after that. Shigaraki could still remember the smug look on that guy's face as he kicked him one last time. He would enjoy seeing the look on his arrogant face as Shigaraki tore through it with his bare hands. Right as soon as he fixed up his arm. All For One's connections would see to it that Shigaraki was back to normal quite soon.
"No use crying over spilled milk!" All For One dragged Shigaraki out of his delusions. "This endeavor was not a complete loss. Find stronger troops! Take all the time you need! We can't move freely! That's why we need a Symbol like you. Tomura Shigaraki! Next time, the world will know of the terror you represent!"
Yeah... next time... Next time, he'd make sure to leave nothing behind. Not a single trace of All Might or that little green-haired shit. And Alex? He'd make sure his screams could be heard for miles.
0.0
Author's Notes: I was just wondering what kind of direction some of you would like me to take this story. Rather, when do you feel would be the best time for this story to really start diverging from canon? I have my own plan, but I was just curious about your own opinions. Also, I'm debating over the issue of Schrodinger's powers. Should I give Alucard access to them? Or disregard them? On paper, Alucard should possess Schrodinger's ability but that would kind of remove any sense of urgency in the plot. I'm also debating on skipping the tournament, since I'm assuming a good portion of you might want Alucard to start acting like the Prince of Darkness a bit sooner. Please feel free to write your ideas into your reviews. Once again, I'll see you in the next.