Disclaimer: The intellectual property rights to Hellsing belong to Kouta Hirano, as does the My Hero Academia series, with Kohei Horikoshi.
Author's Notes: Please forgive the delay. I didn't expect to be submerged under a tidal wave of quizzes and exams. Once exams were over, I decided to make this a SUPER chapter as recompense. Fitting, given it's the tenth one. I wrote the second half of this chapter in the week and a half after summer started, so expect some minor mistakes. I just didn't want to make you guys wait much longer. I'll also try and upload the next chapter in less than a month. Anyways, please enjoy yourselves.
0.0
"THE PLAZA IS LOST! REPEAT, PLAZA IS LOST! WE'RE GETTING MOWED DOWN OUT HERE! PULLING BACK TO CENTRAL TOWER! I REPEAT, P—"
*BLAM*
"I appreciate you for stating the obvious."
Sauntering over the remains of Wolfram's mercenaries, he grinned as he beheld the gruesome I-Expo. Corpses littered the once lively streets, their blood pouring down into the sewage drains. The deactivated husks of I-Island's security androids lay scattered across the area, their metal frames having been blown to pieces from the explosive power of the Casull's bullets. Military transports now sat idly by, devoid of all signs of life. Mounted turrets went unused, loaded rifles quiet.
His sadistic laughter echoing down the vacant streets, The Impaler decided to indulge in his own carnal desires. Wanting to live up to one of his many monikers, he used telepathy to lift some of the numerous cadavers behind him and proceeded to adorn the streetlamps with these grisly decorations. The lights turned red as blood coated the glass, enveloping the streets in a scarlet tint. A fitting change given the already grotesque atmosphere.
He was thoroughly enjoying himself so far. It'd been quite some time since he'd last reveled in his bloodthirst to such depths. The scent of blood dribbling down the buildings and sidewalks was intoxicating. They'd make for a hearty meal at the end of it all. Nowhere near the vast quantity of blood he'd absorbed during the Millenium Organization's attack at London, but still a substantial amount.
*SPLASH*
In the distance, Alucard heard a tactical boot parade across the growing river of red. How shocking. To think there were criminals still willing to oppose death itself, even when their comrades lay dead before them. That only spoke to the discipline instilled in these mercenaries. Hopefully Wolfram would prove worthy of such loyalty.
*BANG*
The merc's lower jaw was blown off by an explosive round, the subsequent detonation tearing his skull into oblivion. Moments later, a solid *SMACK* resounded in I-Expo as another corpse collapsed onto the concrete.
When he'd first arrived and commenced this midnight stroll, screams of pain and cries for mercy were common as he'd made his way towards the Central Tower. Men and women were cut down like paper in the wind by the Casull. Many chose to retreat and regroup near the Central Tower, but those who couldn't opted for the easy way out. It angered him to see such weakness in those who fancied themselves worthy of battle, but he'd long since grown accustomed to such disappointment. While he would be happy to consume their lifeblood later on, Alucard couldn't help but lament how these heathens were nowhere near strong enough to push him to Level Zero.
With his senses covering the entirety of I-Island through the dense mist, he knew there still remained many more morsels around the entrée. And with his vampiric sight, he knew that reinforcements was on its way. Although unable to see through the helicopter's steel barriers, he could assume there were multiple Quirk users inside. Agents of All For One, no doubt. After all, who else possessed the ambition to organize such an operation? Perhaps it was another Nomu? An elite squadron of Quirk users? Regardless, he was eagerly awaiting their arrival.
In the meantime, he continued his trek to the Central Tower and Wolfram. He deployed shades to serve as miniature guides for the civilians strewn about I-Island. While there was no end to the number of innocent lives slain by his hand, it wasn't in his orders to off mere bystanders today. And besides, he wanted to leave a good "impression" for when those heroes bore witness to his handiwork. Oh, how delighted they would be to see that not a single decent soul had been lost. He'd bask in their expressions as he watched the news broadcast the following day.
He'd left "Alexander Anderson" in the reception hall as an alibi. The time hadn't yet come for him to abandon his alias, though events were gradually aligning in such a way that would let him liberate himself of that guise. While the shade possessed a mere fraction of his true strength, he'd still be able to act appropriately given any likely situation.
His thick boots splashing through the puddles of blood flowing along the streets, the cloudy night sky was filled with the cries of dying souls.
0.0
Meanwhile, At The Central Tower:
"Don't worry. If you stay quiet, you will not be hurt." Wolfram spoke calmly as he observed the rows of hostages. "We are prepared to release you when the time comes."
Some people didn't get the memo, apparently. One of the pro heroes who'd been restrained by the security system angrily demanded to know what they had come for. Wolfram answered him with a swift kick in the chin.
"Didn't you hear me? I said, stay quiet."
Seeing these heroes brought down to their level brought him endless amounts of pleasure. It had always irritated him how these heroes acted all high and mighty while everyone else skulked about in the depths. Now was his chance to reap some well-earned recompense.
*BEEP*BEEP*
He activated the communication device on his ear.
"Yeah?"
A panicked voice came from the other end, listing off a worrying number of casualties. Entire sectors had already been lost in the minutes that'd passed since this operation had started. No one reported exactly who or what was behind all this commotion, largely because no one lived long enough to do so. The few who tried were always shrieking in fear, frantically describing the sheer mayhem and chaos erupting in their sector before being cut off. Most of the guards deployed to patrol those sectors were assumed to have suffered the same fate. Those nearby had pulled back to the Central Tower where they were now setting up a new line of defense.
"What? Why wasn't I informed earlier?" He whispered softly, not wanting to show any signs of alarm.
"Sir, everything I've just told you is what I've gathered from bits and pieces. All I can say for sure is that someone, or something, is killing our agents and making its way here."
"…"
What? How was this possible? The swiftness of this counterattack implied that a third party had been aware of their mission from the start. Yet that was simply inconceivable. No one else was made aware of their operation outside All For One, himself and all of his agents. Wolfram ran an authoritarian system with his agents, pouring hours into ensuring that no one even considered betraying him. And while a conspirator was still possible, it was far more probable that someone on the outside had just caught wind of their plan. But the question was, how?
"… Wait at the control room, I'll be right over."
"Yes sir."
Turning his attention back to the hostage situation, he began categorizing the hostages into those who'd be useful and everyone else. This wouldn't take long since he'd come here having already memorized the list of visitors.
"You're a researcher here, right?"
The question was rhetorical, so he didn't give the man time to answer. He was on a timer at the moment, after all.
"Take him." Wolfram ordered. Samuel Abraham whimpered as one of the guards grabbed hold of him and dragged him away.
"Stop!" Wolfram idly turned around and saw the man who'd originally orchestrated this whole thing, David Shield, approaching him. Poor fool. He had no idea what was really going on. "He is my assistant. What do you plan to do with him?"
"If it isn't David Shield…" Wolfram sighed, waving his hand for his troops to join him. "Take him too." With a potential threat looming, Wolfram wanted to keep the vital hostages close by just in case he had to negotiate. So long as they got away with the Quirk Amplification Device, everything would be fine.
"And if I refuse?" David put on a brave face, which gave Wolfram the first laugh he'd had since they'd gotten there.
"Then somewhere on this island, someone's scream will ring out." While he said it as menacingly as he could, his threat affected him as much as it did Shield. How many of his own men were currently wailing out into the night? He'd have to check the security footage himself to get an idea of just how dangerous this newcomer was.
"Fine. I will go." Shield relented, letting himself be restrained and escorted out of the room.
Before they left, Wolfram ordered his men to keep a close eye on the heroes. If even one of them tried to break out of their restraints, they had his permission to kill them. He couldn't risk anything else going wrong, not when they were so close to obtaining their objective. A few more guards were posted around All Might, just in case. A few moments later, Wolfram stepped into the control room with his guards and hostages behind him.
"Sir!" His subordinate stood to attention. Wolfram nodded and turned to the security footage on display. And what he saw, or rather what he heard, sent shivers down his spine. He'd noticed how difficult it was to see anything through the windows, but had assumed it was some sort of security feature. It hadn't occurred to him that a blinding fog had enveloped I-Island, yet that's precisely what had happened. Throughout all of the footage, all he saw was gray smoke. Though occasionally, he caught brief glimpses of a pair of glowing, predatory eyes roaming in the haze.
But the worst part was the audio. Like the cries of the damned, all that was transmitted were the wails of suffering as his mercenaries were massacred like livestock. The smack of gunfire would fill the air before giving way to bellows and howls, men screeched as their limbs were viscerally torn off. Flesh and sinew stretched and broke, painting a devastatingly detailed picture of everything that was happening behind this impenetrable misty cover. He had trained his men to deal with all manner of scenarios. All For One had gone so far as to subject them to, at the time, what seemed to be the worst situations possible. But now all that training, all those years of hard work, it all faded away in the face of whatever was out there right now.
"How long has it been like this?" Wolfram muttered, mesmerized by what he was listening to.
"Roughly ten minutes, sir."
Ten minutes… They'd lost almost all their gains in less than half an hour? What kind of force was capable of such a feat? They'd captured and restrained all the heroes on the island. No one outside I-Island knew what was going on. Who the FUCK was behind this?!
"SHIELD!" He screeched.
"Huh?!" Startled, David Shield almost tripped over himself meeting Wolfram's piercing gaze.
"Care to explain what I'm hearing?" Blaring gunshots were followed up with stinging shrieks of pain and torment, culminating in frightening silence before beginning the cycle once more.
"… I-I…" The man could hardly breathe after what he'd just listened to. "…I don't… know…" he stuttered. "This wasn't…. wasn't what I had planned…"
Damn it all…
Wolfram stood back and took a few deep breaths. He couldn't lose his temper, not now. He knew this was a crucial moment which would determine the fate of their mission. Based off what he'd seen so far, whatever was killing his men outside was something they couldn't deal with. Their priorities now were to obtain the Quirk Amplification Device, gather what remained of his men and escape. If All For One's reinforcements arrived on time, they might help to turn the tides. At the moment though, he couldn't afford to take that kind of risk.
"Change of plans, Shield. We're taking the device NOW!"
0.0
*FWIP*CHK-CHING*
The helicopter chamber resounded with the noise of soldiers arming themselves. Bulletproof vests and helmets were readied along with massive heavy weapons, loaded with fresh magazines. All of them lined up at the doors, waiting for the order to be given. The man standing at the center of their platoon didn't necessarily fit in with his companions. Whereas they all had adorned themselves with thick body armor and military-grade gear, this fair skinned man was dressed in a grey blazer and dress pants of a pale lilac color.
Upon taking a closer look however, one might notice the distinct bodysuit concealed within the blazer. Flexible metal plates covered his entire body, from his nape all the way down to his feet. Most striking of all was the large black mask covering from his chest to just above his nose, with four extra pieces winding around the exposed skin of his face and back around his head. Two long and black cylinders protruded from each of his shoulder blades.
This man was Nine, once a test subject of the League of Villains' doctor, Daruma Ujiko, now serving as one of All For One's chess pieces. Along with his close companions, Slice, Mummy, and Chimaera, they'd been deployed to I-Island to aid Wolfram's operation.
"Looks like All For One's hunch was right." Thought Nine as he checked his life support system to make sure everything was working properly and that the medicinal drugs were stable.
Their most esteemed leader had grown weary as of late. The reasons behind his change were unknown. Nine wasn't privy to the details, but he could assume something was off from All For One's demeanor. He was never told why, which only added to his confusion. What could possibly be wrong? The only real opponent they had was All Might, and Wolfram had successfully captured his master's erstwhile nemesis.
In fact, were reinforcements even necessary? If the recent updates were to be believed, Wolfram's group had already taken over the security system and were now in the process of acquiring the Quirk Amplifier. What, had Wolfram let All Might break free and rampage through their ranks? Maybe Wolfram wasn't as capable as he'd initially believed…
However, Nine changed his mind after getting a closer look at I-Island.
"Sir, we're nearing I-Island!"
"Gun it!"
"Yes, sir!"
A gargantuan cloud of fog had blanketed the entirety of I-Island, leaving Nine and his men helpless to see what lay behind it.
*BZZT*
Nine pressed his earpiece.
"That wall of fog looks pretty thick. Do you think your Quirk could do something about it?" Slice asked over the receiver.
Glancing back at I-Island, he didn't feel like there was anything stopping him from using his Quirk, "Weather Manipulation", to force the mist to dissipate. Their massive numbers advantage would be nullified so long as it obscured their vision.
"Give me a minute."
*FWOOOOOSH*
Forcefully grabbing the door handle and sliding it to the left, Nine took a moment to gather his senses before dropping daintily out of the helicopter's interior. But he didn't fall to his death like most others would have. Instead, he began gliding along the torrent of wind, gracefully flying up into the sky to a vantage point where he could get a good view of I-Island. Once he was within range of the island, he lifted his arms and unleashed his Quirk. For a brief moment, the smoke seemed to dissipate.
Even from there, he could still pick up the sound of gunfire coming from below. He knew that they should hurry up, or else the mission might be put in jeopardy. The only issue was that this mist was being particularly stubborn. When he tried splitting it apart, it simply resewed itself together. This wasn't how clouds normally behaved. How was this possible? Focusing harder, he eventually managed to create a section where he and his men could land on the island.
Yet as soon as he stopped using his Quirk, the dense coat of fog spontaneously reappeared and swallowed the area once more.
"Kkkkkgh…"
There was no doubt about it now. There was someone down there who possessed a Quirk similar to his "Weather Manipulation". Whoever it was, they were undoubtedly part of the group coordinating this counteroffensive.
"Slice." He activated his earpiece. She responded instantly, inquiring towards the removal of the fog. "Negative. I can confirm there is an individual on I-Island conjuring this mist. We'll have to land somewhere on the coast and make our way towards I-Island's Central Tower. Mummy, I want you and Slice to take some men and do some scouting separately. Try and figure out where this Quirk user is. If you find them, do not engage. Remember, our main objective is retrieving the Quirk Amplification Device. Chimaera, you'll stick with me."
As they flew directly into the fog, the cries of suffering grew more pronounced.
0.0
Deku struggled to keep himself above shoulder level as the crowd of people around him shuffled and mulled about, cowering in fear before the villains' intimidating aura. What was happening? Only a few minutes ago, he'd been hanging out with his friends and enjoying the party. Alex-kun had taken center stage alongside Yaoyorozu for a bit, which made him wonder if Alex-kun held any special feelings towards Class 1-A's vice president. But then out of nowhere, a masked man showed up with a bunch of armed guards and taken everybody hostage. Now, that man had left the room with David Shield after receiving a message of some sort.
But according to Alex-kun, this gave them an opportunity to retaliate. If he and everyone else could catch them off guard, the villains would find it difficult to fight back without their leader there to give orders. And after observing them closely, Deku concluded that not all of the villains were Quirk users. Or at least, not all of them had combat-oriented Quirks. After all, why would they be carrying firearms if they had Quirks?
As he pondered this state of events, Todoroki brought their attention to the turmoil slowly spreading amongst their guards. As more and more of the villains began moving from their posts and talking among themselves, it started to feel like not everything was going well for their villainous captors. While this was happening, Class 1-A began forming a circle in the corner.
"The security bots are following their orders, so they're probably in the control room. That explains why none of us could contact our friends earlier." Todoroki-san whispered. "Assuming that's the case, no one outside I-Island should be aware of what's going on. I can't imagine there are many things going wrong for them right now…"
"But from the looks of things, something IS going wrong." Deku replied, his voice shaky yet unflinching. "Sure, we don't know what it is. But what matters is the fact that they're distracted. Todoroki-kun, if we can create a big enough disturbance, then Iida and Uraraka can use their Quirks to get all the civilians to a safe place. If we're lucky, Kacchan and everyone else will hear the fight and join us soon after. Then we can free the pros and take back the tower."
It was a bold strategy. However, even he acknowledged its numerous flaws. How could they know that the villains' leader wasn't already on his way back? What if they responded much faster than they anticipated? What if they couldn't free the pros in time? What if the villains' were too strong for them to handle? Yet in spite of those concerning faults, Deku wanted to try. He wished he could follow Alex-kun's advice and devise a better strategy, but there was no time for that.
Meanwhile, his friends all hung their heads low in deep contemplation. Kaminari seemed willing to do anything, but only if the rest of them agreed to it. Todoroki seemed hesitant, perhaps because he also recognized the sheer number of flaws in Deku's plan. Iida looked the most worried out of everyone. His main concern was keeping them safe, after all. Carrying out such a risky plan would most likely leave some injured. Mineta, sweat pouring down his forehead, clamped his mouth shut. He knew that the moment he opened it, he'd scream out in fear. And they couldn't have that, regardless of how much he hated the fact that they were even discussing this.
That was when Alex-kun finally offered some sage advice.
"Muddle through."
Huh? Everyone around him turned towards Alex-kun after he gave a response uncharacteristic of him. Usually, he was the one coming up with the logical solutions and well-laid schemes. He was the one who always told them to take their time and account for everything, all the way down to the most minor of details. But now he was the one encouraging them to just go for it? That was supposed to be Kacchan's job!
"Our options fade with each passing second. We're already grasping at straws. Any more and we'll be left desolate. Our best course of action, therefore, is to march stoically onward."
"That's far too dangerous!" Iida grumbled. "You can't just follow your gut and expect everything to solve itself!"
"Indeed." Alex-kun nodded. "Unfortunately, our circumstances do not afford us that luxury. Which is why our best option is to obey our instincts." He sighed. "I empathize with you, Iida. I too wish we had more time for discussion. Sadly, time is running out. I estimate we have below five minutes to brace ourselves."
With his soothing voice calming their nerves, more and more of them seemed to be agreeing with him. Deku felt slightly ashamed. Despite how confident he tried to sound earlier, he'd had as much faith in his plan as everyone else. Meaning none at all. But now that Alex-kun had given it his thumbs up, suddenly all his worries faded away. Alex-kun had become something of a voice of reason in Class 1-A. Whenever he spoke, everyone listened. And now was no different.
"So… when?" Yaoyorozu wore a puzzled look on her face as she asked what everybody was thinking.
Someone poked him in the back. Peeking behind, Deku realized it'd been Alex-kun, the gleeful boy giving him a cheeky grin. It wasn't hard to see what he was getting at. After all, Alex-kun had spent a lot of time working on Deku's sense of self-worth. The European boy had subjected Deku to weeks of training to improve his control over One For All. They'd gone through numerous hardships together to convince him that he was capable of more than he believed. It was pretty obvious that not only was Alex-kun confident they'd make it out of here alive, but that he saw this as a good chance for him to take the reins.
If he was ever going to succeed All Might as Japan's #1 Hero and its Symbol of Peace, he'd need to get used to being at the forefront. So now the only question left to answer was when they would launch their counterattack.
Looking around the room, he counted how many of the guards were watching them. Only a couple. If Todoroki used his Quirk and incapacitated them, he and the others could move in tandem to take out the rest. There weren't that many guards in the room, probably because the villains' assumed they only needed to worry about the pros. They'd make them regret that decision.
Raising his fist, Deku made sure everyone was watching as he started counting down.
5…
4…
3…
2…
*BOOOOOM*
In that instant, a deafening explosion erupted somewhere outside. The blast was so powerful that the shockwave nearly shattered the windows. It felt like the whole island had tilted from the size of the blast. Being the only ones standing, the villains were nearly thrown off their feet from the rumbling. Despite not knowing the cause of the thunderous explosion, Deku knew it was now or never. Now not only were the guards distracted, but they were also confused. And in that confusion, the students of Class 1-A made their move.
0.0
"STAND YOUR GROUND! CLOSE FORMATION! DON'T GIVE HIM EVEN TIME TO BREATHE!" The commanding officer cried out, rapidly giving orders in a desperate attempt to offset the chaos and disarray I-Expo had turned into. Nowhere was safe for these servants of All For One. No matter where they turned, there was another flurry of bullets flying out of the shadows and cutting them down. And with the loss of the power generators, the sector had been blanketed in darkness.
Platoons from other sectors had rallied and begun the treacherous retreat towards the Central Tower, yet that didn't stop the bloodshed. Scores of them were cut off and slaughtered each time they looked away. Not like they could see them anyways with the fog thickening with every passing moment. And for those who became lost in the distorted maze, they could do naught but await their own demise.
"Huuuuhhh… Huuuuuhhh…" And for this poor soul, this wait was a harsh, cold reality.
Having lost himself in the impenetrable haze, he'd stumbled about in search of his comrades to no avail. He considered just digging a hole and suffocating himself, but then his lower midsection was blown to pieces. Now he just lay helplessly on the sidewalk, watching as a twin pair of scarlet irises locked onto him. The glowing retinas pierced through the fog, burning bright as the sun.
*Tap*Tap*Tap*Tap*
Monster. Murderer. That was the only word running through his head right then. That was the only word that suited the being so leisurely strolling towards him. All of his comrades and friends now lay in pieces on the ground he now trampled over. Sure, they were no angels. But they took no pleasure from their missions. This? A devilish grin adorned this monster's lips, growing more prominent with every additional blood splatter. Its hand cannon rang out death amongst their ranks. And for those foolish enough to draw their combat knives, all that awaited them was having their throats ripped out of their necks. With his comrades either dead or falling back, he knew he was as good as dead. So what now?
Faced with an inescapable demise, how was he to respond? With joyful acceptance? Repentance for all his past sins? Abject rejection and resistance?
The gleaming eyes locked onto him, their predatory gaze twisting into a gleeful smirk as they drew closer to him. So this was it then. Time for him to find out whether God existed or not. But he wasn't going to go out quietly. He'd gone through too much to just let it end like that. Too weak to stand up, he raised his pistol in one last act of defiance.
*BANG*…*BANG*…*BANG*
All three shots landed, none of them having any effect. Nary a mark was left on the creature as it emerged through the fog, pointing its silver pistol at his forehead. Catching a closer look of its face, he was stunned. Its features had previously been hidden beneath the mist, but now he could make out the being's strikingly handsome countenance. Dressed in a fine red trench coat, its cruel smirk now looked mildly appreciative. Why was that? Could it be that it enjoyed seeing its prey fight back? Was that it? Was this all just some big game to this psychopathic monster?
The man reached for his radio. He had to phone command. Had to tell someone, anyone, that this wasn't something they could handle. They weren't equipped to deal with someone like this. Heroes didn't kill, and they'd been trained appropriately. But this was something wholly unique. No one, not even the heroes, were prepared for a butcher this bloodthirsty.
But before he could activate his radio, his head was blown to bits. The resulting explosion sending fragments of brain matter careening off into the distance, joining the rest of the carcasses scattered throughout I-Expo.
0.0
The air was fraught with tension as Wolfram gave orders to his men, instructing them to reinforce the positions between the Central Tower and the coastline. The original plan involved them making a clean getaway using the roof's landing pad, but that was no longer an option. The fog outside had grown so dense that it one couldn't even see their own hand waving in front of their faces. So their only option now was mobilize with All For One's reinforcements and evacuating by sea.
David Shield was rapidly losing his composure as what should have been a quaint little demonstration of his Quirk device had quickly turned into the stuff of nightmares. None of this made any sense. Where had this fog come from? Why was there something in it killing people?! This was far worse than anything he'd ever seen back in his youth, back in the glory days when he'd helped Toshinori fight crime. Back then, it had all been stress-free. Almost fun, even. He'd designed the Quirk Amplifier in the hopes of recapturing that old magic, of helping his friend regain his past strength and further prolonging his age as Japan's #1 Hero.
But things had spiraled out of control now. Wolfram grabbed him by the collar, practically dragging him back towards the reception hall. He was doing everything in his power to keep a cool head. He absolutely could not afford to give in and panic, otherwise death was assured. What he needed to do now was collect the most important hostages, All Might and David Shield, retrieve the Quirk Amplification Device and then get the hell off this island.
*CLICK*
"Wolfram?"
His communicator suddenly turned on as he heard one of his subordinate's voices come through it.
"What is it?"
"Sir, All For One's reinforcements have arrived. They landed on the coast about five minutes ago."
"What took you so long?!" Irritated, Wolfram nearly tore the metal door out of its frame. He just barely managed to restrain himself, thankfully.
"Sorry sir, but our communication lines are still weak. They had to send this message down a conga line of men before we could get it to you."
"Kkkkggh…" He grinded his teeth. Five minutes might be all that stood between a massive payday or an even bigger funeral procession. But regardless of their communication struggles, the backup had arrived. And given the repertoire of experience that even he had to respect, their chances of surviving increased exponentially.
"Orders?"
"Tell them to head to the Central Tower. We'll acquire the objective here and meet them halfway. If anyone gets lost, leave them."
"… Yes sir…" It was a challenge, convincing oneself to march back out into that mist. But Wolfram didn't care about that. He could always get more recruits once this was over. All For One had the connections, it'd be fine. All that mattered now was getting off this damned island.
As he and his guards jogged down the hallway, he began to notice sounds echoing down the hall. David Shield noticed it as well, looking side to side out of fear. Wolfram wouldn't have been surprised if he'd learnt that the coward had pissed himself. But back on topic, he quickly realized that something had gone awry in the reception hall. They could hear a ruckus coming from behind the hard wooden doors. A loud commotion had begun stirring inside, and he had a feeling it wasn't his men drunkenly partying.
0.0
They'd moved in perfect unison, everyone locking on to a specific target and moving in sync together. It began when Yaoyorozu tossed a flashbang she'd generated. Most of the villains were blinded, but some were astute enough to dodge it. Of course, that was what they'd hoped for. Deku and Todoroki, the two hardest hitters present, acted as the explosive tip of their attack. They were the ones who drew the villains' attention away from the hostages, all while incapacitating a few along the way. Todoroki did what he normally did and sprayed out a torrential sheet of ice that swallowed half of the room. Deku saw this as a good opportunity to show off his "Full-Cowling" to Alex-kun, bounding across the reception hall and focusing his power into precise punches that sent his foes flying while generating zero collateral damage.
Behind them, Iida and Alex-kun rushed in to rescue those more exposed hostages and drop them off somewhere safe. Iida found Todoroki's ice sheets especially useful in adding even more velocity to his already impressive speed. Alex-kun did what was starting to look like his favorite ability, transforming into a flock of crows and carrying many of the hostages away to a small area being defended by Kaminari and Mineta.
They'd been assigned to protect the civilians, although more so because Mineta refused to take a step forward. He had yet to release his pent-up fury at the fact that they were even doing this. For now, though, he was keeping it all inside. Mineta would gunk up any oncoming threats, leaving them wide open for Kaminari to stun them.
Uraraka and Jirou also assisted in retrieving the hostages. Uraraka helped clear up debris so Jirou could move in, stun any enemies she found, and dash away with whoever she could snatch. Melissa, for her part, stayed in the back. She knew she offered little in ways of assistance and so made up for it by calming everyone while simultaneously keeping their heads down.
As bullets whizzed by, Deku and Todoroki rapidly closed the distance between them and the pro heroes. If they could just free them, the day was as good as won.
But, of course, that was when everything began to go horribly wrong.
*BAM*
The doors slammed open.
"What's going on here?" The masked man spoke, his voice low and drawn out. He was clearly angry but seemed to be trying to contain it. The acid in his voice gave it away though. Everyone in the room froze in deafening silence. No one knew why, but they were all eager to see just who'd make the next move.
Deku decided that, if no one else was going to do it, then he'd have to do it himself. So, remembering Alex-kun's words, he fearlessly launched himself at All Might. Instantly realizing his intent, everyone else joined in, all of them aware of how crucial this single moment was. But with all his attention focused onto All Might, Deku failed to notice that the villains' leader had pulled out his pistol.
*BANG*SPPLLLCH*
…
But there was no impact. He didn't feel anything hit him. The bullet had hit something, that was for sure. As he slammed face first onto the floor, Deku didn't even bother rubbing his searing forehead. Where had the bullet gone? Did he miss him? And as he raised his head off the ground, he realized what had happened.
Alex-kun lay bleeding on the hard marble floor, clutching his flank with an agonized expression on his face. The boy had reacted faster than anyone else and flown in the bullet's trajectory, taking what would have been a killing blow in Deku's place.
"A-Alex-k…"
They were given no time to worry, however, as the masked villain swiftly shoved his hands into the metal support beams in the walls, contorting and twisting them to his will. He'd had quite enough of these kids, these heroes, and this worthless island. It was about time he did what he did best. Cracks began appearing in the floor as entire sections churned and snapped apart, quaking back and forth, knocking everyone off their feet. Soon, half of the reception hall had been ripped out of the Central Tower and was sliding off the building. Were one to be looking at this spectacle from outside, it would have appeared as if the Tower was spitting out a chunk of itself.
*KKKKRRRRRRRRRAAAACCCCKKK*
"GRAB HIM!" Wolfram grunted, gesturing for his men to grab All Might. The other pro heroes were hurriedly dragged aside as well, the security bindings still preventing them from resisting. All of them did their best to remain standing, a few unfortunately slipping off with the students. No matter, Wolfram thought. He'd mourn later. Besides, they probably would have died anyway. Those who remained struggled to keep their feet underneath them, a task far more difficult for those on the opposite side.
"ALEX-KUN!" In that instant, all thoughts of freeing All Might and stopping the villainous organization disappeared from Izuku Midoriya's mind. All he cared about now was saving the life of his closest friend.
"FULL-COWLING!" Activating his newest technique, Deku began vaulting off of the falling debris, navigating his way to Alex-kun as fast as he possibly could. His wounded friend was clutching his bloody flank, a look of pure anguish and befuddlement on his face. This was the most anxious Deku had ever seen him, signaling how dangerous the situation had become.
"DEKU-KUN!" A voice behind him spoke. Chancing a look back, he saw Iida had activated his twin engines and was quickly building up momentum. Realizing what he meant to do, Deku locked arms with 1-A's class president before being flung furiously down towards Alex-kun. They locked their hands together before Deku grabbed hold of him.
All around them, Todoroki was steadily grouping everyone together while Iida helped Uraraka, letting her touch all the solid chunks of concrete and nullifying the effects of gravity on them. Soon, their efforts began to form a floating dome that blocked additional debris. And just as they nearly collided with the pavement, Todoroki created a slippery slide of ice that canceled the force of their impact.
Now that didn't mean it was a soft landing. But a few bruises were preferable to being squashed into a mushy paste on the sidewalk. Adrenaline still pumping through his veins, Deku took a second to collect himself. And when he did, the worrisome young lad proceeded to ferociously tear a portion of his sleeve off and wrap it around Alexander's waist.
"Alex-kun…" the boy mumbled, tears welling in his eyes. This was the third time Alex-kun had saved his life, only this time was far worse than everything before it. "… Sorry. If I'd just paid more attention, you wouldn't be like this right now…"
Todoroki joined them, pressing his palm against the bullet wound and creating a thin layer of ice to stop the bleeding. Alex-kun grimaced at the chilly sensation but graciously accepted it.
"A paltry… concern, Deku dearest." He winced. "It was my decision to make, and I did so without hesitation."
"That should about do it, Alex-kun." Finished cooling the puncture hole, Todoroki stood back up and left to help the others. They had to establish a perimeter, figure out if there was anyone coming after them and get the civilians somewhere safe. A dense fog had begun setting in which clouded their vision. It would be helpful in concealing them from the villain's cronies, but that didn't really matter. After all, they still had All Might and David Shield.
A weepy Deku tried his best to halt the flow of tears. Once again, he'd failed to protect someone close to him. Even after promising himself that he'd get stronger, nothing had changed. Kacchan was right, how was someone like him ever supposed to—
*pat*
"Deku, are you really going to let yourself fall back on old habits? And after all the work we've done to rid you of them."
Sitting with his back against a chunk of marble, Alex-kun gave him a friendly jab to the forehead. He's going to do that thing where he raises my morale by making fun of me, Deku knew. Which was a good sign because it meant Alex-kun wasn't in serious danger anymore.
"But look at the state you're in…" Deku groaned. "If I'd just waited a bit longer, then maybe—"
"There was no time to waste. An opportunity presented itself and we pounced on it. We may have suffered some casualties, but that was expected." He stopped to breathe for a second. "Forgive me but today's inspirational speech will have to be cut short." He joked. "Trust your instincts and follow through, Deku. And know that I won't be there to help you, so treat this as a lesson in leadership."
Patting him on the shoulder, Alex-kun leaned back on the rubble. He was in no state to help anymore, that much was clear. Looking around, Deku could see that pretty much everyone else was in adequate shape. Now wasn't the time to just give up. Rubbing his tears away, he calmly gave Alex-kun one last glance before turning to face his friends. He still felt unsure of his performance, but he didn't want to let Alex-kun down. And besides, All Might was up there. He refused to abandon his idol, though Deku's previously unshakeable devotion to All Might was now in doubt thanks to Alex-kun's introduction into his life. But regardless, there were still hostages to save. And heroes always helped those in trouble.
0.0
Alucard gave the boy a warm smile outwardly but smirked inwardly. He'd given Deku that "muddle through" advice while aware of how he would interpret it. Planting his shade between Deku and Wolfram's bullet suited him just fine. It would have been a simple task to absorb the bullet and somehow incapacitate Wolfram, thereby lending Izuku the opening he needed to free All Might. And with Japan's #1 Hero free to wreak havoc amongst the enemy ranks, the entire scheme would have collapsed soon after.
But he couldn't have that happening just yet. No, All Might would have to stay put for now. The banquet would end prematurely otherwise, and where was the fun in that? And with "Alexander Anderson" now out of commission, Alucard could revel in his feast. Through his connection to the ethereal fog, he was already aware that newcomers had just landed on the coastline and were currently on their way to the Central Tower. If they were to convene with Wolfram and acquire the Quirk Amplifier, that could potentially lead to some problems.
It was inconceivable that they could stand a chance of defeating him. No, problems would arise if too much time passed. For it was inevitable that one of these "heroes" would regain control of the security system and contact authorities on the mainland. Alucard needed to ensure that he'd finished his meal before then. This was to be his introduction to All For One and his criminal underworld, not to the whole of Japan.
Returning to his main body, Alucard found himself confronted by a group of Wolfram's charlatans. The heavy armor rolling behind them, none of them even stopped to think before firing off their weapons, discharging every round they could before retreating. They'd grown weary of him now. How cute. And yet it enraged him, nonetheless. The sight of men running from the battlefield never ceased to infuriate Alucard. They'd trained for this; they'd chosen to venture out into the line of death. To retreat was to make a mockery of all those who'd come before them.
He let this rage fuel him as he eviscerated them by the dozens, flinging their corpses across the vicinity. Devouring their mangled carcasses with his razor-like teeth before ripping their stomachs open. Tearing out their throats and chopping their legs off with his bare hands. There was a veritable river of blood coursing through I-Expo now. Were the fog to dissipate, the crimson lake would have contrasted brilliantly with the deep ocean blue.
"A glorious night for slaughter, indeed." As he commenced his jaunt to the Central Tower, the gorgeous starry night sky echoed with the roar of the Casull.
0.0
"I suggest that we escape this place."
…
"I agree with Iida's opinion." Sullenly, Yaoyorozu vouched for the safer option. "We are still students. We cannot fight against villains without our hero licenses."
Deku was flabbergasted. Was that really true? Were they really not allowed to do anything without their licenses? Sure, he'd memorized the entire textbook down to the tiniest detail, but that wasn't what he was asking. Perhaps the law disallowed them from fighting villains when they hadn't completed the necessary hero courses just yet. But just because they were young didn't mean they were helpless. A hero could come from anywhere. And besides, wasn't it a hero's job to give help even if it wasn't wanted?
After the leader of the villains tore the reception hall in two and thrust them out of the complex, Class 1-A had banded together to save the hostages who'd been flung out along with them. Thankfully, no one got hurt. Uraraka's Quirk proved very helpful in cancelling the impact. They'd successfully found a safe spot inside one of the buildings for the civilians to hide in. All that remained was finding somewhere for Alex-kun to recuperate in.
"Indeed, I doubt I will be joining you for this third outing." Alex-kun winced.
"No worries, Alex-kun." Todoroki reassured him as he wrapped Alex-kun's waist with bandages made by Yaoyorozu. "You just rest here and leave the fighting to us. Besides, I think you deserve a break."
Crouching behind him, Yaoyorozu generated another roll of bandages and handed it to Todoroki. Her cheeks took on a faint tart hue at the sight of Alex-kun's trimmed body, but no one paid any attention to it. Deku nodded affirmatively.
"Yeah, I think this should work fine, Alex-kun. Just stick to the shadows and…" He stopped short though, as he remembered just who he was speaking to. The only person he knew who was more accustomed to the dark was Tokoyami, and even he paled in comparison to Alex-kun. The European wunderkind would be just fine. Deku wondered why Alex-kun couldn't just heal himself like he had after his fight with Stain, but then he remembered Alex-kun's explanation, that he could only heal minor injuries. A bullet hole was probably beyond him.
Having gotten that out of the way, they had gathered near the Central Tower's front entrance and tried to decide what they would do next. It was here where Iida advised that they make their escape.
"Then what if we escape and tell heroes outside—"
"I think it'll be hard to escape. Even outside the Tower, this place is built with the same level of security as Tartarus." Melissa warned.
Tartarus… arguably the most infamous and feared compound in the world, Tartarus was a high-security prison built to contain the strongest Quirk users known to man. Built five kilometers from the mainland, the only access to it is by a long bridge connecting it to a city. Anyone wanting to cross it first has to go through a strict inspection before passing under the "Bronze Gate". And that was just the entrance. Tartarus itself contained everything from massive steel-plated walls, blast doors, sensory nodes, and even automated machineguns that would fire if the prisoners even considered activating their Quirks.
If I-Island's security was anywhere near that, they probably had better odds of escaping by just sitting and waiting patiently for help to arrive.
"Then, all we can do is wait until help comes…" A demoralized Kaminari spoke, sitting cross-legged in the corner.
"Kaminari, are you okay with that?" Refusing to let him concede, Jirou-san hopped onto her feet and stooped over him.
"What do you mean?" Kaminari leaned back in fear.
"You don't feel like you should go help?"
"Hey, hey, the villains even caught All Might! There's no way we can go save them ourselves!" Mineta squeaked, just as frightened by Jirou's rage as Kaminari.
…
A brief silence followed as everyone in the room contemplated how utterly helpless they felt. Aside from a select few, no one wanted to simply accept their status as mere bystanders. Civilians who could do naught but await a greater power to arrive and rescue them from their plight.
He refused to just accept that. If he was ever going to succeed All Might and become the Symbol of Peace, he couldn't just stand by and watch as people around him suffered! He had to do something, even if it meant getting hurt in the process!
"We are trying to become heroes…" Todoroki's hesitance shone through as he stared mournfully at his wrists.
"Yes, but we are still not allowed to work as heroes—" Yaoyorozu pointed out.
"Does that mean it's alright for us to not do anything?" He replied, clenching his fist tightly.
"Th-That's…" She stammered. Deku sympathized with Class 1-A's vice president. It was obvious from how downtrodden she looked that she hated running just as much as they did. But as their vice president, she felt responsible for their wellbeing. Maybe seeing Alex-kun get hurt earlier had reminded her of that anxiety.
…
But that didn't mean he was going to give up. When they'd been held hostage in the reception hall, he'd taken note of the overall capabilities of each of their captors. Sure, they might've had rifles and were heavily armored, but that alone wasn't enough to stop them. Todoroki alone could handle them with relative ease. The main problem was the fact that they knew next to nothing about their Quirks. Their leader could bend metal to his will, that much had been made crystal clear earlier. But the men under him? Nothing.
On the flip side, their enemies were just as in the dark about their abilities as them. Sure, they could probably make a couple of educated guesses after they'd tried breaking out of the reception hall. But most of their Quirks were still hidden. And the best part of all was that Kacchan and Kirishima were still nowhere to be found.
Okay, that seemed pretty bad at first glance. But giving it a little more thought, Deku realized that if they knew next to nothing about their location, there was a pretty good chance the villains didn't know anything either. And even if they did, he trusted that Kacchan and Kirishima would make enough of a fuss that they'd be able to find and rescue them. So they had the wildcards in Kacchan and Kirishima, and they also could rely on their opponents not knowing everything about their Quirks. Not too bad now that he thought about it.
Even though he wasn't there, Deku could feel Alex-kun poking and prodding at him. As if they shared a telepathic bond, Deku's anxiety slowly melted away and transformed into determination. This was it. They hadn't gone trained together for all that time just to not use it. His spirit unwavering, Deku looked up from the floor and declared his resolve.
"I want to save them."
"Deku-kun?" Uraraka whispered.
Stopping to take in a breath, Deku slowly turned his gaze up towards his friends. He knew how dangerous this was and just how much he was asking of them, but he also knew that running away would only end in regret.
"I want to save them." He repeated firmly. Having already begun to shake after hearing him say it the first time, Mineta couldn't contain his frustration.
"You're planning on fighting the villains?! Didn't you learn anything from USJ, Midoriya?!" The boy screeched.
"It's not like that, Mineta." His resolve only grew as they all turned to him in bewilderment. "I've thought about it. We need a way we can save All Might and the others without fighting the villains."
Kaminari raised his hand.
"I understand how you feel, but is there anything that convenient…?"
"Even if it's hard, I still want to try!" Raising his voice, Deku didn't even let Kaminari finish his sentence. "I want to look for the best way possible and then go save everyone!"
Some of them, Mineta in particular, met his enthusiasm with doubt. He didn't blame them, what he was asking them to do was possibly even more dangerous than USJ. This was no band of ragged crooks, these were professionals. They wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger and end a life, their lives. Yet that also applied to everyone still in the building. All Might, David Shield and all the other pro heroes still being kept hostage.
"If you choose to be a hero, you choose to put yourself in danger. They… no, WE are here to protect others. There won't be a 'Next time'. It's not like these villains will reappear and do this crime all over again. We can't expect to be prepared, guys. If we don't do this now, we might never get another chance. And if innocent lives are lost as a result…" He took a deep breath, "… then we're just as bad as them."
Complete and utter silence followed.
No one said a word as they all sat, deep in thought. Would they really be no different from those evil, greedy heathens if they ran away? Didn't it make more sense, given they could bring back someone more qualified to help? Deep down though, they all knew that even if they did manage to escape I-Island, they'd likely never return in time to save All Might or stop these criminals.
What Deku's fiery speech did was help them acknowledge that fact and reinvigorate those more open to rejoining the fight. In particular, Melissa Shield's irises began to sparkle in wonderment as she listened to him.
"Deku…" Uraraka's lips curled in a tiny smile. Seeing him get so pumped also made her happy.
For a moment, he waited. Despite everything he'd said, he still lacked a cohesive plan to execute. He was hoping that someone familiar with the Tower's layout could offer some clue as to how they should proceed. Thankfully, they had just the right person for the job.
"I-Island's security system is on the top floor of this tower." Her long golden locks flowing serenely down her back, Melissa Shield stepped forward to show them the way. "If the villains have taken control of the system, then the authentication locks and passwords should have been disabled. We should be able to restart the system. We just need to get away from the eyes of the villains and get to the top floor… then, maybe we can save everyone."
Her words resonated with Deku, who could barely contain his happiness.
"Melissa…" he muttered, doing his best to hold back from hugging her.
"Well, it shouldn't be that hard for us to stay hidden. That's kinda been done for us already with this mist…" Jirou commented. That was true. They still had no clue as to where this thick fog had come from, but now it was proving kind of useful.
"Yeah, where the heck did this come from? Shouldn't something like this have been mentioned in the weather report?" Kaminari waved his hand through the air in an effort to dispel the murky smog, but to no avail.
"And what about that explosion we heard earlier? That couldn't have been them, right?" Mineta cowered anxiously, still against rescuing the pros.
Actually, he had a point. He'd gotten caught up in the excitement before but looking around the plaza now, there was a distinct lack of enemies charging at them. Hadn't they taken over the security system? Where were all the security robots? But beyond that lay a more disturbing revelation. A pungent, bitter odor permeated through the air, carrying the distinct scent of iron with it. It burnt whenever he breathed through his nose.
*Splash*
As he took a timid step forward, his shoe felt like it nearly stuck to the ground as a heavy liquid fixed itself to it like a paste. Leaning over to see what it was, Deku realized what exactly they were currently standing in.
Blood. Rivers of it. A torrent of life juices was flowing down the pavement and coalescing in the center of the plaza. The impenetrable haze obscured their view of its scale, but this amount of blood didn't just come from nowhere. It had to come from someone… No, it had come from EVERYONE…!
"W-wha…" Deku almost vomited, covering his mouth to stop himself from gagging. At this point, the others had begun to catch on to his realization.
What'd happened out here? How was this possible? Some vomited. Others ran to the Tower's front doors where the smell of blood wasn't as sharp. Mineta, for maybe the first time in his life, couldn't bring himself to scream in terror. The gruesome sight stunned him to the point where all he could do was gawk in despair. Todoroki didn't show any outward signs of panic, but he soon joined the others near the front doors. Maybe he was more used to this amount of carnage, but even for him this was overwhelming.
Was this their doing? Had the villains programmed the security bots to KILL the innocent residents of I-Island? Was that what that explosion had been earlier? Them trying to destroy the evidence or something?
Disgusted beyond belief, he stumbled over to the front doors and guided everyone inside. They had to catch their breath… recover… find some semblance of comfort after what they'd just witnessed. He still tried to keep a cool head, but that was a real challenge by then. Never had he ever been exposed to so much blood, so much gore. He'd always hated R-Rated movies growing up, but this was far worse than that.
Eventually, they all calmed down. Deku reinstituted some miniscule level of order, recalling a shade of the courage he'd instilled into them only a minute prior. They still had a job to do. All Might and the other pros were still in trouble, and it was up to them to save them. The only difference now was that they had some important questions to ask the villainous group's leader. If they really had been the cause of all that slaughter… he honestly didn't know how he'd react. But all that mattered now was getting to the security system, he could worry about that later.
"For now, we should prioritize reaching the security system. We can leave… that… for later." Deku mumbled, still somewhat upset with what he'd just seen.
"Yeah… If we get the system back to normal, then All Might and the other hostages will be released. When that happens, the tables will be turned in an instant!" Good, he could tell from the sound of their voices that they were starting to get better.
"Deku… Let's do it!" Uraraka moaned, wiping her nose in an attempt at erasing the scent of iron.
"Uraraka!" Deku pumped his fists excitedly, adrenaline starting to pump through his veins once more.
"I don't want to sit around doing nothing if there's something we can do. I think that's more important than whether we're heroes or not." She stood up encouragingly as Deku did the same.
"Yeah, let's help the people who need help! Let's do what our natural instincts are telling us to do!"
As more and more of their classmates joined them, the mood grew increasingly more awkward for those less inclined. Iida was still reluctant to take such a massive gamble, yet even he acceded that they had little other choice. After witnessing that massacre outside, even he wanted to know just what the cause behind it had been. And besides, at this point he had to accept that the majority vote was in favor of it. However…
"I'll turn us back if I decide we cannot do anymore. If you're okay with that, then I will go, too!"
Deku was ecstatic to see so many of his friends willing to go with his idea. All of them willing to march alongside him back into the fray. Even the duo of Mineta and Kaminari signed up, despite being so uncertain only a few minutes prior. Through a combination of inspiration from his bright speech earlier and abject horror at the ocean of blood, everyone suddenly wanted to go up the Central Tower and help save the pros.
"Melissa, please wait here."
He didn't want to have to leave her behind after all she'd done to concoct this plan in the first place, but he was afraid that taking her with them might slow them down.
"I'll go too!" She protested vehemently.
"But you don't have a Quirk…"
"Do you have anyone who can change the settings of the security system?"
No one answered. They all were familiar with each other's areas of expertise, and none of them were skilled with such advanced software. In that sense, her presence would be paramount to taking back control of the security system. Leaving her behind was tantamount to abandoning the whole mission.
"I'm a student at the Academy. I think I can be useful." She spoke, staring at him with fire in her eyes.
"But…"
She persisted, though. Her sullen expression immediately silenced all opposition as she balled her fists insistently.
"I might just get in the way until we get to the top floor… but let me help protect everyone, too! Please!"
…
Deep in thought, Deku had to consider all the possibilities that could come from this decision, just like how Alex-kun had taught him. If things were getting too complicated for him to handle, it was often better to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. And ultimately, he settled on letting her join them. She had a good point. Not bringing her would lead to more trouble than it was worth.
"Alright." Deku nodded, acquiescing to her demands. "Let's go save everyone!" His classmates all nodded in unison as Melissa smiled.
"Right!"
0.0
Ripping out a huge chunk of the Tower hadn't been part of his plan, but David Shield understood that it was a decision made in the heat of the moment. Had Wolfram done nothing to halt young Midoriya, Toshinori would've been freed and gone on to ruin the whole set up. He took a tentative peek back at his dearest friend, still tied up by the security bindings. Being one of the two most important people on I-Island, himself being the other, All Might was now being personally escorted by Wolfram. Still completely unaware of his friend's true intentions, All Might was quietly writhing against his straps while Wolfram and his men enjoyed the sight.
"Haaaahhhh…" Shield sighed deeply. He despised keeping his closest friend in the dark like this, but there simply was no other way. From the moment he'd learnt that All Might's Quirk was getting weaker, he knew he had to do something to stop it. That'd been the whole reason why he'd devised this Quirk Amplification Device in the first place.
Hiring a skilled circus troupe to play the role of the villains, he'd arranged all of tonight's events not only to retake the research and data that his sponsors had tried to take away, but also to unveil a rejuvenated All Might to the world. And while not everything went according to plan, what with the mysterious mist, the murderous being currently eviscerating the circus members and Wolfram destroying the Central Tower, all would be well once he retrieved the device.
"Hurry it up, Shield. We're running out of time." Standing close behind, Wolfram doggedly prodded his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Wolfram. This shouldn't take much longer." Trying to quell their fears, David entered the passcode into the vault's keypad.
*TTTSSSSSSSSSSSS*
The gargantuan steel door hissed as the magnetic seals that kept it shut unclasped with a loud sizzle. They all stepped back and made way for the gate as it slowly swung open, exposing the well of technological riches held within its titanic walls. Wolfram and his men had to stop for a second just to marvel at the sheer scale of David Shield's engineering prowess. How could just one man come up with so many remarkable ideas?
The man in question didn't stop to admire his work, however. He and his assistant, Samuel, rushed to the control panel in the center of the room. His hands reflexively floating across the touch screen, Shield almost naturally sifted through the long list of wondrous inventions he'd built. Soon locating the correct entry number, he rushed to enter the passcode and activate the opening sequence. Once he heard an affirmative *BEEP*, he grinned.
"I was able to unlock it. Go to block 1147." He instructed Samuel.
"NO!" All Might cried out. "Don't give it to them, Dave. Just wait a little lon—"
Suddenly, a gun barrel pressed itself against the side of his head.
"You keep your mouth shut, or I'll be forced to shut it for you, All Might."
"Kgggghhhh…" Grinding his teeth in rage, All Might exchanged glances with David. David gave him a look of resignation before giving Samuel the go ahead.
"O-Okay!" Samuel stammered nervously before clamoring up the stairs, nearly tripping over himself multiple times. Maybe it was seeing Wolfram slice through the reception hall, or maybe it was hearing the screams of people dying earlier, but the pressure was starting to get to David's assistant. Not that he could blame him. In fact, he was also on the brink of a nervous breakdown.
But he couldn't surrender to those base instincts. He still had to see this through, to see All Might, his friend and savior, back at full power.
"I'm opening it!"
Neon blue lights traveled down the walls, coursing in between the containers before converging on one vessel in particular. A holographic message appeared on it, indicating its now unlocked status. As the lid opened, a large briefcase emerged from inside. Sighing contentedly as he grasped the handle, Samuel lifted the briefcase off of the table and opened it for all to see.
"You did it, Professor! Everything is here."
Excellent, Shield thought. If nothing else, at least this had gone according to plan. Everything from the main headset to the battery units was intact within the briefcase.
"Yes, I have finally gotten it back. This device and research data are the only things I would never give to anyone." He murmured, almost as if he were trying to reassure himself. That no one would ever be able to wrench it away from his hands.
"I will never give it up."
*CLICK*
"Huh?" From behind him, he heard a gun being cocked.
From the corner of his field of vision, David Shield spotted the tip of a gun barrel. And unfortunately for him, it was being pointed directly at his cranium. Wolfram, his eyes sharp and intimidating, had pulled out a handgun and was now threatening him with it.
"What are you doing?!" He shouted. He was already on edge from whatever was going on outside, so this little prank was the last thing he needed at that moment.
"So that's the Quirk Amplification Device, huh? Pretty impressive work, Professor. Now hand it over so we can get out of here."
"What are you talking about? This wasn't in the plan—"
The hard metal barrel nudged itself on the back of his skull, shutting him up instantly.
"The plan's changed, Shield. Now give me the briefcase before someone gets hurt." But despite the danger involved in doing so, David did not give in. He still couldn't believe what was happening. He'd hired this harmless team of circus performers himself. Was it possible that these people had been deceiving him all along, despite performing such thorough background checks?
Wolfram jeered at David's disbelief. "You seriously thought we were just some random circus group? That no one in the world had any intention of stealing this ingenious invention of yours?" He scoffed. "So much for the brilliant scientist."
"All For One…" All Might murmured, having already caught on to Wolfram's implications.
"Precisely." The masked man purred as he turned to face the shackled All Might, almost gloating as he stood over the Symbol of Peace. "All For One knew about Shield's little scheme from the beginning, and so he sent us to acquire this device." He chuckled openly at them, even though on the inside he was still concerned with the creature that was killing all his troops. "Though I must ask, did you foresee this happening, All Might? Because something big is out there, and it's stirring up a lot of trouble for my men."
"Nnnnnnnn…" All Might grit his teeth, unwilling or perhaps unsure as to how he should respond.
"A lone actor, then?" Curious. Now it really did feel like there was an informant in their ranks. Someone must've leaked the details of their operation to some independent organization. But the real question was, what organization? Was there some secret underground association that was undermining their activities? This would have to be dealt with later. "Well, no matter. Reinforcements are on the way. And once we have the Quirk Amplifier, nothing will be able to stop us from getting off this island."
He pointed his gun away from Shield and towards Samuel.
"Sam?" He motioned towards Shield with his pistol. Without any further hesitation, Samuel spun around and grabbed the briefcase right out of David's hands.
"H-Here!" He spoke meekly as he dashed over to the masked villain. David, meanwhile, was left incredulous as to why his longtime assistant and friend seemed to have betrayed everything they'd ever worked for.
"Sam…? Don't tell me, from the beginning… you were planning on giving the device to the villains all along?"
Halting briefly, Samuel's humble features turned sour as he glared back at David.
"Y-you're the one who tricked me. I served you for so long, but you let your research be frozen so easily, and the honor and renown we were supposed to get all went away. If I didn't get at least some money, then it would all have been a waste of time!"
David Shield couldn't believe his own ears. Was that really what it had all been about to him? Money and fame? All the amazing things they'd created together, they'd created in order to help save lives. Not their own livelihoods. For him to have gone so far as to collaborate with legitimate criminals just for the sake of filling his pockets… how wrong he'd been, to have misjudged him so badly.
But then again, was he really any better? He was the one who'd arranged this farce. He'd planned this hostage situation and orchestrated an event which would predictably scar many people. Could he claim to be any better than his traitorous assistant? Once again locking eyes with All Might, neither one could muster up a reassuring mood.
As Samuel handed the briefcase over to Wolfram, he eagerly awaited his payment. And as Wolfram gratefully accepted the Quirk Amplifier, he extended his arm out in thanks. His right arm. The one still holding his pistol.
"Here's your payment." A devilish grin appeared on his lips. Samuel cowered in fear, but sadly had nowhere to run.
"Wh-why? This isn't what you promised!" The sad man balked.
"Hah..." Wolfram sighed, sincerely let down by how naïve they were. The world-renowned David Shield didn't bother to consider that someone would want to steal his machine. His capable assistant, Samuel Abraham, turned out to be a blundering bozo who didn't know a lie even when it was staring him in the face. And All Might… Japan's #1 Hero, who was so easily captured by Shield's contraption that he had to wonder whether it was because the bindings were tough, or All Might weak. "You… All of you disappoint me."
*BOOM*
*SLAM*
Blood splattered across the floor as Wolfram took the shot. From where he lay on the ground behind him, All Might gasped. He couldn't quite make out what had happened. All he had heard was the sound of a body hitting the floor. Was Samuel dead, then? As he listened closely, however, he realized that he could still hear the same number of people breathing.
"P-professor, why…?" That was Samuel's voice.
Stretching his neck, All Might caught a glimpse of a familiar orange head of hair on the floor. As it turned out, David Shield had valiantly lunged in front of Samuel in time to take the bullet for him.
"Heh!" Wolfram sneered at the wounded David, pressing his foot down on the bloody bullet hole. "Feeling like playing the hero after all this time? It's no use."
From where he lay, All Might struggled further against his restraints, but to no avail. David's design was truly impeccable. All Might so desperately wanted to help his friend, regardless of how he'd been the one to stage this whole affair. Yet, almost as though they were teasing him, the criminals guarding him made sure to stop him from moving while still letting him hear every word of what Wolfram said next.
"No matter what reason you had, you've dirtied your hands with evil deeds. Whether we're fake or real, the crime you committed will not disappear. You're the same as us. You can no longer remain a scientist or continue your research. You can only fall into the darkness of villains." Laughing slowly, the villainous servant of All For One took a chokehold of David and raised him off the floor. "All you can do now is mass produce this device for me. And worst of all? You have no one to blame but yourself." He raised his arm and chopped him on the side of the neck, knocking him out cold. "Hey, take him away."
"Yes sir!" One of his lieutenants stepped forward and draped the unconscious Shield over his shoulder.
"Wait!" All Might, still unable to break free, cried out in desperation. "Where are you taking him?"
"Hmph. Isn't it obvious?" He smirked, before heading out through the vault door.
While his men grabbed All Might and Shield, one of them asked about whether they were going to finish off Samuel or not. Wolfram told them not to bother. He'd shot him in the artery. That pathetic excuse of a human would bleed out eventually. Now it was time to make a swift getaway. The backup should have been nearing the meeting point by now. By his estimates, they'd show up to meet them on time if they hurried. So that's what they did, dragging All Might behind them as they rushed down the stairwell.
While they were on their way down, one of his men suggested a way in which they could save some time. Were Wolfram to use his Quirk, he might be able to craft a bridge connecting to one of the rooftops nearby. Then they could easily vault their way over to the meeting zone with plenty of time to spare.
"Not an awful idea." Wolfram nodded approvingly. "The problem is that we still have that murderous mist to worry about. There's something out there that's been mercilessly slaughtering all our men ever since we started this operation. And the helipad is out of the question. We're not flying from there, not with these visibility levels. Better that we reach the ground floor and lay low."
No one disagreed with him. They'd all seen the footage and were all fully aware that whatever was roaming I-Expo knew naught of clemency. If they drew any attention to themselves outside, only Wolfram stood a real chance at escaping with his life in such an exchange. And in his own eyes, even that outcome was doubtful. He knew a monster when he saw one, and those blaring red eyes were simply otherworldly.
As they made their way out through the vault door, Wolfram's communicator suddenly activated.
*Beep*
"Report."
"SIR! THOSE KIDS YOU THREW OUT THE HALL… THEY'VE COME BACK!"
"Pfft." Wolfram grinned. "You've been trained to deal with Japan's top heroes, and you're telling me you can't handle a couple of sniveling toddlers?"
He'd gotten a good look at them during the party. They were barely in their teens, yet here his troops were saying that they were giving them a hard time?
"THEY'RE WAY STRONGER THAN THEY SEEM, SIR! A FEW MANAGED TO BREAK THROUGH AND ARE HEADING TOWARDS YOU! WE CAN'T HOLD THEM MUCH—"
*KRAKKOOOOOOOMMM*
The piercing echo of a gigantic explosion almost broke the signal. Just before the connection was cut off, Wolfram just barely heard in the background someone yelling
"DID YOU MOTHERFUCKERS START THE FIGHT WITHOUT ME?!"
"BAKUGO, WAIT UP!"
*Bzzztt*
…
*CRRRUUUNNNNCH*
His communicator fell to the floor, crushed into bits by his own hand. Just when he was starting to feel good about himself, too. Right as things seemed to be going his way, now he had to deal with THIS!
Wolfram spun around and pointed at the man holding the briefcase.
"Hand it over." He ordered. Bewildered by the abruptness of his command, the mercenary took a second to process it before carefully placing the package into his hands.
0.0
"Oh, woe is me. Our dear little Wolfram has gotten his dirty hands onto Davey's precious headset. Whatever shall I do?"
Alucard grinned maniacally at the poor soul whose vocal cords were currently being crushed beneath his boot. The mercenary coughed up blood in a piss poor attempt at asking what the hell he was talking about. Luckily, he didn't have to suffer for long as Alucard freed him from it not long after.
Standing in the plaza while surrounded by mountains of carcasses, Alucard had grown tired of liquifying these cannon fodder. He'd paraded their corpses all over the city and decorated the streets with their blood already. Now he desired a new challenge. A tantalizing dessert to wash out the dull aftertaste of these worthless miscreants. Thankfully, he sensed that All For One's reinforcements were already heading in his direction. And not only that, but Wolfram was currently making his way down the Tower.
Contemplating how exactly he would execute the final phase of that night's repast, he settled on a solution he felt would benefit all parties. Seeing as how Deku and the rest of 1-A were already heading up the Tower, Alucard would leave dealing with Wolfram up to them. It would certainly satisfy Deku's desire for self-fulfillment. This opportunity to rescue All Might and David Shield from the clutches of that masked villain would undoubtedly contribute to the boy's development. And if there were ever any complications, he wouldn't be too far away to provide some assistance. Perhaps the sniper from USJ would be willing to lend his aid once more?
While they were busy with Wolfram, Alucard would treat himself to the few remaining pigs being led to slaughter. Class 1-A had already witnessed the results of his massacre, which meant that if they were ever to realize his role in it, they'd undoubtedly seek to punish him for it. Not that he would mind such a challenge, but the time for that hadn't yet come. None of them were worth the effort as of yet.
Nine and friends, on the other hand? Well, they would serve as a fitting end to his festival.
0.0
"HAAAAAH!" The tattooed villain's arm swung down, his hand transforming into a keen blade mid-swing. "Worthless brat!"
Deku just barely blocked it, thanks largely to the gauntlet Melissa had given him. It'd been designed to withstand three of All Might's full-powered punches, so tanking a sword strike was nothing.
"What are you all after?! Were you the ones who created that lake of blood?!" Still in dire need of answers, Deku demanded to know everything they'd done. Unfortunately, his opponent wasn't being very cooperative.
"Don't pretend to be heroes!" His razor-sharp wrist blades were difficult to deal with. Dodging the man's attacks, Deku accidently tripped on one of the stairs. Refusing to let up, however, the criminal laughed madly as he closed in for the kill.
"Stop it!"
Melissa Shield leapt to his rescue, wrapping her arms around his waist and preventing him from finishing Deku off.
"Get out of the way!" He screamed, shoving her away while cutting her arm in the process. Infuriated by her interference, he made his way over to her, intent on leaving her with more than just a few scratches. "Little girl—"
"SMASH!"
*WHAAAAMMM*
Climbing back onto his feet, Deku lunged off the floor and surged forward, delivering a resounding blow directly into the man's cheek. His jawbone absorbing some of the impact force, he was nonetheless sent flying into the concrete stairwell. The crater he left behind extended well over five feet, so he wasn't getting back up any time soon.
"Melissa!" Certain that he'd dealt with every immediate threat, Deku hastily rushed to her side so he could inspect her injuries. She insisted that she was fine and that her damage wasn't severe. But he disregarded her attempts to soothe him and took a firm hold of her wrist. Taking out some of the leftover bandages they'd used on Alex-kun, he began diligently binding her injury.
"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you…" he whispered, deeply disappointed in himself. He'd known from the start that Melissa was bound to get hurt somewhere down the line. However, it still hurt knowing it'd been because of a mistake he'd made. But she didn't let that bother her.
"You should be saying 'Thanks', right?" The two looked at each other for a brief moment as Deku took in the meaning behind what she'd said. Then his signature cheerful smile reappeared on his face.
"Yes!"
Finished tying her bandage, he got back onto his feet.
"Let's go and save everyone!"
"Yes!" She concurred, only one step behind him as they continued hiking up the stairs together.
After they'd reentered the Central Tower, Class 1-A were immediately confronted with waves of enemy Quirk users. With every additional floor they ascended, more villains tried to stop them. Many of his friends chose to stay behind to hold them off while the rest moved on. Kacchan and Kirishima even made a surprise entrance to deal with some particularly strong villains. Soon enough though, it was just him and Melissa. Their number one goal at the moment was retaking the control room and freeing the pros. Only then could they focus on defeating the villains' leader.
"THEY'RE HERE!"
*BANG*BANG*BANG*BANG*BANG*BANG*BANG*BANG*
Activating Full Cowling, Deku masterfully evaded the bullets raining down upon him. A thin coat of electricity redirected many of the bullets away from him and harmlessly into the walls. Hopping off the wall, up onto the ceiling, and then rebounding from there, Deku bounced straight onto one of the two gunmen and knocked him against the hard granite. His partner's magazine clip ran dry, leaving him wide open for a staggering punch to the gut that sent him tumbling down.
"Melissa, where's the control room?" Deku asked, not the least bit fatigued after that brief exchange.
"In front of the central elevator. Here, follow me!" Promptly taking the lead, he followed her down a long winding corridor until suddenly, they came to an abrupt halt.
"Wait…! Someone's coming…" Clutching both her shoulders, Deku pulled her with him away from the main path. Hiding in an adjacent hallway, both teenagers did their best to lower the volume of their breathing. The weighty tapping of military boots echoed down the hall, growing louder as the source came ever closer.
…
They waited for a bit, but soon enough a small group of people drew past them. Deku recognized the man at the head of the pack. It was the same masked man who'd initiated this whole ordeal. The villains' leader, whose name he still didn't know. He was carrying a strange briefcase in his arms, its contents unknown to he and Melissa. As they ran past, Deku locked eyes with the large bulky man currently being dragged across the floor.
"All Might…" Deku whispered.
His mentor kept his mouth shut as well, opting to give them a thumbs up instead. In addition to All Might, the villains also were carrying an unconscious Professor Shield. Worst of all, there was a horrible patch of blood on his suit. It was obvious what been done to him, and it only made Deku more certain that these villains had something to do with the horrendous monstrosity outside.
"Papa…!" Cowering in fear and worry, Melissa covered her mouth so they wouldn't hear her. But the moisture gathering in her eyes told him everything he needed to know. Once he was sure that the coast was clear, Deku turned around to look at her.
"Melissa, listen. It looks like they got what they came for, so the way to the control room is probably clear now. You go there and get the security system back to normal. While you're doing that, I'll catch up to them and rescue your papa and All Might."
"But are you sure you can handle them on your own?"
She raised a fair point. Deku glanced down at his hand, the one currently wielding the gauntlet Melissa had given to him. Only three full-powered shots before it broke. After that, he'd be back to either breaking bones or using One For All in its weaker form.
He clenched his fist. No matter how bad things might look, there was always a chance for victory. Good always triumphed over evil in the end. And besides, he'd come too far to quit now.
"No… but a hero saves those who're in trouble. Even if I'm at a disadvantage, I still have to do my best."
Melissa was still loath to let him do it alone, but the bright light shining in his eyes seemed to calm her nerves. If anyone could make this work, it was Izuku Midoriya. She smiled.
"Okay, Deku. I believe in you. And I'm sure the same can be said for all your friends."
They giggled together one last time before going their separate ways.
0.0
A Few Minutes Later:
"Boss, what about everyone else?"
The white-haired crook was concerned about the fates of his comrades and made sure to bring up the issue with Wolfram. He waved it off.
"They'll be fine." He replied. That was a lie, of course. Wolfram knew that taking everyone meant making themselves much more noticeable to that thing outside. He regretted leaving so many of his own men behind, but he had no choice. "All that matters is us getting the Quirk Amplifier and David Shield off the island. We can't afford to waste any more time."
"Y-Yes, sir…!" He replied softly, doubt in his eyes. Several explosions had rocked the building earlier. Worryingly, they hadn't heard anything new from the men stationed to guard the lower floors. But no matter how tough things got, Wolfram always kept a cool head. He was willing to trust his boss, at least unless they encountered that fog demon.
Now carrying both the briefcase and Mr. Shield, Wolfram sprinted down the hall. Out of nowhere, the frail man on his shoulder wriggled back to life. Regaining consciousness, David Shield looked confused before remembering everything that had happened and descending into a look of despair.
"Kill… me…"
Wolfram snickered at the poor man's misfortune.
"Don't worry. Once you've added a couple more sins to the list, I'll gladly grant your wish."
Suddenly, a commanding voice shouted behind them.
"Wait!" Someone yelled. Taking a single glance back, they spotted a lone child vigorously chasing after them. "Give the professor back!"
"Tch!" Must be one of those brats. No matter how stupid he was by giving up the element of surprise, dealing with him would cost a couple minutes. Damn it, he didn't have time for this.
"I see. Did you come to take back this man who's already hurt so many?" Handing off Shield and the briefcase to one of his men, Wolfram thrust the palm of his hand onto the metal floor.
"No! I've come to save the professor!" The kid began preemptively jumping and bouncing off the walls, quickly gaining momentum and catching up to them.
"To save a criminal?"
Metal spires shot out of every surface in the corridor, careening right at each vital point on the kid's body. At the same time, they formed a wall that blocked him. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to slow down his momentum.
*KKKKRRRAAAAAAASSHHHH*
"I'm going to save everyone! And the professor, too!"
This green pipsqueak was a feisty one, ducking and dodging around every attack sent his way. When Wolfram tried catching him in a steel cage, the kid would just leap through a hole between the metal poles and keep moving. If he deployed metal poles from all directions to cut him off, the kid's punches were strong enough to bust through them like paper. As much as he hated his guts for slowing them down, he had to respect this brat's persistence.
"The hell are you thinking?"
"Shut up! That's what heroes do! They save people who are in trouble!"
Hah! How many times before had he heard that before? This was proof that the kid was just that, a kid. He was still green, and that made him vulnerable.
"How?" Wolfram asked, pointing his handgun at David Shield. And just like that, the kid stopped in his tracks. Typical. The instant actual lives were at stake, these worthless heroes lost all their power.
"Don't worry about me… Run away!" Shield cried out.
"Jeez, it's so inconvenient being a hero. I didn't do much and you already can't move. Now how about you take his advice and SCRAM!"
This time, as another steel pillar popped out of the floor, his opponent didn't move a muscle. Instead, the kid took it head on and was sent flying in the opposite direction.
0.0
"UUUGGH!"
It felt like he'd lost a few ribs. Reeling on the cold hard floor, Deku grit his teeth and recovered immediately. Leaping backwards and dodging another attack by a hairsbreadth, he dashed around it and tried closing the distance again. By now though, his opponent had gotten used to his speed. Evading another attack, Deku was finally caught at his most vulnerable position. While he was still in the air, Wolfram summoned three more shafts from the floor and opposing walls to smoosh him. Deku managed to shatter two of them but was struck by the third, causing him to cough up a handful of his own blood.
"No matter what, it's not a smart way to live." Another taunt. Another mockery of the fundamental philosophy of heroism, that saving lives meant more than personal gain. Deku was confident now that this man had a hand in the horrific scene he'd encountered in the plaza.
Hugging the area that'd suffered the most damage, he willed himself to get back on his feet. Now wasn't the time to worry about himself. These mass murderers were getting away, and it was up to him to stop them. But it didn't take a doctor to see how much pain he was in. That blow surely must've broken a rib or two. Swapping between immense agony and intense determination, Deku slammed his clenched fist into the ground. The stinging sensation in his knuckles helped take his mind off the burning in his flank.
Leaping off the ground, Deku recommenced his pursuit. While on his way, he picked up more noise coming from further down the hallway. Sprinting down the corridor, he was bewildered when he found his friends engaging in fierce combat with the villainous group. Evidently, they'd taken care of the peons' downstairs and had rushed up to help him. He felt a tinge of disappointment by the absence of Alex-kun, but he'd taken a bullet for him so it made sense.
Rapidly generating a slide made of ice, Todoroki skated over to pick him up.
"We may have the numbers advantage now, but that won't make this any easier, Deku."
"Yeah. And they've still got the professor and All Might. If we can just get them out of their clutches, we'll be able to go all out."
"Mmmm." Todoroki confirmed.
That would have been a good plan, were it not for what came next.
*CCCRREEEEAAAAKKKK*
"Sorry kids, but I don't have time to babysit."
Nodding affirmatively, he and his men jumped through the gaping hole he'd made in the wall. Deku was flabbergasted. Were they going to jump to their demise? But after rejoining his friends and looking out the newly made window, he realized that the villain had torn off a long segment of the Central Tower's outer shell and bent it to create a makeshift bridge, one connected to the rooftops nearby.
But just as they were getting ready to go after them, they realized that their targets had abandoned someone who was incredibly important.
"ALL MIGHT!" All of 1-A collectively shouted.
"INDEED, I AM HERE! RESTRAINED BY THE TWISTED WOLFRAM'S MACHINATIONS!"
Trusting that Melissa would soon reset the security system and free All Might, Deku and company swiftl put All Might in a sitting position against the wall. At the moment, that was all they could do for him. He still expressed his eternal gratitude, but not even his wide smile could hide the visible helplessness he was experiencing.
"Well?! Aren't we going after them?!" Iida pondered after tapping Deku on the shoulder.
"Of course!" He replied. "But first, could someone go to the control room? I let Melissa go there, so I just want to make sure she's safe."
Jirou, Kaminari and Mineta agreed to go, leaving everyone else to chase after Wolfram. Deku was loathe to just leave All Might out of the fight, but he hoped it would only be temporary. The sight of everyone in such high spirits was reassuring, to say the least. It suddenly felt like they could do anything, even without the Symbol of Peace to fix their mistakes. Just as they prepared to leap outside, a familiar mess of blonde hair blew past them without warning.
"SCREW YOUR DUMBASSES, I'M GOING FIRST!"
Everyone else followed closely behind as Kacchan skidded down the bridge. They did their best to keep up, but mostly that was left to Todoroki, Deku and Iida who blazed past everyone else.
Activating Full Cowling once more, Deku swerved across the rooftops whilst deep in thought. From what he'd gathered, he surmised that Wolfram was aiming for I-Island's coastline. He'd already obtained whatever was inside that briefcase. To top it off, he still had the professor. There was probably some sort of transport waiting for him near the ocean. He absolutely could not be allowed to reach it!
There was just one problem with that plan, unfortunately. The fog. Still as dense as before, you'd think it might have dissipated by now. But no. Somehow, it'd chosen to stick around. Weather like this rarely ever set in this far out from the mainland. This couldn't possibly be natural. But who possessed the capability to control the weather to this degree? Then, as suddenly as it'd appeared, the mist lightened. It was still obstructing their view, but no longer to the same harrowing level prior.
Save for one sector.
*KRAKOOOOOMM*
Far off in the distance, a dense concentration of thunder clouds had gathered around a single district of I-Expo. Too thick for anyone to see what lay behind its grey veil, the only thing coming from it were the sounds of thunder billowing outward. Powerful, stinging blasts of lightning that ignited the air in a brilliant cacophony of neon fire.
Now something really did feel off, because that was impossible unless performed by a Quirk user. Unknowingly, Deku and everyone else had halted in their tracks, all of them staring in awe at what was unfolding before their eyes. Eventually, Wolfram recognized his mistake and bolted away. Kacchan and Todoroki resumed their pursuit while everyone else played catch-up.
"Deku-kun! We must go!" Iida shook him by the shoulder as he revved up his engines once more.
But Deku was hesitant. For some odd reason, he felt like there was something incredibly important taking place over there. Something closely related to him, that he deeply wished to see…
"NO! Now's not the time for this, Izuku!" Shouting at himself, he shook his head.
Mentally chastising himself, he slapped himself on both cheeks and rejoined his friends. Eventually though, he would come to regret this decision.
0.0
What the hell was going on?
After they'd landed on I-Island, Nine made sure to deploy an advance force to scout out their path. The first handful of reports had been just fine, save for the thick pools of blood and the corpses adorning the streetlamps. Slice and Mummy's groups returned with little to report. You know, besides the copious amounts of blood dribbling off every corner of every district. While the other's found this revolting, Nine was less disturbed. He didn't find this at all upsetting. If anything, he was glad that someone had started doing what he'd always dreamed of. Disposing of the weak so that the strong could thrive.
He had to wonder though, whether the perpetrator of such heinous crimes would be with them or against them. It would be such a shame if it were the latter, because he'd hate having to eliminate such a powerful individual. There were few people in this world who Nine respected. All For One, Slice, Mummy, and Chimera, to name a few, were some of the precious few who he acknowledged. He was always on the lookout for more, but so often they were either fighting against him or too weak to even consider.
Then, when he radioed the scouts for another report, no answer came. Rather, not one he'd expected. Because once he raised his voice and demanded a response, as if on cue, something came flying out of the fog and knocked the radio out of his hand. At first, he'd assumed it to be some random debris. But upon closer inspection, he realized his mistake. Indeed, the scouts had come back. Only… in pieces…
No report, no alarm, no nothing. Their decapitated heads came flying through the hellish mist while he and his companions were on their way to the checkpoint. Unfazed, it wasn't until he caught a glimpse of their dying expressions that he became a little less confident. Locked into a look of eternal, all-consuming terror, he had to wonder just how fearsome an opponent they'd must have faced. Incredulous as to what could have been the cause behind this atrocity, Nine's own curiosity and want for a powerful opponent lured him deeper into the mist.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
After marching together for some distance, they soon encountered a lone individual just standing stock still out in the open. His shadowy outline was faintly perceptible through the fog. They'd tried calling out to him and ordered him to identify himself, yet all they received was a bone-chilling chuckle in return. Fading back into the opaque cloud, the laughter had continued until it had seemingly surrounded them. Blocking off their exit, thereby trapping them inside this forsaken maze. Was this what their scouts had suffered?
Unwilling to lay back and accept such a humiliating death, Nine decided that if he couldn't dispel this fog, then he'd simply annihilate whatever was hiding inside it.
"Get a roof over your heads, you three."
Not needing another warning, Chimera, Slice and Mummy all dashed into the nearby buildings and locked the door behind them. Checking to make sure they were all safely tucked away and in no way vulnerable to what he was about to unleash, Nine activated his Quirk. Floating up into the air, he then extended his arms towards the sky. Massive bolts of lightning shot out of them, rushing up into the empty blackness. At first, it looked like nothing had changed. But then, thick thunder clouds began forming high above I-Island, as black as the night sky and more violent than even the most active volcano.
*TTSSSSSSSCCHHH*CRAAASHH*BOOOMM*
Mighty bolts of lightning struck multiple corners of the local area, blowing huge sections of the pavement off the roads and buildings. Whole chunks of the Central Tower were crushed beneath the weight of numerous lightning strikes. The aftershocks alone sent ripples across the entire structure, rocking the island slightly. This lasted for a few minutes, long enough for Nine's Life-Support Tubes to begin running low on the drug meant to heal him from overuse of his Quirk. Normally, this would be a sign for him to relent and perhaps retreat. But he had a funny feeling that this still wasn't enough. He could still hear laughter. His job wasn't finished just yet.
Clenching both his fists hard enough to draw blood, he began to gather his power. Focusing and concentrating it together in the cluster of clouds above. Over time, the clouds began crackling as the thunder grew unstable.
"How about this?" He'd whispered, before discharging billions of watts of electricity throughout all of I-Expo, incinerating all organic material it touched.
After performing this incredible feat of strength and fortitude, the fog at last began to dissipate. Finally, he could see more than five feet in front of him. Finally, he could… wait…
Now that he took a closer look at his surroundings, there was one minor detail that was missing. The blood. What'd happened to the pools of blood from earlier? Sure, he'd released lightning hotter than the Earth's core, but that didn't justify why he couldn't smell even a hint of it in the plumes of smoke now rising from the concrete. It was almost as if someone had swooped in and taken it somewhere else, yet to transport such a vast quantity of liquid in so little time was simply unfeasible.
"NINE!" He heard Slice yell from somewhere behind him. "UP THERE!"
Whirring around to see where she was pointing and seeing that she was motioning him towards the rooftops, Nine swiftly turned back around. And there he met a towering, pale skinned man wearing a red fedora and trench coat. His bright orange sunglasses contrasted perfectly with his attire, and the cocky grin on his face screamed overconfidence.
"Who are you?" Nine cried out.
The mysterious onlooker giggled, bashfully covering his mouth with the palm of his hand. The bastard was making fun of them.
"That was a close one. You almost denied me my meal."
0.0
"Chimera". A man whose Quirk granted him the characteristics of various animals. Able to enlarge those traits to monstrous proportions, he often employed these traits in creative combinations to beat down his foes. For some reason, he favored the visage of a mutt over a human head. Was he so ashamed of his unseemly face that he felt the need to conceal it behind all that fur?
"Slice". A simpleton whose Quirk let her move, harden, and sharpen her own hair. Capable of firing off shards of her hair like needles and using her hair as blades, she could also use it in defensive formations by hardening it and creating walls. An obvious weakness to fire, or acid perhaps. How plain. How droll.
"Mummy". Nothing was needed beyond the name. Much like the "Slice" vermin, "Mummy" used bandages to ensnare his opponents and crush them with larger objects he picked up around him. The idiot couldn't have put more effort into devising a more creative title?
"You imply that you drank all the blood which once flowed through here?" Nine had inquired. His composure was praiseworthy. He hadn't faltered under the pressure of Alucard's presence. If anything, this weather manipulator had grown stronger after being presented with an opponent of Alucard's caliber. Was he so starved of worthy competition?
That only lead to one possible conclusion, that few members of All For One's forces were even moderately capable of entertaining him. How disappointing. But Alucard had grown used to such feelings ever since the end of Millennium and the ensuing demise of its leader, the Major.
"As well as being the one to fill these streets to begin with." He had answered, bowing before them in a gentlemanly fashion.
"I can respect a man willing to go so far to achieve what he desires." Standing casually in the center of the road, Nine unflinchingly acknowledged all that Alucard had done. "How about we make a deal? You can come with us and meet All For One, or we'll have no choice but to kill you here and now."
An entertaining prospect, but ultimately one that ran against his master's wishes. Not even considering it, Alucard responded by firing a stray shot at the least desirable of Nine's compatriots, Mummy. Missing on purpose, the bullet whizzed past the fools head, detonating in a marble pillar behind him and collapsing the entire building. He escaped safe and sound, but the message was clear. Nine couldn't contain his disappointment, letting it all out with an immediate response. Discharging a bolt of electricity at him, Nine's companions joined him soon after. The resulting battle was... shall we say, one-sided?
Slice utilized her Quirk to eviscerate the building Alucard was standing on top of, cleaving through it in an instant. With an incisive *SHING*, the entire building turned into rubble. Mummy followed soon after, swiftly wrapping his bandages around Alucard. With his mobility restricted, Alucard in theory shouldn't have offered much of a challenge as Chimera charged straight at him. With his wings further accelerating him forward, Chimera opened his jaws wide as he moved in, intent on tearing off his head. Of course, they did this under the assumption that he could not break the chains that bound him.
They were sorely mistaken.
*FWOOOOOSH*
A conflagration of ebony flames burst from the seams of his cocoon, igniting Mummy's flimsy strands of useless tape. He had no choice but to retract his bandages before the fire consumed them. Now free to do as he pleased, Alucard next faced Chimera's charge. That amalgamation of the animal kingdom set upon Alucard with a frenzy of attacks, all of them aimed at his head. When these were all blocked, Chimera leapt upwards into the air and tried piercing his defenses with a bodyweight reinforced attack. Not to be outdone, Alucard holstered the Casull and met Chimera's fists with his own. The force of the impact was so great that it caused the ground beneath them to crumble.
But the others refused to sit idly by while their comrade did all the work. Nine launched an onslaught of lightning bolts at him while Slice fired a volley of her hair from the opposite direction, leaving Alucard with no escape route. Unfortunately, they'd once again underestimated him. Perhaps it was due to his lanky frame, but these buffoons seemed to hold the impression that all of Alucard's strength lay in his pistols and whatever "Quirks" they believed he possessed. Now the time had come to unveil his brutality.
With a single kick to the knee, Alucard shattered every bone in Chimera's left leg.
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Squealing like the swine he was, the mutt collapsed without the support of one of his legs.
Surprising everyone, Alucard then proceeded to raise him into the air and use him as a meat shield, twirling him around in a furious whirlwind. Absorbing all of Nine's lightning bolts and blocking every strand of Slice's hair blades, Chimera quickly lost consciousness. Smiling sadistically, he flung the lacerated Chimera towards Slice. She deftly dodged her wounded comrade but was caught off guard by what followed. After tossing Chimera's burnt carcass at her, Alucard drew the Casull instantly and fired two shots. Performing a duet from hell, the bullets sang as they flew to their target. Sadly, she denied the first bullet entry by tanking it with a wall of hair. Alucard foresaw this, however. The ensuing detonation opened a path for the second round to travel. Distraught, Slice was unable to react before having her brains blown through her skull.
*PFFFFFFFFSSSSHSHHSHSHH*
Dumbfounded, neither Nine nor Mummy could comprehend what they were witnessing. For two of All For One's most experienced underlings to be handled with such ease was unheard of, save for the likes of All Might. But he'd been captured by Wolfram, right? There wasn't supposed to be anyone else on I-Island like that. What the hell was going on?
Indifferent to their emotions, Alucard gradually turned to face them, his sinister smirk only widening at their misfortune.
"Well? Come on... ATTACK ME! The night is still so YOUNG!"
The final few minutes of their clash were bloody and visceral. Mummy died early on, consumed by a hellfire that ate through his bandages and ultimately him. All that was left were these two warriors. Lamentably, one was an immortal vampire who had absorbed hundreds of thousands of souls over countless decades. He'd faced werewolves, zombies, robotic Nazi's, and even other vampires. His opponent... was none of these things. He HAD... none of these things.
And though he fought fiercely, doing everything from summoning a mighty tornado and churning the entire area into a gooey paste to raining down a hail of electrified icicles, his efforts proved to be insufficient in the end.
*TTSSSSSCHHH*
"WHA-?!" When his drug dispensers ran dry, he knew it was over. Alucard had skillfully evaded his most powerful attacks whilst eating the minor ones, all while wearing the most smug expression he'd ever seen. Not even All For One could match the haughtiness of that grin.
With his limbs sliced off and his suit damaged beyond repair, Nine already had his foot in the grave. He was just waiting to die at this point. The most he could hope for was that his opponent would make it a quick and painless death, yet even that was unlikely.
Cradling Nine in his arms, Alucard gingerly lifted the dying soul off the pavement. Nine was bewildered by how gently this sick serial killer was handling him. But his enfeebled protests were thusly ignored by the vampire. Although this man had proven to be much less of a challenge than he'd anticipated, there were other ways he could prove useful.
"Now... it's time we start dealing with the business at hand. I'm obliged to give you a thorough interrogation, so you're going to tell me everything you know." He paused. "Well, your blood will." Opening his jaws wide, he bit into Nine's exposed throat, splattering blood all over the rocky remains of what had once been a well populated town center.
0.0
It didn't take them long to catch up to Wolfram and his few remaining cronies. After all, they were traveling on foot whereas Todoroki could create a road of ice for them to slide on. As they did though, they were pestered by gunfire and powerful wind blades that repeatedly sliced off sections of Todoroki's ice. But outside of that, they offered very little in terms of resistance. Why were they in such a hurry?
Bakugo was the first one to reach him, delivering a deafening blow to the back of his cranium. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to take him down as he and his few remaining cronies persisted in resisting. It was plainly obvious they were making for the coastline, probably to board a boat or something. Oddly enough, the fog seemed to be lifting as thunder strikes grew more pronounced in the distance. No idea how that was happening, but that was besides the issue.
Eventually, Wolfram had reached the coastline and boarded a helicopter. For some reason, there were multiple helicopters located there. Was this how he and his men had arrived on the island?
Despite their efforts, Wolfram soon took off and seemed to be getting away. Deku was utterly devastated at the prospect of failure. What would he say to All Might when he saw him again? Even worse, how would he explain this to Alex-kun? He'd trusted that he didn't need his help this time; that he didn't need to be so dependent on others anymore. Just imagining the disappointment on his face… It haunted him. But what could he do now that Wolfram had escaped?
"This is the time to smile, Young Midoriya!"
What?! Astonished, Deku turned around despite knowing only one man whose voice was that deep and granular. Then, a rush of wind blew past him as a familiar red, white and blue hero lunged into the sky. Gaping mouths and looks of awe stared at the sky while on Wolfram's face grew a menacing scowl. Like a ray of light, All Might had arrived to signal the turn of the tide.
"It's fine now. Why?" He pointed his thumb at himself. "Because I am here!" He'd said, shouting his catchphrase at the top of his lungs.
Thankfully, Melissa had taken back control of the security system and released All Might. After explaining everything to him, All Might practically flew over to help them. Blowing through Wolfram's helicopter, All Might emerged virtually unscathed with the professor safely tucked away in his arms. But then...
*SMASH*
"ALL MIGHT!"
A gargantuan metal pillar came from nowhere and struck All Might with a devastating blow. It was so powerful that blood began leaking down the edge of his lips. It was there when Deku knew that All Might was running low on time. Taking a closer look at his esteemed mentor, he noticed the thin trails of steam rising out of his costume. And making matters worse, Wolfram had donned the device kept within the briefcase. As Deku would later learn, this was the Quirk Amplification Device, a machine invented by David Shield to enhance a Quirk users powers to their maximum potential.
The ensuing fight was an intense back-and-forth affair. David Shield was captured once more by Wolfram, using metal cables to trap him underneath a thick entanglement of ropes and wires. With the help of Class 1-A, All Might was able to sustain his muscled form for just a bit longer. Dodging heavy hits that came from left and right, Deku helped free All Might after he'd been nearly crushed between two massive cubes Wolfram built from scraps of metal. After this, the duo knew what they had to do.
With Bakugo and Todoroki helping to clear the way, the mentor and his pupil charged forward at the metal behemoth. For the first time ever, Deku really felt like he was contributing. As though his efforts really meant something, and he wasn't just someone lending a hand while other, more competent heroes did the work. Alongside All Might, the two truly did go beyond, landing a blow that personified All Might's famous maxim.
"PLUS... UUUUUUUULLTTTRRAAAAAAAAA!"
0.0
An Anonymous Location In Japan, A Few Hours Later:
All For One sat idly in his seat. He'd just received the news that the operation on I-Island was a failure, that Wolfram was beaten handedly by All Might and that the reinforcements he'd deployed to aid him had proven utterly useless.
But that was fine. After all, he'd anticipated such losses. At the end of the day, none of these casualties meant anything. Captains could be defeated, lieutenants could be captured, pawns could be lost. But in the end, they were all expendable. After all, none of them could hold a candle to the obelisk that was All For One.
What did manage to surprise him, however, were the footnotes included in the report. Descriptions of gruesome killings carried out by an unknown individual. All of their men sent to I-Island were confirmed dead, save Wolfram and a handful of his lieutenants. Written depictions of cadavers hung by their entrails from the streetlamps. A river of blood mysteriously disappearing before the end of the night. An impenetrable mist, seemingly conjured out of nowhere. A pair of feral, monstrous eyes surveying every nook and cranny of the city. Worst of all, a fiendish chuckle reverberating throughout I-Island. Laughing at their torment. Mocking their pain and suffering.
It was as if hell itself had ascended to the plane of the living.
Clutching the edges of the report, All For One probed it for additional details. Desperate to know more about this event which seemed to have nothing to do with the mission's intended goal. No message. No purpose. This was just meaningless slaughter. Logically, All For One should have been furious at this disastrous defeat. Instead, he was brimming with excitement.
"Could it... Could it really be... you?"
0.0
Author's Notes: This scenario is why I gave myself that 1–2 month buffer. I apologize for the delay; this last month and a half, I was swamped with midterms and finals. I devoted all my time to studying, leaving little room to write this chapter. I forced all my pent-up frustration into churning out this chapter in the week after school ended. I originally planned certain sections to be longer and more detailed, but ultimately I lacked the time. Please, if you think there are any clear mistakes, don't hesitate to point it out. I'll try to fix it at a later date, and I do plan to return to my earlier chapters eventually for rewrites. Please review and give me whatever constructive feedback you have. Anyways, I'll see you in the next.