My Mistborn Academia
By ReaderWarrior
I do not own Mistborn or MHA.
The Heroes' Counterattack
Beta'd by: SlayerofSnails
As always, please comment! It honestly makes my day to read your thoughts and opinions.
Vin couldn't believe what Midoriya's first response was to seeing their teacher being pummeled.
He didn't panic.
He didn't scream.
He didn't even try to help.
Instead, the small, green-haired boy wrapped his hands around Vin's waist and kept her from doing just that.
Snarling silently, Vin tried to break free from his grasp. She couldn't waste pewter here, she'd need every second of it when she tried to rescue Aizawa from that… thing. But Midoriya was surprisingly strong for his frame. Every time she pried his arms open, he'd snap them close or simply grab her arms.
"Let. Me. Go!" she hissed.
Tears run down his face as he shook his head. "I can't! You don't have any weapons or any more metals. And that monster-Nomu-thing took down a Pro in seconds. You'll die!"
"I don't care!"
Across from them, the Nomu grabbed Aizawa's head and lifted it up. His eyes remained open, glaring at the leader. Then it slammed him into the ground. The cement cracked and blood began to seep out from the small crater. Even the water the trio was in rippled from the attack.
Tsu croaked in fear and Midoriya gave a small whimper, though his grip still held. Didn't he realize they were going to kill him? Kill them?
Vin mentally reached for pewter, ready to waste a few precious seconds to break free, but froze as the wind began to slap at her face and a familiar sound began to grow in volume.
Next to the hand-covered villain, a pool of purple haze began to form. A floating ball, deep and purple, condensed and spoke. "Shigaraki."
The leader, Shigaraki, nodded and greeted, saying, "Black Mist. Is Thirteen dead?"
"I have incapacitated her," Black Mist responded.
The three students each felt a bolt of surprise overtake them. If they could take down not one, but two Pro-Heroes, then they must be a true threat. Luckily, Midoriya's shock allowed for Vin to finally squirm free. With a burst of pewter, she ran as fast as she could at Shigaraki.
Before he could see, she slid underneath Black Mist and slammed her fist into Shigaraki's stomach. "What the f-" he gasped, backpedaling as Vin continued to charge forward. "Since when did Eraserhead get a sidekick?!"
Vin didn't respond. In fact, she didn't even allow her opponent to breathe. Continuing her charge, she began to berate Shigaraki with punches and kicks, as fast as she could. This needed to be over with quickly. She couldn't spend all her time fighting just one opponent.
But, surprisingly, he was slippery. Her attacks barely grazed him and most of them missed entirely. But Vin's enhanced strength meant she was stronger and faster, and she quickly started catching him off-guard.
Another kick forced him back. A slide made him jump over her. Soon, she had his back to the entrance and the unconscious bodies of his crew.
Perfect, Vin thought, pausing to breathe. As she did, iron burned alight inside of her and she grabbed one of the lines connecting to something behind him. The villain she killed earlier moved slightly as she Pulled on the knife in his chest. Shigaraki didn't notice.
But the mist villain did. In a blink of an eye, just as Vin Pulled the knife free, he moved between the blade and his partner. Her knife sailed into his mist and disappeared. Suddenly, above her, the iron-line appeared and began to thicken. To her opponents' surprise, she took a small step back and, with a flare of pewter, grabbed the knife by the hilt just as it passed in front of her. She waved it to the side, splattering the remnants of blood on its blade onto the cement.
"Hacks! I call hacks!"
Vin frowned at her enemy. Despite his frail physique, he was impressively agile. Thankfully, whatever his Quirk was, it must have been a Transmitter, or else he would have used it by now.
But he has had training. And not just in fighting. In killing.
She had noticed how his fingers seemed to twitch whenever her hands almost got him. He must have been waiting for the right time to make his move. And his pet was still holding down Aizawa. It hadn't moved at all.
He must need to summon it verbally.
"Why else would such a high-level fighter like you be in a class with noobs?" Shigaraki asked.
Whatever a noob was, Vin didn't like it. She growled and rushed at him, holding her knife in her palm, blade resting down her arm.
Shigaraki's eyes widened behind his hair and 'mask'. "What the hell?" he gasped as he dodged Vin's first strike. "You're not a student! You're a Pro-aren't you?"
The knife against her wrist reflected one of the lights and its glare shone into Shigaraki's eyes, causing him to wince and cover them. Vin quickly dropped low and kicked in a half-circle. Her opponent's legs were swept out from underneath him and with a yelp, he found himself on the ground.
"The hell?" he yelled again. "The hell, hell hell, hell?!"
Vin growled and stood above him, foot on his chest and knife at his throat. "Call off all your crew. And leave." To her left, the purple mist-man floated towards her but paused when Vin inched the knife lower. "Move and he'll die. Same thing for your monster."
The mist froze. "You do not know the dangers you are messing with, child."
"I know you're here to hurt my friends."
The villain at her feet began to laugh. "You? You think we wanted to kill a bunch of kids?" His voice wheezed. Laughing. "We came here to kill All Might. You kids are just bait. Sacrifices. 'Collateral damage'."
Vin frowned. "You said that earlier. But it's impossible."
"Nothing is impossible. Like how a stupid bitch thinks it'll be impossible for her opponent to escape with a knife at his neck." Shigaraki's hand flew upward, grabbing the knife handle. Blood began to drip down his hand. His fingers, one at a time, touched the blade as his grin grew and grew even through the pain. "Or the fact she thinks she's can hold her own against a legion of villains!"
To her surprise, Vin's dagger began to rust and corrode right in front of her eyes. When Shigaraki's fifth finger touched it, webs and cracks grew from his palm and spread up from the blood-covered blade up to the handle. Shocked, Vin pulled her hand away as it crumbled to dust in her hand.
"Like I said. Just a stupid bitch."
Shigaraki's hand moved from hovering above his neck to slashing at Vin's ankle. She flared pewter, noting how low it was getting. But while his grasp did miss her flesh, it did wrap around one of the tendrils of her mistcloak. With more strength than anyone his size should have, he slammed Vin down to the ground as he pulled on her cloak. Gasping for breath, she struggled to unclamp it from her around her neck but froze as his shadow covered her.
No! she screamed, her voice cut off as her cloak choked her. His fingers pressed themselves on her skull, one at a time.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
Vin struggled. But he twisted her cloak in his fist, tightening the cloth even more. Vin cursed whoever made her mistcloak. The strands were supposed to rip off easily in case they got caught on something. So this wouldn't happen. But whoever put together her cloak didn't seem to realize that.
Her eyes watered. This couldn't be the end. She was a Mistborn. She had fought the Lord Ruler and killed him. She beat armies of men and koloss.
She couldn't lose to someone with less training than she. Had Vin gone soft? No. But in that brief moment between life and death, a literal finger away from the snuffing of her soul, she realized what happened. Vin had nobody. She didn't fight for anyone, with anyone. Ever since that first day when Kelsier had recruited her, she had friends and allies.
But not here.
Aizawa's warning wasn't about pushing them away. It was about opening up to her classmates. So as Shigaraki's shadow loomed over her, Vin felt one last thought come to her mind.
Help.
Then there was an explosion of wind.
For the second time in recent memory, Midoriya's body acted before he could think. Just like when Kacchan was in danger, he couldn't stop himself from moving as he watched Shigarkia's hands, hands that had turned her dagger to dust, began to wrap around her head. He saw she was in danger and couldn't stop himself. Scrambling up the beach was easy and he didn't even stop to worry about the other villains as he ran past them.
He only wanted to save Vin.
Midoriya raised his fist at the leader of the villains, Shigaraki. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, NO! Compared to the bad guys from earlier, this guy is clearly in a league of his own. Vin, I'll free you, please run!
"Let her go!" he warned, his arm already mid-swing. Midoriya focused on the training he and Vin had worked on these past few days. He couldn't use one percent of his power. Instead, he needed to use point-nine or something weaker.
As long as it saved his friend!
However, instead of moving away, Shigaraki only gave him a glance before whispering, "Nomu."
The power inside him swelled and Midoriya let out a loud cry as he focused it into his fist. "SMASH!" The hit connected and the air roared as it cycloned around him with his attack, causing dust and smoke to cover the area. To his surprise, his arm wasn't injured.
Could it be? he thought. Did I unlock the ability to use One for All without breaking my body? At a time like this? I definitely hit him head-on and my arm isn't breaking at all! I did it…
To Midoriya's horror, he did not in fact succeed to beat Shigaraki. Instead, at the other end of his fist, stood the bird-giant without so much of a scratch on its chest. It cocked its head, almost confused, and glared at him with its large eye.
When did he…? It… it didn't work? No way.
Behind the monster, Shigaraki gave a cruel chuckle. It sounded like snakes hissing and his pale face wrinkled as he smiled beneath his mask. "Nice punch. You called it a 'smash'. Are you a follower of All Might? A shame that you're so much like him, unable to save everyone. Now… where was I?" With wicked glee, he placed his hand back on Vin's head.
Before he could do anything to stop it, Midoriya was grabbed by the Nomu creature. He was forced to watch as all five of Shigaraki's deadly fingers were placed upon her head. "No!" he screamed.
But nothing happened.
Vin didn't crumble to dust. Though she did freeze in fear, an emotion he had never seen on her before, she was thankfully still alive.
"Eraserhead," the villain sighed. "You truly are impressive." Midoriya struggled against the Nomu's grasp and saw their teacher pushing his head up. His eyes glowed red and his hair was floating slightly.
He saved her!
Shigaraki gave a wheezy chuckle. "But it won't be enough. Nomu-"
Whatever orders he was about to give, they fell on deaf ears as the doors to the USJ exploded outwards. Midoriya, Shigaraki, and Black Mist all looked up to see the metal gates crash violently into the opposite end of the dome's wall. Then they watched as a shadowed figure, bathed in the outside's light, cast a shadow across the entire stadium.
A shadow of a man with a large chest and two tufts of hair pointed to the heavens.
"HAVE NO FEAR!" All Might roared. His face, normally hidden in darkness, was extra frightening as they could all see the pure anger and fear in his face. He did not smile. Not this time. "For I have come!"
Shigaraki wheezed beneath his mask, his chest spasming as he glared at Japan's number-one hero. "Finally. The main quest is here."
Stopping at the top of the stairs, All Might provides cover for Midoriya's classmates as they look at the Pro with equal levels of excitement. However, he also notices Mina and Sero picking up the unmoving figure of Thirteen.
"I had a terrible feeling in the pit of my chest," All Might explained, his voice easily reaching everyone's ears. "So I cut the principal's story short and decided to come and check on you all. On my way here, I happened upon young Iida. Thanks to him, I got the gist of what was happening. You have frightened my pupils. But they have been giving it all, and that is the reason my chest is swelling with pride. To you, villains, know that you have succeeded in making me angry. But to the children of class 1-A: it is all right now."
All Might ripped off his necktie and tossed its torn remains to the ground with a scowl. "For I am here!"
He's not smiling or laughing, Midoriya gasped.
"We were waiting for you, hero," Shigaraki spat. "Or should I say, trash?"
Not even bothering with a response, All Might leapt off the platform atop the stairs and flew across the center plaza. Everyone watched as he landed softly behind the villains and grabbed Eraserhead's unbroken arm.
"Your arm. Your face. I apologize, Aizawa," he whispered.
"Just… save the kids," Eraserhead croaked back, still keeping a single eye on Shigaraki.
All Might nodded. He glared at the three villains, as well as Midoriya and Vin who were still in their clutches. Then, with a single blue eye shining, he disappeared.
Wha- Midoriya thought as he felt a gust of wind. Then, without realizing it, he was now a few meters away and free of the Nomu's grasp. Their teacher was still over his shoulder. Vin was now at Midoriya's feet, on her hands and knees, coughing as she clutched her neck. Even Tsuyu, who had been frozen in fear in the water, had been picked up.
Slowly and careful, All Might lowered Eraserhead to the ground. "You three, head towards the entrance. I'll leave you in charge of Aizawa, he's barely conscious."
"B-b-but All Might-" Midoriya stuttered.
His hero didn't even glance back. "No. This is a job for a Pro."
"Aaaaaaah!" Across from them, the lead villain gave an unearthly screech as he covered his face. A few feet in front of him, one of his 'hands' was on the ground, most likely knocked off as Vin was grabbed. "That's no good!" Shigaraki cried, stumbling towards the dropped appendage. "I'm sorry, Father. He took the opportunity to hit you while he was saving them. Heh, heh. 'The state's legitimate monopoly of violence'."
Shigaraki leaned down and picked up the hand, cradling it before resting it back against his face. "He really was quite fast - my eyes couldn't even follow him. And yet… not as fast as I was expecting. Could it be our intel was correct?
"You really are becoming weak."
"All Might!" Midoriya warned. "You can't take them on! That big monster thing with a brain, when I used-" Wait, they can't know about One for All! "When I p-punched it, I used enough enough power to break my arm. But it didn't even budge! We think it must be…"
His voice faltered as All Might finally turned around and gave him a small, comforting smile. "Midoriya, my boy. Everything will be alright."
Everything was not alright.
Still struggling to breath, Vin couldn't do much to stop or provide assistance. Of all the things she thought would betray her, all the people who might turn against her, she never thought that her mistcloak might spell her own doom.
Thankfully, just as she thought she was going to pass out, All Might appeared and Shigaraki's grip on it lessened. Not enough to escape, but enough for her to breathe. This makes twice now that she has had to be rescued by the Pro, first on the beach and now this.
I've become weak, she gasped, clutching her throat.
All Might didn't waste a single second after his promise. He turned back to the villain's and charge at them, though not as fast as before. All Might crossed his arms across his chest as he neared the Nomu.
"Carolina SMASH!" he yelled, using his arms like blades as he sliced in an X. The Nomu took the hit with barely a grunt, but did get knocked backwards. However, it quickly leaned forward and lunged at All Might, who slid beneath its reach and slammed another fist into its gut.
Taking the battle as a distraction, Tsu used her tongue to pick up Aizawa's legs as Midoriya carried his shoulders. With her hands free, she then helped pick up Vin.
"I've got you, ribbit."
Vin gave a quick nod of thanks before coughing again. When she had the chance, she was definitely going to have her mistcloak's clip removed.
Slowly, the group of four made their way back to the stairs, weaving through the unconscious bodies of previously defeated villains. They all looked back to see All Might still fighting the creature.
"I can't believe it," he gasped. "My blows aren't working at all!"
Shigaraki, who, like his partner, hadn't moved, chuckled. "That's due to Nomu's high-leveled 'shock absorption' ability. If you wanted to actually hurt him, you'd have more luck slowly and steadily scooping out his insides. But he won't let you do that, so it might be difficult."
Dodging another punch from the creature, All Might spun around to its backside. "Thank you for the hint! But even if that is what it shall take, then this will be a cinch!" All Might wrapped his arms around the Nomu's waist and lifted it up. Then, to everyone's surprise, bent all the way backward and slammed its head into the ground with so much force that an explosion of cement, dust, and rubble blew upward.
Even Vin was dumbfounded.
"Wow," Tsu gasped. "I can't believe that's the same man who uses flashcards for lessons."
This is the area he is the most used to. And if that Nomu is really a weapon to kill him, then he is probably the only one strong enough to actually take it down. But… Vin remembered early, before the attack started, how Thirteen was pulled aside by Aizawa.
"Where is All Might?" Aizawa asked. "I thought he was going to meet us here."
Thirteen nodded and lifted up three fingers. "He reached his limit after his morning commute. He's resting back at the main building and Nezu was going to talk with him."
"The height of irrationality," he sighed.
That sign with her fingers must have meant he had used up his three daily transformations. Though Midoriya was willing to tell her about 'his' Quirk, he was less open to talking about All Might's weakening state. But he eventually told her.
A glance up into Midoriya's eyes revealed he had the same realization.
"Awesome!" a voice cried out above them. Satou pumped his fist. "Those villains were underestimating All Might from the get-go!"
Tsu ribbited in agreement. "Perhaps we were overthinking the situation. His strength is dumbfounding."
But as the dust cleared, they all saw that was not the case. At some point during All Might's backward 'smash', Black Mist had used his Quirk to form a portal underneath the Nomu. The other side of the portal was barely a meter away. All Might coughed up blood as the creature, it's head and arms now directly under the hero's back, stabbed its fingers into his side.
"So that's what you were thinking," Shigaraki laughed. "You thought you could drive him into the concrete and restrict his movements, huh? But even if you succeeded, it wouldn't have worked! It wouldn't seal him for long. Nomu is the same power-level as you!" He turned to his partner, who's entire body from the neck-down slid across the ground and formed the portal. "Isn't this great, Kurogiri? All Might has handed us the perfect chance on a silver platter!"
All Might let out a loud groan of pain as the Nomu's fingers pressed deeper into his sides. "That was your last mistake! You better be ready for some pain!"
His face sinking into a now very visible and metal collar, Black Mist - Kurogiri, gave a small nod. "I do, in fact, have blood and organs inside of my body. So while it would be displeasure, I would gladly accept the pain if it is by someone of your stature. It was Nomu's duty to restrain you and prevent your dizzying speed so that I could open a gate while you were in a prone state.
"It is now my duty to eviscerate you."
Without another second's thought, Vin pulled away from Tsu and charged back at the villains. She might not have cared for Japan's number-one Pro-Hero, but that didn't mean she would just let him die. Not if she could do something about it.
"All Might!" a voice cried out behind her. Midoriya, with tears streaming down his face, had also decided to fight. Giving him a quick nod of assurance, Vin slowed down and grabbed his arm. Then, flaring the last crumbs of pewter, she hurled him at his mentor.
Shigaraki and Kurogiri's eyes went wide as they watched the two children charge at them. "Foolish child," Black Mist hissed. More of his smoke billowed and a tendril of darkness shot at Midoriya's airborne body.
"My boy!" All Might cried.
Desperate to save Midoriya, Vin once again felt at the metals burning within her. Steel and iron were good, but the only things metallic around them were either too far away to connect with or, like Kurogiri's collar, wasn't Allomantically sound. The blue lines connecting her to the sources of metals faded with each footstep.
Zinc and brass, while plentiful, wouldn't be much help in this fight currently. Bronze and copper, also useless. Duralumin, a last resort. That left tin and pewter. The latter she just spent the last bit to help Midoriya.
Tin, on the other hand, just made her own heart's pounding echo in her mind. Explains ringing in her ears.
Wait… Explosions?
Spinning to the side, and noticing a steel-line becoming more solid, Vin barely avoided the black and red blur flying past her and, for the first time ever, thanked Sazed's gods for the existence of Katsuki Bakugou.
"OUTTA THE FUCKING WAY!" he yelled. Bakugou propelled himself through the base of Black Mist's tentacle-blade and dispelled it. He smiled maniacally and continued his approach, blasting an explosion into the villain's body. Black Mist fell back, his collar making a harsh sound as it hit the cement. Before she could get up, Bakugou landed on top of him and slammed a hand down on the only physical part of his body.
Midoriya, still in the air, was sent sideways. Instead of landing near All Might, he instead was sent spiraling towards Shigaraki. He raised his fist at the villain. However, Shigaraki sidestepped as Kirishima, who must have snuck around them, swiped at him with a rock-like arm.
"Shit! I almost had him," he yelled, missing his target. Midoriya then crashed into him, knocking them both down. "Double shit! I almost caught you."
Vin turned back to All Might, realizing she was the closest one to him. However, more reinforcements arrived as the air went cold and ice formed across one half of the Nomu's body. Following the trail of frost, Vin watched as Todoroki stepped out from the landslide area.
"We heard about your plan, your roles in this scheme to take down All Might," he explained. "Scum like you could never kill the symbol of peace."
All Might, using the ice as a distraction, broke himself free from the Nomu's grip.
"Kacchan," Midoriya gasped. He and Kirishima rose and faced the villains with grim determination. "Everyone… You came!"
Bakugou gave a snarl in response at the boy before leaning down at his captured villain. "No funny business out of you, you shadow-ass mobling!"
"That one is the leader," Vin wanted, glaring at Shigaraki, who had stepped back to give himself a scan of the new attackers. "But that-" she nodded at the Nomu, -"is the real threat."
Thankfully, it hadn't yet tried to escape. Like a good pet, the Nomu hadn't moved without Shigaraki's orders and was still half-frozen by Todoroki and still in two pieces by the warp-portal.
"Hmm," Shigaraki pondered. He cocked his head and gave a small glance at Black Mist. "This is a problem… you've pinned down our way out."
Smirking, Bakugou looked up from Kurogiri. "You slipped up! It's just like I thought, the parts of you that can turn into that foggy warp gate are limited. And you're using all that extra mist to hide your real body. If your whole body was made of smoke and shit, then this metal thing would be useless."
Kurogiri grunted in response.
"Don't move!" he warned, pushing down harder on the villain. "If I think you're going to do anything fishy, I'll blow ya straight to kingdom come!"
"That's not very hero-like, dude," Kirishima muttered.
"They came here to kill," Vin frowned. "Why should we hold back?"
Midoriya and All Might answered in tandem. "Because we are the heroes."
Before they could argue more, Shigaraki interrupted with a loud hiss. "Not only did you beat the level, but you also have all your health… Tomorrow's heroes really are going to be something else. Our league of villains should be ashamed for underestimating you." He scratched at his cheek and turned to their monster.
"Nomu, take out that explosive brat."
To the horror of the heroes, the Nomu began to move. The ice encasing it shattered easily, breaking off its body and causing its entire life side to crumble away. With a single leg, the Nomu pulled itself back out of the portal and rose back up.
What the hell is this monstrosity?
"Get back!" All Might warned.
Midoriya's eyes went wide as he took a fearful step back. "But… I thought its Quirk was shock absorption. How is it still moving?"
The lead villain gave a harsh laugh. "I don't remember saying that's all it can do! This is Hyper Regeneration!"
Muscle, tissue, and skin burst uncontrollably from the Nomu's chest, spreading and remaking the lost limbs. White formed red and then red was covered in dark purple. The Nomu roared and charged as its leg reformed.
"Nomu is a living, super-powered, punching bag designed to withstand anything you could throw at it!"
Vin didn't have much time to think. In fact, she only had enough time to think a single thought and complete two actions. Fast! she thought. Then, she burned steel. And finally, she Pushed on Bakugou's gauntlet and moved him away.
The Nomu became a blur and wind exploded from its position. Vin, along with the other students, were knocked onto their butts and back a few feet.
"Kacchan!" Midoriya yelled, only to realize he was now at his side. "Kacchan?! How did you dodge that?"
Wide-eyed, Bakugou answered, "I didn't. I couldn't see a thing."
The smoke cleared and All Might was once again revealed. However, this time he was hurt. Blood splurged from his mouth and his arms, held up in a block, were bruised and bloodied.
"This guy doesn't know how to hold back," All Might coughed.
Vin realized that he must have put himself between the Nomu and Bakugou and moved him to a safer spot. If that blow was enough to injure All Might, it could easily kill any of us.
"Anything to save a comrade, huh?" Shigaraki mocked. Now free, Kurogiri rose back up and floated back over to his partner. "Just like earlier when that one-" he pointed at Midoriya, "-the plain one came at me with everything he had. Violence in the name of saving heroes is admirable, right hero? And you know what? That pisses me off! Heroes and villains both thrive off violence but the categories of 'you are good' and 'you are evil' still exist!
"'A symbol of peace.' Hahahahaha. In the end, you're just a violent tool made to keep other violent tools in the inventory. And violence only breeds more violence; I'll show the world that by killing you!"
All Might glared back at the villain. "What a load of malarkey. Idealistic criminals have a different look in their eyes. But you… you're just enjoying yourself!"
"You saw right through me, huh?" The villain sneered at them.
"It's three-on-seven," Todoroki commented. "Surrender."
Midoriya rose to his shaking feet. "And Kacchan showed us the mist man's weak point."
"These are some tough guys," Kirishima added, slamming his fists together. "But with all of us supporting All Might, we can push them back!"
Vin remained silent as All Might made the same protective gesture from earlier. "No! Get out of here."
Todoroki flexed his right hand. "Things would not have gone well for you if I was unable to intervene."
"And your time…" Midoriya muttered, barely audible.
"Right you are, Young Todoroki! I owe you my thanks. But fear not! Sit back and watch a Pro-Hero get serious."
Shigaraki waved a hand at All Might. "Nomu. Kurogiri. Take care of him. I'll kill the kids." He flexed his hands and crouched. "Let's clear this level and go home!"
Vin, Midoriya, Bakugou, Todoroki, and Kirishima all fell into their own preferred stances.
"He's coming!" Kirishima warned. "Get ready!"
Only Vin and Bakugou charged forward as Shigaraki sprinted towards them. The blonde gave his signature battle cry, only to be knocked aside by another blast of wind. Vin and Shigaraki, on the other hand, jumped to the side and watched as All Might and the Nomu clashed one final time.
Just them running at each other caused winds to blow at ridiculous speeds. All Might's eyes burned blue as his fist collided directly into his target's. He punched again. And again. Again.Over and over. Both of the titan's fists became mirages as they boxed each other at speeds invisible to the naked eye.
"He's got shock absorption," Shigaraki mocked. "You already know that."
Their punches somehow flew faster than before. A funnel of wind began to sweep around the two as their strikes somehow moved the very elements. Kurogiri was unable to move forward, his mist blowing back whenever he tried to get close.
"A head-on attack?!" gasped Midoriya as he protected his eyes.
All Might smiled. "You are correct! But you just foolishly confirmed it is shock 'absorption' and not shock 'negation'! So there must be a limit! You say he was built to counter me, huh? Add to withstand everything I have got?
"THEN I SHALL JUST GO BEYOND THAT!"
Realizing everyone was distracted, Vin similarly charged at Shigaraki. "Now!" she yelled, hoping she was correct in her assumptions.
Her prayers were answered as the hand on Shigaraki's face suddenly lurched off his body and was flung to the side. The villain's eyes went wide and he frantically grabbed at it.
Todoroki said three-on-seven. But including All Might, that only makes six. That means there was someone else here.
Someone unseen.
"Get him, Vin!" Hagakure yelled, her bodiless voice somewhere in front of her.
As Shigaraki picked up the amputated limb, Vin spun her leg and delivered a harsh kick across his face. His head snapped to the side and the hand went flying once more. Vin unclasped her mistcloak and tossed it at him. Shigaraki batted it away easily but frowned as Vin disappeared.
She flipped over his head and grabbed one of the frays on her mistcloak. Wrapping it around her fist, she used it as a rope to wrap around Shigaraki's throat and wrapped it twice before pulling taunt.
"How does it feel?" she growled.
Shigaraki's eyes bulged and he brought his hands to his neck. Remembering his Quirk, Vin pulled him onto her and wrapped her legs around his right arm, preventing his hand from touching the rope (or her thigh).
His left hand, though, stopped midair.
"Don't worry!" Hagakure gasped. "We've got this!"
Vin nodded and pulled tighter, careful to not snap his neck but instead force him into unconsciousness. However, just as she felt his breath become ragged, a purple tendril wrapped around her waist and pulled her off of him. A second one wrapped around Hagakure and tossed her into the waters of the Flood Zone.
"No!" Vin yelled as she turned to face Kurogiri as he lifted her up towards him.
"You… are not them," he whispered.
Vin glared at him and focused on his collar. That may be. But I will still help them! Steel burning bright, Vin grabbed the untouched metal in her stomach. Duralumin and steel burned together and for a brief moment, a steel-line appeared.
She Pushed.
His yellow eyes widened in shock as his collar dented before being flung backward across the entire USJ. Vin fell to the ground and looked up to see All Might dealing his arm back for one last strike.
"A Hero is always ready to smash through trouble! Tell me, villain, do you know the meaning of PLUS ULTRA?!"
All Might's fist slammed directly into the Nomu's chest. And instead of stopping, it continued its momentum, lifting the beast off its feet and tossing, no, launching it into the air. The Nomu gave no cry of pain or defeat as it crashed through the roof of the USJ and disappeared into the clouds.
Kirishima's eyes were wide. "Like straight out of a manga… All Might just smashed his way through the absorption limit. Against that much power, it wasn't able to regenerate fast enough through that rush of attacks."
That's the difference between Allomancy and Quirks, Vin thought.
His body slow and almost creaking, All Might stood back up from the crouch he used to duck underneath the Nomu. "I am getting slow. In my heyday, five of those punches would have been enough. But that was over three-hundred." He took a small step out of a growing smokescreen and slapped his chest. "Well, villain? Care to finish this between us?"
Vin suddenly became very aware that when Kurogiri dropped her, she must have landed very close to Shigaraki. Scrambling to her feet, she spun around and took a few shaky steps backward. She was now completely defenseless with her use of duralumin. No more metals. No weapons. Just her friends.
However, she didn't need to have bothered. Instead of attacking her, Shigaraki continued to chase after his missing hand (which had landed in the fountain). "Father, father, father," he whispered repeatedly, jumping in without a care and eagerly sliding the 'mask' back onto his face. When he turns around, it's like Shigaraki had no concept of the last few moments.
"Nomu?" he asked. "Where is Nomu? You must have cheated!" Shigaraki began to scratch himself, at his arms and neck. "You've 'weakened'? That's bullshit! Fake news! You're not weak at all! They… lied to me?"
All Might still hadn't moved. "Well? Is that all you had to offer? What happened to clearing the game or adding your name to the scoreboard? If you think you can take me then bring it on!"
Shuddering, Shigaraki took a half-step back. "…If only I still had Nomu. He was taking those hits so well…" He sighed and cracked his neck. "Kurogiri, it's time to go."
The familiar sound of a portal opening pierced their ears as Black Mist appeared once again. "Understood." The villain cast a glance at Vin, who noticed the dent in his collar, and glared at her.
Vin glared back.
"I may have failed here, symbol of peace, but next time we meet, you are dead, All Might!" Shigaraki stepped into the portal and glared at the Pro, ignoring all the others.
"I will kill you myself!"
Huge, huge thanks to my first-ever supporter!
Helpful supporter - Dalek2150
Well, a lot happened in this episode, huh? To be honest, I found that a bunch would stick to canon. Vin had no chance against Nomu. Even with atium, it would have been close. And I know some people are probably upset with how her first tango with Shigaraki went, but let me put it like this:
Vin is like Batman. And while Batman will pretty much always win due to his knowledge on his opponent's abilities and potential, it is very likely he will lose the initial battle if he is facing someone knew. Vin's greatest strength has always been her mastery of Allomancy and how she uses the knowledge of it on enemies with similar powers (i.e Zane's defeat). But Vin, after that first fight, came up with a countermeasure literally minutes after. She's in a new world with powers she could have never dreamed of. You bet they'll surprise her at times.
Also kinda enjoyed having Vin and Bakugou fighting 'side-by-side' in a way. While they will most likely never get along, he does seem to share that bloodlust she has known most of her life.
Midoriya's p.o.v was the same as canon, though I did incorporate my own concept of decimal control. Will this continue? Or will it lead to him getting full-cowling sooner? Who knows?!
All in all, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. It did seem to be easier as I was just novelizing the manga, but I think my favorite part has to be how Vin blindly put faith in Hagakure's assistance.
We have still been unable to meet our goal of being the #1 Mistborn Fanfic. First is still being held by Slavok's Beautiful Destroyer with a difference of 132 Favorites and 278 Follows. C'mon guys! We can do it! Spread the word! Spam the 17th shard! It is possible!
Also, and I know I say it every chapter (like twice), please please please comment. It really makes my day reading new comments. Even if you're reading this a week from the post-date, don't be afraid to post what your favorite part was. Not only do your comments bring me the energy to continue writing, but they also help fuel my creative imagination for new unique ideas.