Disclaimer: I own neither My Hero Academia or Persona 5
Chapter 3
To say that Izuku was confused would be an understatement. Now, he wasn't freaking out like he normally would, but only because there was nothing inherently threatening in front of him. Even so, this strange scenery that had replaced the school building he saw only the day before caused Izuku to rub his eyes, thinking that perhaps he was only seeing things.
When nothing changed, he couldn't help but look around. Maybe they ran down the wrong alleyway. The problem with that theory was that the rest of the surrounding architecture was identical to what he had seen yesterday. The sign that sat at the front of the stone wall was also a strange indicator that they were supposedly at the right place.
"D-did the drama club set this shit up or somethin'...?" Ryuji muttered next to him, Izuku throwing a sideways glance back at his upperclassman.
"Th-there's no way though, is there? I was here yesterday and it looked like a normal school building…" Izuku muttered, his eyes scanning the castle for clues. "You would need an amazingly fast construction Quirk for this to be possible… even then, considering how much the school would have to pay for this change in aesthetics and how it would most likely have to inform the parents first before even thinking of making such a drastic change… Not to mention this is meant to be a normal high school in the first place…"
"Tr-true, I guess…" Ryuji mumbled, feeling overwhelmed by Izuku's train of thought. "But still… the sign says it's our school. Should we just go in and see what's up?"
Izuku gulped as he looked at the foreboding structure before them.
"I suppose we don't have much choice…" Izuku admitted. If they were going to understand what was going on, they couldn't remain outside and keep guessing.
"R-right… guess we'll go in then…" Ryuji muttered before glancing at Izuku. "Y-you first…"
"M-me?!" Izuku blanched, looking at his senior in disbelief.
"O-okay, yeah, maybe that's a bit much to ask my junior…" Ryuji sighed, grabbing his bag straps and tightening his hold on them. "J-just stick close behind me, at least… This place is giving me the creeps right now…."
With that, the two proceeded through the school gates, which were now made of paved sandstone bricks instead of concrete. Izuku wished he could have written this off as the work of the drama club, but the castle looming over them was far too real to be cardboard. The entrance alone was far too realistic for a school project. There was even a wooden drawbridge and a raised steel gate!
Once the two walked through the main entrance, they were greeted by a grand hall far more opulent than anything Izuku had seen the day before.
This makes no sense. Even if it was somehow plausible that they changed the exterior of the building, the interior couldn't have been renovated so quickly…
"Okay, so that didn't clear anything up…" Ryuji huffed out, most likely coming to the same conclusion as Izuku."Seriously, there's no way this can be the school, right?"
"I-it's not possible… I think we should leave…" Izuku said cautiously, gazing around the hall. It was definitely far too large to be the same building he had visited yesterday. There's no way they could have rolled out rows and rows of red carpet, lit rows of candle stands, and added a grand staircase in the span of single day. Nothing about this place was logical. Not if it was truly in the same place that Shujin Academy once sat. Even if it weren't, Izuku most likely would have heard of such an extravagant building in the city.
Ryuji seemed to consider this idea, taking a moment to pull his phone out of his pocket and try and run a web search on it. "W-what the hell?! No service?! Damn it!" the faux blond cursed, gazing around the hall again. "But the sign said Shujin Academy…"
"Halt!" A new, distorted voice caused both Izuku and Ryuji to yelp in surprise, the two glancing to their left to the source. The green-haired teen could only widen his eyes as he saw the approaching mass. It was a large man in armor several sizes too large for him if the legs were any indication. Instead of wearing the helmet's visor down, he wore a blue expressionless masquerade mask.
The man also carried a large shield that Izuku could hide his entire body behind in one hand and a longsword in the other. The armored man, whoever he was, approached with obvious aggression. Izuku felt himself taking a step back in fear, a bit of sweat rolling down his brow.
"What the hell, man. You scared me there for a sec…" Ryuji breathed out, relaxing for a moment. "That's a helluva costume, though. You make that? Or-wait, is that part of your Quirk, maybe?"
The armored man stopped several meters away from the two of them, his eyes hidden behind the mask and only allowing a faint red light to shine through the sockets. Ryuji shifted uncomfortably, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Well, come on, man! Don't just stand there and say nothin-" The faux blond felt a hand tug at the sleeve of his blazer, glancing back to see Izuku biting his bottom lip.
"S-Sakamoto-senpai… I think we should leave…" Izuku muttered out, pulling a bit harder with his whole body to try and drag Ryuji away.
"Wh-whoa, slow down man, I-" Ryuji started before glancing back at the armored man from before. Much to his shock, someone in an identical suit of armor appeared. In fact, the newcomer was practically identical to the first armored man. "Wh-what the hell...?"
"Sakamoto-senpai! We should go!" Izuku ushered him again. While slightly thrown off by the other knight's appearance, Ryuji nodded and went along with his junior's idea.
"G-got it! Let's go!" The faux blond agreed, spinning on his heel to run for it. Izuku wasn't far behind, the two soon breaking into a sprint for the exit. But they skidded to a stop as several more armored men appeared, all much larger than either of the teens. "Wh-what the hell?! How many of them are there?!"
"W-we'll have to find another way-" Izuku tried to tell him, only for a shield to ram right into his back.
"H-hey! Midoriya!" Ryuji gasped in shock, turning to see a knight was standing right behind the smaller teen. "Sh-shit, I-I've got at least some stored up in my left knee…" bending his left knee, electricity started to crackle around him. In a sudden burst of energy, Ryuji was launched forward straight into the knight, ramming it with his shoulder.
The knight was sent tumbling backward from the momentum of Ryuji's charge. But the teenager's shoulder began to ache from driving his shoulder right into a full suit of armor. Sadly, it wasn't his shoulder that hurt the most though, his right knee buckling just as he was about to get to his feet.
"D-damn it… we've gotta move…" He glanced back at Izuku, only to see the green-haired teen was completely unconscious. Ryuji desperately reached forth to grab under his arms and carry him. "I-I've got just enough for one more burst… one more burst and-"
Another knight came out of nowhere, knocking Ryuji face first onto the ground. "Ack! D-damn it!" the faux blond cursed, gnashing his teeth as he glared back at the knight who stopped him. "Y-you're gonna break something…"
"Seize them!" Another one of the knights ordered. The last thing Ryuji saw was the knights crowding around them as one of them brought a shield down on his head.
Izuku had to peel his eyelids open as he finally woke up, still dazed from being beaten unconscious. It took him a moment to collect his thoughts, only remembering that he and Ryuji had started to run away from the strangely armored men.
"Hey, you're up." Izuku quickly sat up, immediately regretting it as a sudden case of vertigo kicked made his head spin. "Careful, man. You took a pretty hard hit on the head."
"D-did I...?" Izuku muttered, holding the side of his head for a moment longer before opening his eyes again. Ryuji was sitting a barrel nearby. The moment Izuku had regained his bearings, he took in the room around him: an old-fashioned dungeon cell. The wall and ceiling were all paved with stone bricks with a bloody red sheen. Chains used for prisoners hung from the walls and lied strewn across the floor. A couple of barrels like the one his senior sat on lay close by. Izuku's new surroundings reminded him of the room from his previous dream, though it didn't feel the same as his cell from that "Velvet Room".
"You okay, man?" asked Ryuji.
"Y-yeah, not too bad now… How about you?" Izuku muttered, rubbing a bump that had formed on the back of his head. He probably had a concussion.
"Not too bad, I think. My shoulder's pretty sore though…" Ryuji admitted with a sigh, rubbing his muscles to relieve some of the pain. Getting up and looking around the cell, the faux blond couldn't stop a curse from escaping his mouth. "Looks like this ain't a dream, after all…" losing patience rather quickly, Ryuji rushed up to the bars and started to bang on them. "Hey! I know someone's out there! Get over here and let us out, damn it!"
"S-Sakamoto-senpai, you should be careful!" Izuku pushed himself off the bench he was lying on and stood up. "We don't know where we are or who has us! We have to be careful not to anger them!"
"Tch, son of a bitch!" Ryuji snapped, hitting the bars one last time and causing Midoriya to flinch again. "Where the hell are we?! You really think someone's just up and kidnapped us?! And if so, why in a friggin' castle?!"
"I-I don't know! I don't know anymore than-" Before Izuku could finish, a far-off scream caused the two to pause. They both ran up to the cell bars, gripping it as they tried to listen in. Faint moans of agony could be heard, quieter than the previous scream.
"S-someone else is here… and they're being tortured…" Izuku muttered, his face going pale at the thought.
"N-n-no way… no way man, no way…" Ryuji began to panic, gripping the bars hard enough to turn his knuckles white. He spun around and began desperately searching for anything he could use. "Th-there's gotta be some way outta this damn cell!"
"M-maybe we could tr-try to find a weakness in the wall" Izuku suggested, turning his attention back to the cell as well. As much as he wanted to help whoever might be suffering, he had to focus on getting out as well. Ryuji was soon running his hands along one of the walls. Izuku jumped to the opposite end, hoping to find one there as well.
"I-I hope this might not be too much to ask, but… what's your Quirk?" Izuku asked, hoping the faux blond might be able to give them an escape route.
"My Quirk?" Ryuji repeated before realizing the reason behind it. "O-oh. Well, you see, I can store up energy in my knee caps… it converts it into electricity or somethin' that pretty much makes me run wicked fast. I can run twice as fast with moderate energy use, or move super fast in short bursts…"
"I-I see… that's a rather strong Quirk, actually…" Izuku murmured in surprise as he continued to search for loose bricks or faults in the foundation. Ryuji might be able to break them out after all, but he doubted that it would work on the steel bars. It would probably be better used against a weakened part of the wall.
"… I have to run to store up energy though, and after… after some recent shit, I can only store energy in one knee." Ryuji's voice seemed to weaken as he continued. Izuku stopped his search for a moment to glance back at him, his senior now looking even more crestfallen than before. "I uh… I can barely use it anymore… when I do, I bust up my right leg from the exertion. It's almost useless to me, now…."
Izuku now realized that Ryuji probably wasn't going to bust them out with his Quirk after all. The look on his cellmate's face was disheartening. With a weak, forced chuckle, the green-haired teen rubbed the back of his head. "H-hey… it's better than being Quirkless, you know?"
Ryuji turned to Izuku in confusion. "Quirkless? What do you mean by…" His eyes widened as the realization dawned of him. . "Wait… you mean you don't…" Izuku gave a weak nod, forcing a sad smile to show Ryuji that he understood his pain.
Before the two could continue, they heard a parade of clanking metal approaching them. The two teenagers quickly perked up and turned to the cell doors to see the knights that had attacked them before gathering around the cell.
"H-hey! Hurry up and let us out!" Ryuji snapped again, rushing up to the bars and pounding on them.
"Quiet, prisoner, and rejoice that your punishment has been decided so quickly." The knight at the front spoke, taking a step closer toward the cage. "You have both been judged with unlawful entry of the palace. A crime punishable by death."
"Wh-what?! What the hell are you talkin' about?" Ryuji spat in frustration, the mention of a death penalty throwing him into an, understandably, panicked moment.
"Th-this makes no sense at all! We don't even know where we are!" Midoriya spoke up this time.
"No one's allowed to do as they please in my castle." Izuku and Ryuji paused as they watched the knight's step aside to make way for a strangely dressed man was approaching the cage. Izuku instantly recognized him as the man in the car from this morning, though his attire had changed drastically. Instead of the tracksuit from before, he wore a velvety red cape littered with pink hearts that was lined with white fur around the edges. A small, spiked crown made of gold sat atop his head. Aside from this, he was virtually naked, only wearing brown loafers and pink underwear to maintain some semblance of modesty.
"W-wait a sec! Kamoshida?!" blurted Ryuji. .
"Th-the teacher you mentioned before...?" Izuku muttered as he struggled to wrap his head around this. Even the worst Hero Costumes didn't look this bad.
"To think, rather than some petty thief, it would be Sakamoto who decided to break into my beloved castle," Kamoshida scoffed, smirking smugly at the faux blond. "What, did you come here seeking revenge?"
"The hell is going on, Kamoshida?! The hell are you wearing?! And where the hell are we?!" Ryuji snapped indignantly, his confusion only growing with the arrival of the sports instructor.
"I told you before, you slow-witted child. You are in my castle. But I'm sure you already knew that," Kamoshida huffed before glancing at Izuku. "I have to say, I would have figured you to bring someone about as brutish as you are if you were looking for revenge. Maybe you were planning on using him as bait instead?"
"I have no idea what hell you're talking about, asshole!" Ryuji growled again, shaking the bars as he spoke.
"Is that how you speak to a king?" Kamoshida snapped back to Ryuji, a heated glare now sent his way. "Perhaps you need to be informed exactly what position you're in, just like last time. Not only are you both guilty of trespassing in my castle, but you are now guilty of insulting the king!" An evil smile spread across his lips, one that sent shivers down Izuku's spine. "Both are crimes punishable by death."
Ryuji and Izuku both paled, backing away from the cell doors. "Y-you're shitting me…" Ryuji muttered, thinking that the teacher was only trying to scare him.
"It's time for an execution! Grab the blond one!" Kamoshida ordered. The knights stood at attention at his command. The one closest to the cell pulled out a pair of keys from god-knows-where, opening the cell and walking in with a line of knights behind him. Izuku was knocked against the wall as they entered, their focus going mainly to Ryuji as they started to surround him.
"Sakamoto-senpai!" Izuku cried out in fear, eyes darting around for options that might be available to him. He had to figure a way out of here, a way to get both of them to safety.
I-I have to think up something quick! This guy is serious about killing us! If I don't act quick, then Sakamoto-senpai will be-
"To hell with this shit!" Electricity crackled around Ryuji's left knee, and in a burst of speed, he knocked down two of the knights blocking the entrance. "Ack!" he cried out in pain, his knee acting up again as he stopped before he could try anything else. "D-damn it, I already messed it up some earlier…" He cursed, glancing to the side to see a knight lurking over him.
"G-go, damn it! Go and-gah!" the closest remaining knight to Ryuji struck him in the side with the butt of its sword, the wind instantly leaving Ryuji.
"Hah! Looks like your little burst of energy was for nothing, Sakamoto," Kamoshida taunted, grinning darkly down at the blond. "Your friend here seems like a real coward. I'm surprised that he didn't try and-"
The knight that had struck Ryuji suddenly fell forward. In the moment that Ryuji had been struck, none had noticed that Izuku had already moved. He hadn't given it any thought at all; and if anyone were to ask him right now, Izuku would have told them that his body had moved on its own.
The green-haired teen had hoisted one of the barrels over his head and smashed it into the back of the knight that had struck Ryuji. Tears threatened at the edge of Izuku's eyes, but he gritted his teeth, spinning around and using his momentum to catch the final knight in the cell off guard and pinning it against the far wall, tripping it over the benches
"H-hey! What do you think you're doing?!" Ryuji cried out in shock, eyes wide as he watched the skittish kid's attempts to save him.
"G-go, Sakamoto-senpai! Use what speed you have left," Izuku cried out, eyes tightly clenched in fear. "Hurry, before it's too late!"
"M-Midoriya…" Ryuji muttered in complete awe. He never would have expected that the fidgety junior would have come back for him.
"Y-you idiot! I'm s'posed to be the one saving you!" In reality, he was actually quite touched by Izuku's sudden burst of bravery.
Ryuji pushed himself off the ground and got to his feet, hoping he could make an opening for Izuku to escape with him. That was until he felt something slimy wrap around his neck and choke him. With surprising force, Ryuji was hurled to the farthest wall, knocking the wind out of him once again.
"S-Sakamoto-senpai!" Izuku cried out in fear, but was quickly silenced as the knight he had pinned slammed the grip of it's sword into his back, painfully knocking him flat on the ground.
It was Kamoshida who had caught him off guard, the perverted teacher cackling as he withdrew his elongated tongue. "Well, that sure was a surprise. Who woulda thought that the random brat would have some guts. You shouldn't have bothered making friends with Sakamoto, though. He's only thinks about his own selfish desires rather than the needs of those around him."
Izuku could barely muster up the strength to get off the ground, but the pain he felt did nothing to stop him.
"Y-you're wrong…." he managed to say, his eyes ablaze with determination as they drifted back towards Kamoshida. "H-he went out of his way… to try and save me, even though we just met… even though he knew he might die…."
"M-Midoriya…" Ryuji couldn't believe what he was hearing from his junior.
But Ryuji's awe was cut short as Kamoshida fumed at Izuku's continued defiance. What was this brat thinking? Why didn't he know his place?
"Trash like you is what inspires drabble to stand up against my authority in the first place. I've changed my mind. Guards! Grab the green-haired one first! If he's so ready to give up his life for Sakamoto, then let him be first."
"Y-you bastard!" Ryuji cried out in anger, only for one of the knights that had regained its balance to pin him against the wall with its shield. Izuku felt a metal boot kick him in the side, spit leaving his mouth as he tumbled across the ground. The knight he had previously pinned then grabbed him by the collar and threw him against the wall littered with chains.
"You can just add it to the list of things you screwed someone else out of, Sakamoto!" Kamoshida cackled darkly, a devilish grin spreading across his face as he turned back to Izuku. The green-haired teen's breathing was shallow and laborious. Sweat poured down his face as two knights pinned him against the wall. He could only watch helplessly as a third advanced with it sword aimed at his heart.
I-I can't escape! Th-there's nowhere for me to go or run to! Izuku thought in panic, tears starting to trail down his cheeks as fear overtook him.
I-I'm gonna die here… why? Why has the world been so cruel?!
"Truly, this is an unjust game... Your chances of victory are almost none."
Izuku's sobs stopped as he heard a young, feminine voice whisper to him. He glanced up as a faint blue light hovered overhead. It was a butterfly, its silvery-blue wings glittering as it fluttered by.
"But if my voice is reaching you, then perhaps your fate may be changed."
Wh-what is that? What was-
Come on, kid. You gon' give up that easily? A new voice began to echo in his head. Unlike the previous one, this one was distinctly deep and masculine, almost reminding Izuku of All Might. Yet, some part of it managed to remind him of his own.
Wh-what?
You proved yer resolve when you jumped to save the blond. Even now, I can feel that you never regretted yer choice in savin' that woman, either. Actin' and doin' right without thinkin'... that's what it means to be a Hero, right?
And yet, society's tellin' you that you're a criminal. A piece of scum for havin' the guts to do right by yer fellow man… what do you think?
Do you really want to be a Hero? Or was that all just some act?
Would you take back what you did?
Would you?!
(My Hero Academia OST: You Say Run)
The voice boomed in Izuku's head, causing him to grit his teeth and tears of frustration rather than fear began rolling down his face.
Would I take back what I did?
Images of that woman struggling against the man filtered through his head, and in an instant, Izuku knew his answer, eyes snapping open with a heavy glare.
No! S-she called for help! There was no way I would ever ignore that! Not then, and not now!
The voice in his mind grew louder than a howitzer cannon as it burst into hearty laughter. Izuku soon felt as though someone were trying to split his head in half with a rusted axe. He released a cry of agony as he doubled over and thrashed against his restraints, sweat cascading down his forehead in buckets. The pain only intensified with time. It wasn't long until it felt like his head was going to explode from the pressure building within it.
Well said, my boy! We are in agreement! Now then, let's seal our contract with a vow! I am thou… thou art I… I shall grant you the power to enact justice on this world!
"Hah! Has the peasant gone mad from fear?" Kamoshida taunted with a smirk merely shaking his head at Izuku's strange display. "Don't worry, peasant. It will all be over soon. Execute him!" The knight at the front complied, raising its blade to strike. Izuku's body then went lax, his eyes falling shut as the pain subsided as quickly as it came.
Never regret! Never surrender! Never doubt! If society chains you down for being a Hero… then rip those chains off and save them, whether they want you to or not!
"I understand… thank you…" Izuku murmured.
Before the knight's blade could reach the prisoner's neck, a gale of wind erupted around Izuku as his eyes snapped open, causing both the guards and Kamoshida to flinch and take a step back. The two that were holding Izuku against the wall recoiled in confusion, releasing their iron grips on him.
When the wind subsided, Kamoshida gazed back up at the green-haired teen, who now wore a strange mask on his face. It was bone white except for the black lines that extended from the eye holes and covered the top half of Izuku's face. Two horn-like pieces protruded from opposite corners of the mask's upper rim and curved towards each other slightly. .
Reaching up to his face, the Izuku touched the mask curiously.
What is this...?
Pull it off.
Izuku didn't hesitate or bother question the strange order, immediately gripping the edges of the mask and tugging at them as hard as he could. He began to scream once more as the mask seemed to pull at the skin of his face, ripping it away in pieces as he tugged. But Izuku could not and would not stop until he finally tore the mask from his brow with a final howl of pain.
With bated breath, Izuku let the blood drip down his face, glaring furiously as he looked up at Kamoshida. Without another motion or word, Izuku flashed the darkest grin he'd ever given in his life. Suddenly the blood that covered the top of his head evaporated into blue flame, the fire expanding into a surging torrent that enveloped his body as dark chains began to rise into the air all around him.
"Wh-What?!" Kamoshida cried out in shock.
Ryuji could only stare wide eyed from the wall, jaw slackening as he watched the scene unfold before him. His junior's eyes, once a forest green, had turned the color of molten gold as they peered out through the flames. The fire was then was then converted into blinding light, forcing everyone present to shield their eyes.
A silhouette began to rise up from Izuku's body, standing above him like some sort of guardian angel. Its features slowly came into view as the light faded away, revealing a human-like figure with a solid white body that looked as though it was sculpted from porcelain. It wore a leathery kilt dyed red with matching thigh-high combat boots. Draped on its back was a flowing red cape that seemed to billow in the wind produced by its arrival. Its body was muscular, though more defined and toned rather than hulking and bulbous, with six-pack abs carved deeply into its torso.
Its hairstyle was unkempt, much like Izuku's, but instead of a green rat's nest its hair was composed of nothing but crimson flames. Its eyes lacked pupils and irises and its expression was blank, save for a solid smirk at the edge of its mouth. A scimitar was fastened against its hip. Around its neck hung two medals, one in the shape of a diamond crest, and the other in the shape of All Might's head.
"What… the… hell..?" Ryuji muttered out in pure confusion. He looked down at Izuku, only to see that his junior had also transformed. The black blazer and plaid trousers indicative of Shujin had vanished. In their place was a full-body black jumpsuit, red detailing running down the sides of the torso and legs and forming boxes on either side of its midsection. Black elbow and knee pads protected his joints while matching red gloves covered his hands.
Over the jumpsuit, Izuku wore a dark leather trench coat that reached down to his thighs. On his neck hung a steel mouthguard of sorts with a wide, toothy smile etched into the metal..
Gone was the skittish, jumpy teen that Ryuji saw only moments before. Now there stood Izuku brimming with confidence and a smile that would give the Number One Hero a run for his money.
The being above Izuku flexed its muscles and threw heavy forearm strikes at the two knights surrounding Izuku, easily knocking them on the ground before launching a punch at the guard who would be his executioner, sending it careening into the wall of the cell.
"From the sea of your soul, I come forth!" The figure above Izuku boomed, the green-haired teen glancing up at the figure in a bit of wonder and amazement of his own. "I am the rebel Hero of your soul, your power to save others in this foreign land! I am Carter!"
With a flourish of his cape, the white light finally faded completely, allowing those around to get a clearer view of the being above Izuku. "If you ask, I will give you the power to break forth and save yourself from this mess!"
"Please give me the power I need! Carter!" Izuku accepted with great determination, eyes shining with a resolve he'd never felt before. With another round of booming laughter, Carter nodded in acceptance.
"Then consider it done, kid! Let's show 'em that you can be a Hero!"
"I-I ain't ever seen a Quirk like that…" Ryuji sputter out in shock and awe.
"Wh-what the hell is all this?!" Kamoshida snapped in confusion and fear, taking a step back glaring at Izuku furiously. "Who the hell are you?!" He gazed around at his knights to see that they were still capable of moving. The "king" clicked his tongue in frustration.
"G-get up! Get up right now and kill him!"
The masks on two of the knight's helmets burst off, a black ooze pouring out of the opening and dripping to the ground before taking the form of spectres that floated above the ground. Their heads contorted themselves until they looked much like jack-o-lanterns with witch hats sitting on top, a single hand sticking out and holding a glass lantern.
"Call out my powers, boy! Release that energy you got stored up!" Carter instructed Izuku, the green-haired teen turning to the newly formed enemies with a fierce glare. Izuku didn't exactly understand at first, but the word rolled off the tongue when he spoke before he put any thought into it.
"Kouha!" A ball of light formed in Carter's hand, the powerful being pitching it forth like a baseball and hitting one of the pumpkin-headed enemies dead-on. The jack-o-lantern seemed to take massive damage, crying out in pain and sailing into the cell door. The other one seemed undeterred, flying forward and hoping to strike Izuku with it's own head.
"Now, kid. Swing your staff and show it what for!" Carter advised once more. This one gave Izuku pause, unsure what the being above him referred to.
"My staff...?" Izuku muttered before looking down at his hand. True to Carter's word, the Quirkless hero was grasping a wooden staff in one hand. He wasn't sure where it came from or why he was holding it, but he had little time to dwell on it. He quickly hoisted it up, blocking the attack from the monster. Although he skidded back a meter, Izuku held strong.
Moving on instinct, Izuku spun the staff in hand and retaliated with two swift strikes on either side of the monster's head before spinning around to nail it with a rolling smash, knocking the monster onto the ground. Izuku had taken some combat classes when he was training for the U.A. Entrance Exam, but he had only learned the basics. His body seemed to know what it wanted to do and fought as if it had done so for years.
"Congrats, kid! This power is now yours to use! Finish 'em off as you want!" Carter boomed again, pointing at the two staggered monsters. If they had been human, Izuku would have hesitated to destroy them. But seeing that these monsters were unnatural and actively trying to kill him, he felt no such restraint.
"Carter! Unleash your light!" White light filled both of Carter's palms, the figure hurling its energy forth with a double swing and destroying the pumpkin headed monsters in a brilliant explosion, their bodies dissipating into thin air. With a deep sigh of relief, Izuku felt some of the tension leave his shoulders before he turned to Kamoshida with a heated gaze, eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Holy shit, man…" Ryuji finally found his voice, clamberlingto his feet as he stared at Izuku with wide eyes. "What the hell was all that?"
Izuku blinked for a moment as the adrenaline rush faded, his usual demeanor returning to him. "I-I actually don-"
"You little brat…" Kamoshida growled, approaching Izuku carefully. The green-haired teen narrowed his eyes and spun the staff in his hands, preparing to strike out at the supposed king. Before he could do that though, Ryuji acted first, tackling the half-naked teacher with his shoulder.
"You like that, asshole?!" Ryuji laughed with a bit of satisfaction. Izuku saw keys drop from the teacher after being hit, using his staff to bounce them up in the air and grab them.
"Sakamoto-senpai! Let's get out of here!" Izuku ushered, the blond quickly nodding in agreement. The two dashed out of the cell, slamming the door shut behind them. Izuku tossed Ryuji the keys, who immediately locked the door.
"You damn brats! You'll pay for this!" Kamoshida growled as he beat his fists against the bars. Izuku and Ryuji only regarded him for a moment longer before breathing another sigh of relief, the two leaning forward on their knees. They were finally out of immediate danger, thanks to Izuku.
"Man, all of this shit is so damn nuts…" Ryuji muttered, glancing at his junior. In a flash of blue flame, Izuku's costume dissipated and returned to his school clothes. "Wh-what the hell?! What was all that?!"
"I-I don't really know…" Izuku replied, standing up straight and looking at his hands. "B-but I wanted to fight back… and all of that suddenly happened…"
Ryuji bit his bottom lip, wanting to ask more questions that he likely wouldn't get an answer to.
"You bastards! You'll never escape!" Kamoshida barked again, causing them to jump in surprise.
"God, this asshole still won't shut up?!" Ryuji snapped in annoyance before looking at Izuku. "Let's just get the hell out of here. You lead the way."
"G-got it. Stay close, so we don't get separated." Izuku nodded in agreement, running down the cell block. Ryuji only took a moment to toss the keys away. With a moment to breathe, Izuku scanned the dungeon: it really was something out of a movie set. Several other cells lined the path. A small river of water ran through the center of the room, leading to a platform area similar to what they were already standing on.
Ahead of them, their path was blocked by a great wall of iron bars, the door on their side of the moat tightly shut. Izuku easily spotted the open door on the opposite side, waving for Ryuji to follow. "Sakamoto-senpai! This way! We can jump across!"
"Got it!" Ryuji nodded, quickly following after Izuku. The moment Izuku started to run though, he realized that he was almost completely drained of energy. He grit his teeth in pain, pushing through the exhaustion.
We need to get out of here, first… can't let the exhaustion bother me… Izuku told himself. Once they approached the steel blockade, Izuku made a quick turn to a broken bridge. It still had a bit of the bridge left, enough for anyone to jump across. Izuku took a running jump over, landing safely on the other side but stumbling forward. His body clearly didn't appreciate the sudden exertion.
"H-hey! Careful, man!" Ryuji called out as he landed on the other side and helped to catch Izuku before he could fall flat on his face.
The green-haired teen panted for air, the adrenaline from the previous fight had faded completely. "S-sorry, Sakamoto-senpai… I'm pretty tired after all that…" He forced himself to stand upright and took deep breaths. "But don't worry, I can keep going. I'll make sure we get out of here safe."
Ryuji didn't answer immediately, but his eyes hid little of his admiration. "Dude, you're friggin' amazing. You saved us back there and everything and you're still going even though you're dead tired. I know, I can tell since I ran track" He pointed out before giving a kind smile. "You look like a real Hero!"
Izuku stopped, opening his mouth as if to say something before feeling a river of tears explode from his eyes, which immediately made Ryuji recoil. "Y-y-you really think so..?" before he could get ahead of himself, Izuku quickly shook his head, returning his focus to the situation at hand. "S-sorry, got carried away with my emotions… we should get going before more guards arrive."
Ryuji scratched the back of his head, releasing a strained chuckle. "I… really can't make heads or tails of your personality…" He reached forward and snatched Izuku's bag off his shoulder. "I'll carry this for you since you're pretty worn out as is. We're gonna need ya if we're gonna break out."
"R-right, thank you for that." Izuku nodded, immediately feeling the relief as he turned back to their path and leading them forward. "This way!"
They jogged down the path, Izuku being careful to keep his stamina in check and Ryuji sticking close enough in case he needed to keep his junior from falling. They entered another corridor of the dungeon similar to the one they were previously in, but the gated exits were both closed as far as they could tell.
"Damn it! What now?!" Ryuji growled, eyes darting around for an exit somewhere. Izuku did the same, his eyes soon falling on an open cell right next to the gated wall. On the floor, there was a noticeable hole on the edge, one that a person could slip through.
"Through here!" Izuku ran inside the cell and dropped on all fours. As he expected, there was a tunnel inside the hole, one that went past the exit. "We can crawl through this hole."
"Got it! Careful as you go." Ryuji advised, waiting for Izuku to go through before soon following after him. The tunnel wasn't a long one, the two coming out moments later in another cell that thankfully the door was open to. "Alright, let's go!"
"Yeah!" Izuku nodded, rushing out and gazing around the dungeon again. This room was a bit different, as over the stream there was actually a full-length drawbridge.
"What the hell? What is this place, man?" Ryuji huffed, but didn't bother standing around questioning it further. The two quickly jogged across the bridge, having seen an exit at the front left corner of the room. As they steadily approached the exit, they both heard movement from their right across the way. "Get down!" Ryuji whisper shouted, the two diving behind a stack of barrels that was just out of sight. Peering their heads out ever so slightly, they could see several knights on the other side marching along the path, thankfully not crossing the bridge and entering the next area. "They're lookin' for us, huh?"
"W-we can't waste time here, Sakamoto-senpai… we should get going," Izuku whispered back, touching his shoulder and motioning his head to the exit path. With a nod, Ryuji and Izuku stood up and took off down the path that soon led to a winding staircase.
"I-it's going up… think this'll lead us outta here?" Ryuji asked aloud as they started to jog up the stairs. As if his previous exhaustion wasn't enough, Izuku could feel his lungs tightening the higher they climbed. He didn't answer Ryuji's question either, both because he was winded and also because he didn't want to get his hopes up. Considering the size of the castle they've seen already, he doubted this would be a quick escape.
Once they reached the top the two escapees came across a wooden door, Ryuji immediately pushing it open in hope that his previous suggestion was right. Much to Izuku's chagrin, it was his own hypothesis that proved to be true. There was still a bit of dungeon left before the two could reach the outside.
"Oh, you've gotta be shittin' me! There's more?!" Ryuji cursed in annoyance, looking around to find that they were in a fairly similar area from before. "Just what the hell is up with this place?!"
"I-It's no use trying to figure out what's going on, Sakamoto-senpai. Even if we tried looking around, I doubt we'd get any real answers." Izuku admitted, taking several steps forward along the stone path. "Come on, let's keep moving before they catch up."
"G-got it. You're probably right." Ryuji accepted, following after the shorter teen. They continued along the path until they came upon another part of the dungeon, but this time something noticeable hung from the middle of the room. "Holy shit…"
"Th-those are…" Izuku muttered, eyes widening in horror. Several students were being held in cages hanging from the ceiling over the river, their heads covered in iron masks. The green-haired teen bit his lip, glancing at Ryuji for a moment before stepping forward.
"H-hey! What do you think you're doing?!" Ryuji quickly grabbed Izuku, pulling him back from the edge of the river.
"S-somebody has to help them! We have to let them out, somehow!" Izuku argued, glancing up at Ryuji in desperation. "I-I have enough energy! Maybe if I reach out with Carter, I can-"
"Dude, you're drained as is! Plus it'll be dangerous tryin' to pull all those people in!" Ryuji snapped, shaking his head. "You've gotta let 'em stay. If they were on the way, maybe, but they'll take too long to get out and we don't know what kinda condition they're in."
Izuku bit his lip, knowing everything that Ryuji was saying was right. Had he thought about it for a moment, he would have easily come to the same conclusion. But as usual, he almost acted without thinking to try and save them. "Y-yeah… but we have to do something for them…"
"Once we get outta here, we'll get a hold of the cops or some Heroes, maybe. They can break into a shitty place like this easily and save everyone." Ryuji reassured. It was the logical decision. Their own safety was the priority, after all. But here, after seeing these bizarre monsters and a strange castle where Shujin Academy should be, what was logical anymore?
Izuku shook his head to clear his mind as he reluctantly agreed,. "Okay… there's a drawbridge ahead. Let's go and see if we can get it to lower."
"You got it," Ryuji replied as the two were finally able to move on. Izuku spared a glance back at the suspended prisoners, but hardened his resolve. Right now, those prisoners weren't in immediate danger. He had to get someone who could save them, instead.
"The hell?! There's no switch on this damn thing!" Ryuji cursed, Izuku turning his attention back to his senior. "How the hell are we gonna get across?!"
"Wait a sec, senpai…" Izuku called out, jogging up to the bridge now. Something that stuck out was a stone bust in the shape of Kamoshida, its eyes shining yellow with an ugly grin. The chain leading to the drawbridge was sticking out from the top of it. "Guessing from the kind of personality that man has, I would say the switch would be somewhere on here…"
Izuku ran his hands across the stone for some kind of slot or switch. When he touched the jaw, he noticed that it gave a little after some pressure, which led him to pull down. As expected, the drawbridge lowered for the two teens, the blond punk widening his eyes in shock. "Just as I thought. This Kamoshida is incredibly self absorbed…"
"Holy crap, that was amazin'! You're pretty damn smart, man!" Ryuji complimented with a grin, Izuku immediately blushing up and rubbing the back of his head.
"N-no, it was nothing, really…"
"Man… but seriously, for it to be something like that, Kamoshida is as full of himself as ever… bastard…" Ryuji snapped in annoyance before turning back to the bridge. "Come on, let's go."
"Hey, wait you two!" A young voice cried out. Izuku and Ryuji paused before they could cross the bridge, glancing around in question after hearing the new voice. "Behind you!" They quickly turned around, now looking at one of the cells. Within it, a creature about two feet tall clung to the bars. The majority of its body was black, with short, stubby limbs and a head as large as its entire torso. It had a white fur on the bottom half of it's round face with strangely large oval eyes and wore a yellow scarf around its neck. On top of its head were unmistakable cat ears.
"Do you think you can let me out?"
To be continued…
EDIT: Thanks goes to reppuzan for taking the time to go back on my previous chapters and clean them up nicely!
And, done! Glad I'm getting the jump on this story now, rather than take my time to release more chapters. It helps that the ideas are really fresh in my mind, so it's making it easier for me to write out each chapter so quickly. Originally I had planned for this chapter to go more into their escape, but I want to keep chapters under ten thousand words. Had I gone into the escape, it would have been much longer than I had planned. I think this is a good place to end the chapter.
Thanks goes to The Infamous Man for his idea for Izuku's Persona and overall design. I had a couple ideas in mind, but his fit most personality wise when it came to Izuku's own Persona. I didn't want to just reuse Arsene as it wouldn't feel very fitting for Izuku's personality or original.
Also if you want a clearer idea of what Izuku's costume looks like, think of his usual hero outfit, but with the picaresque color theme, basically black where it was green and red in the details and gloves. As for his mask, it's basically a masquerade version of Izuku's usual pull over mask and different coloring.
Anyways, I hope you all liked it, please leave a review, follow and favorite for me if you'd be so kind! Thank you!