"Of course, young Iida, we'll send the other teachers right away," Nedzu hummed into the phone, nodding to the Pros already gathered in front of him, "It would seem that our newest staff member's intuition was right."
"Then let's go!" Mic shouted as he began heading to the transport.
"I shall go ahead!" All Might called as he began to inflate, stopping when something hit him in the back of the calf.
"Are you mad?" Recovery Girl hissed, "You barely have five minutes left! Even with your speed it'll take you that long just to get there!"
"We already have a powerful staff member on their way, they should be at the USJ in the next few moments," Nedzu said, "All Might, I suggest you sit this one out."
"But…"
"But nothing!" Recovery Girl shouted, whacking him with her cane again, "You will be staying here!"
The fist slammed down, sending a shockwave through the air. Shigaraki grinned for a moment, before the dust cleared and he saw what had happened. The green-haired teen was standing perfectly still, his left arm extended out behind him, holding the massive fist of the Nomu as if it weighed nothing. Slowly, he turned, the feral grin on his face morphing into an anger-filled scowl.
"You hurt them," his voice reverberated slightly, sending a shiver down the Villains' spines, "I don't like that."
The wet rip echoed through the air as the beast staggered back, blood spraying from its shoulder as the pale-haired man stared in shock. Izuku tossed the muscular arm to the side as though it was a forgotten toy, the feral grin inching back onto his face.
"Nomu!" Shigaraki screeched, "KILL HIM ALREADY!"
The beast roared; its severed arm already regenerating as it swung its other fist. The teen ducked under it easily, batting it aside to throw the Nomu off balance. He stepped in, grabbing the side of the creature's head, and slamming it into the ground.
"Shock Absorption. The ability to resist sudden impact," he muttered, before pressing down on the head, "I wonder if it can resist constant pressure though?"
The Nomu suddenly started to flail as the ground beneath its head started to crack, the sound of creaking bone joining that of splintering concrete. It grabbed the arm pressing it down, before its hand was snatched away, a sickening crack filling the air as its wrist was crushed in a small hand.
"I guess that answers the question," the thing standing over it hummed, pressing down harder as the beast's head began to deform, "How boring."
"Get off him!"
The shout made the Vampire dart back, just barely dodging the open-handed attack from the pale-haired man, his single visible eye burning red behind his mask.
"Nomu is our specialised party member to kill All Might!" Shigaraki shouted, "You're not allowed to K.O. him before the actual fight!"
"And why not?" the Monster chuckled, dodging easily back out of the attacks, "Not that it matters, I'm bored of it now."
"You…" Shigaraki snarled, "NOMU!"
The beast rose from behind him, roaring as it charged blindly forwards, arms already swinging. The Vampire grunted in annoyance as the beast leapt over the pale-haired man, slamming into the ground, and forcing the teen further back. He dodged away from the wild attacks, stepping backwards until his foot bumped against something, glancing back to see the two girls lying on the ground behind him.
"NOMU! CRUSH THEM ALL!"
Izuku turned, facing the beast as it raised both arms above its head, swinging them down with force. The attack slammed into him, the ground beneath him cracking as he blocked the strike, his bones groaning under the force. The Nomu lifted its arms again, slamming them down on top of him. Then again. And again. And again.
The teen's knees started to buckle under the powerful onslaught, dropping him to the ground as Shigaraki cackled behind the Nomu. The blood boiled in Izuku's stomach as his body desperately tried to out-heal the damage that was being dealt to it, fixing cracked bones and bruised flesh in an instant. Izuku shuddered as he felt the last of his stores burn away, his body starting to break, unable to heal.
"Yes! YES! KILL HIM NOMU! KILL THEM ALL!"
Pain.
The voice in the back of his mind made Izuku start.
Hurt.
It echoed through his skull, making him shiver.
Hungry.
While it started as a whisper, it quickly grew in volume.
Stop hurt…Need blood…So hungry…
The voice started to drown out the rest of the world, filling his mind as Izuku felt his consciousness slipping.
Hungry…Blood…Hurt
The darkness closed in as he held his beaten and bloodied arms above his head, wondering if this was the end. He'd promised his mother he wouldn't die. Not again. He had to protect the two behind him as well, because they were his. He couldn't die here. Not now.
Hungry…Blood…Protect…
He would do whatever he needed to do to survive.
Protect…
He wouldn't die. Not here. Not now. Not ever.
Kill…
The Nomu's fist dropped, aimed directly for the teen's head as his arms fell to his sides. There was a moment of silence as the world seemed to slow, Shigaraki waiting for the final blow. Instead, a crimson spike shot from the back of the Nomu's shoulder, making it cry out as it was pushed back. Shigaraki gawked as he looked at the source.
The teen stood unsteadily as he held out a hand, a tendril of blood snaking from his palm. He stared blankly forwards, his eyes dark and empty, the blood covering his body pulsing and rippling as the skin across his body started to split. More tendril emerged, rising up as the teen staggered forwards, the Nomu still clutching its arm, as if in pain.
"HuNgRy," the voice warbled unnaturally as the Monster stepped towards the beast, "So…HuNgRy…"
The Nomu stepped back, clutching its limp limb as its eyes seemed to focus for the first time, staring at the approaching teen.
"Nomu! What are you doing?" Shigaraki shouted, "Heal your arm and KILL HIM!"
The Nomu shuddered, before letting out a wild roar, taking a step towards the creature in front of it.
Its foot barely touched the ground before the torrent of crimson whips lashed around its body, lifting it into the air. It struggled as the creature in front of it walked slowly forwards, blank eyes staring at it.
"EmPtY…nO…sOuL…" it said, "DIE."
The Nomu froze, its body shuddering for a moment before falling limp.
"W-what?" Shigaraki gasped as he watched the bloody tendrils drop the corpse to the ground, "H-how? How did you do that? HOW DID YOU KILL IT?!"
The red tendril wrapped around his wrist, yanking the man forwards faster than he could react, slamming into the beaten teen as he wrapped his arms around the Villain. There was a moment of quiet as the two stared into each other's eyes, blood red into shifting hues, before the Vampire opened its mouth, elongated fangs sinking into dry and flaky skin.
Tomura screamed, pain coursing through his body as the creature bit down on his shoulder, the swallow echoing unnaturally loudly in his ears. Fear gripped the man, his body freezing as he tried to struggle. His mind was filled with only pain.
"DEKU! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?"
The shout broke through the agony as an explosion ripped the two apart.
"I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT GETS TO TAKE THESE FUCKERS DOWN!"
"Silence!" Tomura could feel his own throat close at the force of the word, the blonde choking slightly as the monster clutched its head, "He tried to hurt them…they are mine…I won't let him hurt them…can't let him hurt them…kill him…yes…kill him!"
"DEKU!" the shout was rough and raw, flecks of blood spraying from the blonde's mouth as he grabbed the other teen by the arm, "THE FUCK ARE YOU TRYING TO DO, YOU WORTLESS SHITNE-?!"
The backhand caught the blonde in the cheek, throwing him back as the bloody monster let out a frustrated growl, turning its shifting eyes back on Shigaraki. The man shivered uncontrollably as the thing stepped towards him, mouth open, blood dripping down his chin as wounds healed in front of Tomura's eyes. The monster reached out, its hand about to grab a hold of Tomura once again.
"Enough."
Stumbling back, Tomura stared at the dull eyed teen in front of him, a cloaked figure now standing beside him. The taller man had a hand on the teen's shoulder, though if it were in support or restraint, Tomura couldn't tell. He fell backwards, clutching the bleeding wound on his shoulder as he watched the man whisper something in the boy's ear, the teen going limp.
"That is quite enough," the man said, looking down at the blood covered teen in his arms, before addressing Tomura, "I suggest you either surrender, or leave."
"W-what?" the pale-haired man squeaked.
"I owe your benefactor a great debt," the cloaked man growled in response, "With this, consider it repaid. Now…Run."
"Kurogiri!" Tomura shrieked as he scrambled back, falling through the portal that opened behind him as the mist Villain vanished into thin air.
Sire stood silently for a moment, looking around the now silent plaza, the corpse of some creature lying nearby. There was a quiet groan from nearby, the man looking over to Aizawa, still lying in the centre of the spiderweb of shattered cement, one of his eyes opening slowly as he tried to push himself upright.
"Calm yourself, friend," Sire said softly, quickly walking over to him and pressing him gently back to the floor, "Your students are safe. Now you must rest."
"Mi…dori…ya…" the scruffy and bloodied man groaned, "Have to…apologise…"
"And you can do so after you have recovered," Sire nodded, looking up as the doors to the USJ burst inwards.
The other teachers rushed in and descended down the stairs, several quickly working to round up the unconscious Villains in the plaza, while the others split up to take care of each area. Sire nodded to Present Mic as the blond hurried to Aizawa's side, carefully checking the injured man, and calling for a stretcher. Sire shook his head when the Pro asked if Izuku needed one as well, pointing towards the two girls a short distance away.
"HEY!" the shout drew the attention of several of the Heroes as Bakugo staggered to his feet, snarling as he stomped over to Sire, "WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT? WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT FUCKING SHITNERD?"
"Nothing you need concern yourself with," Sire sighed as he turned away, lifting Izuku into his arms, "I shall take care of the problem."
"TAKE CARE OF IT MY FUCKING ASS!" Bakugo roared, snatching at Izuku's form, "LET ME TALK TO THAT USELESS DEKU BEFORE I…what the fuck?"
The blonde trailed off as he saw the bloody bundle in the man's arms. Izuku's hair was slicked back with drying gore, his skin unnaturally pale as he hung limply in the man's grasp, his eyes half-open, the usually vibrant green now flat and clouded. Bakugo froze, a sense of shock coursing through him, making him shiver.
"What the fuck?" he breathed, looking at the completely still teen, "Is he…did he…what happened?"
"He is not dead, if that is what you fear," Sire replied, "He has simply entered a form of stasis. He pushed far beyond his capabilities and lost himself for a moment. I was able to prevent any lasting effects, though he will be asleep for a while."
"What the fuck?"
"Dude," Kirishima whispered, shaking the stunned blonde slightly as Sire walked away, pointing to the creature lying in a pool of blood, "What's that thing?"
Bakugo shook his head, barely giving the corpse a glance as he turned away.
"LIKE I FUCKING KNOW!" he barked as one of Ectoplasms clones walked up to them, urging them outside, "LET'S JUST GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!"
"Sensei!"
The pale-haired man wailed as the screen buzzed to life.
"That…that thing! It ruined my plan!"
"Now, now, Tomura Shigaraki," the screen spoke, the voice strong and confident, "That is quite alright. You may have failed, but you can learn something from this."
"Learn? What?"
"That is for you to figure out," the screen hummed, "Now, did you meet any…let's say, interesting, individuals on your little outing?"
"Interesting…?" Shigaraki muttered, nodding his head, "Yeah…yeah, there was that guy that stopped the…the thing that killed Nomu. He said something…he told me to run."
"Did he now?" the screen buzzed slightly, the image warping slightly, "I see. Did he say anything else?"
"That he owed my benefactor," Shigaraki nodded, "Did he mean you, Sensei? What did he owe you?"
"Nothing of importance," the voice sighed, "Especially now. He could have quite easily slaughtered both you and Kurogiri with little effort. I would suggest staying away from him until you are stronger. I never thought he'd go to UA for protection though, maybe he really has made another…"
"Another what?" Tomura asked, "A thing like that… that monster that killed Nomu? What is it? It bit me, Sensei! Am I going to turn into one now as well?!"
"Bit you?" Sensei growled, "We can't have that, now can we?"