Izuku landed firmly on his feet as he left the portal, that promptly closed behind him. He looked around, seeing Izumi and Huanli steadying themselves, and looked around. They were in the streets of Musutafu, at night, that much he could tell. The city block was one he was familiar with, one close to UA. The same one where he had fought Gentle, in fact. He took a deep breath.
"What was that?"
"That was Mido. Don't worry, the headache is normal." Izzzuku grumbled, "He learned enough magic to travel to a different world from Richard – that's one of the founders, Richard Satter – and basically just uses it to buy booze. But at least it helps us get people out of the circular current over there."
"No I mean… Why is he like that? I assumed an immortal would be more…"
"Ascetic? Collected? Not an annoying drunkard?" Izumi chimed in. "Sorry, I guessed you were talking about that guy. I do find it annoying you keep having a conversation with Izzzuku alone. Isn't it, Epsi?"
"I'm used to it by now…" The AI answered, uncomfortable with being called out.
"Oh, I'm so sorry Epsi, we never meant to exclude you!" Izuku replied, suddenly realizing that he actually didn't talk that much to the AI when Izzzuku spoke in his mind.
"It's not a problem, really. I understand it would be bothersome for mister Izzzuku to come out and speak out loud every time." She cleared her throat, "Anyway, you were asking why mister Mido is like that, right?"
"Yes."
Izzzuku emerged from Deku's head, probably after making sure that there was no one around. "Well, the answer is that he is Immortal and has lived for thousands of years, but at the same time he is still undeniably human. He wants to be human, wants to have a normal life. That contradiction is what ruined him, because he never could. His friends died as he never aged a day, his family, whenever he had one, would just leave him behind. He tried to study, and mastered more than one subject, but even that is worth nothing, when you live past a lifetime or two, because your knowledge either becomes outdated or starts to slip away. At one point, he became a master martial artist. At another, a renown swordsman. At yet another, a master of the bow. But all those yet again stopped interesting him, after a few lifetimes. He stopped practicing, and those skills too slipped away." Izzzuku sighed, "It's what I'm most afraid of. Right now, I'm still curious, lively. But I need to see an end to my life. I don't want to reach a point where I look like him, locked forever in an existence that is little more than a drunken slumber."
Izuku gulped, trying to really appreciate what Izzzuku was saying, but he found it was a bit too much for him to understand. That the scope of someone living so long nothing really mattered was beyond what he could imagine. Maybe that was the point. How could Mido relate to those around him, when his existence was so unique? "I'm sorry Izzzuku. I guess I never really understood what you were trying to accomplish with finding a way to die."
"It's alright. I don't think you could, anyway, and that's a good thing." Izzzuku sighed, then cheered up with a smile, "Well, enough of this doom and gloom, let's see where he sent us. He only has a few destinations in his bag, so…" Izzzuku froze. He slowly looked around. "No. No, no, no, no." He turned to Epsi, "Epsi, is it that time of year?"
Epsi blinked in confusion, before her eyes went wide and she quickly searched through her memory, "It is sir. In fact, tomorrow is the day." She took a deep breath, "I-I'm so sorry for not realizing sooner."
"That son of a…" He paused, "Where is Huanli?"
"Oh, she is over there." Izumi replied, pointing to the girl, her eyes fixed on a large billboard covered by a poster.
"Nooooo..." He started, but was interrupted by Huanli's excited shout as she pointed at a large billboard on the side of the road, lighted by a lamp post nearby. Her shining eyes and the fact she was drooling staring at it made Izuku realize that something was off. "Too late, now it's our problem." Izuku sighed, "And by that I mean it's my problem."
Izuku, curious, decided to see what she was talking about, followed by Izumi. The large billboard only had one single poster, that extended through the entirety of it at almost two meters of size. Izuku and Izumi read the words printed on it, and suddenly they both felt a shiver down their spine, slowly turning toward Huanli, her fists pumping up and down as the girl started to jump on her feet. "Let's go. Let's go, go, go, go."
In desperation, he turned to Zuzu-9-Epsilon, "Epsi, please tell me we are past the 8th of June."
"I'm so sorry, it's the 8th…" She mumbled, and he gritted his teeth.
"M-Maybe it's still too late, right?" Izumi added, scratching the back of her head, and slowly stepping away from Huanli.
"Only one way to find out, right?" The girl asked with a feral grin.
They both turned to look at the billboard once more.
'All-Out Martial Arts Tournament. Do you think you can prove you are the best? Challenge your peers in a series of fights in which any form of powers, be they magic, Quirks, or even enhancing tech is allowed. Subscribe by the 8th of June and take part in the fifteenth edition of the greatest competitive tournament in the Universe.'
'Do you have what it takes to be the next Master of Battle?!'
"If it makes you feel any better, mister Izuku, the likelihood of not running in any sort of tournament was really low. They are very common." Zuzu chimed in, "So I'm afraid this was only a matter of time."
Izuku didn't feel any better for that. He turned around and looked at the grey-haired girl, "Wait Huanli, please listen. I really don't have time for this, I need to train my Teleport."
The girl shook her head and pointed her finger towards him. "Wrong!"
"Wrong?"
"Yes, wrong." She tapped her nose, with a smirk, "It's true that you need to train, but think about it: what's the point if you then don't have the strength to fight those people that have taken over your world?" Izuku raised an eyebrow, and she sighed, "You were supposed to have Multiple… Quirks, right?"
"I do, yes."
"Yes, and tell me, how many have you actually mastered?"
"I- Well-"
"Just Blackwhip, right?"
"A-And Danger Sense. Sorta." He coughed, "Kinda? I mean, it's not the kind of Quirk you master…"
"Alright, two then. Two out of what, six? Three once you have Teleport? That's not good. It's like if I was fine with just Two of the Six Shapes. With that amount, there is no way you will stop this Shigaraki guy from doing to your world what he did to those places we have just seen. It's just not good enough. But here is your chance!" She pointed to the billboard, "You and I – and Izumi too – can become a lot stronger and fast! All we need to do is fight in that tournament and win! It's all training, right? And that way, when you go back, you would already be stronger! You can go back with a bunch of allies and all your Quirks properly controlled."
"Wait why am I involved?" Izumi asked.
"You offered to help me train, don't take that back now. And training can only help you too anyway."
"… Did you just imply I'm weak?"
Izuku had no idea what to say. That pitch was… awfully good. It was true that he didn't have much of a chance to train his combat skills during his journey, since he was busy finding allies. It was true that in the Skyverse Nana's Quirk hadn't activated and if it wasn't for Huanli they could have died. "Did you come up with that on the spot?"
"Well, I've been thinking about an argument to take part in any tournament we would run into since the moment I said I was coming with you." She smirked, "Didn't think it would take so long. Then again, we were locked in a current for a while."
"Can we talk about it a minute?" Izumi asked.
Huanli sighed, "Look, I don't know what else to say. We can leave, yes, but what's the point. A tournament is the perfect place to test our limits without risking death."
"I guess…"
"Good, let's go!" Huanli said, and started running following the billboard sign, that marked the Arena to be nearby. Izuku realized a moment later that the place was actually the same where UA was in his world.
"Should we really do this?" Izumi asked.
"I don't know. But I can't leave you two behind. Especially her, considering everything going on." Izuku replied, "And is not like she is wrong."
"I hate that she isn't." Izumi replied, "Let's go."
They both rushed up the hill. In his mind, Deku heard Izzzuku sigh, "I knew this would happen. Goddammit Mido, he figured out Huanli the moment he saw her."
"He knew?"
"This world is called the Arenaverse, J-040. It's a weird place where everyone is battle crazed and loves nothing more than watching people duke it out for a meaningless title. Add in magic, Quirks, and even tech, and you have one hell of a place. The moment she answered she liked fighting, I should have figured out where he would send us. And I also knew you would stop."
"But I could have said no."
"True, but does it make sense? Training at a tournament is a valid strategy, she is right and knows that from experience, and you also have another reason."
"I do?"
"Sure. You think she is the only Wanderer that likes to fight?"
-
Izuku looked at the large Arena standing where normally would have been the UA. The large, towering building was open even this late at night, with the entrance shining brightly and inviting them in. Without a worry, Huanli started walking in, followed by the other two.
The main entrance led to a massive lobby-like area, with massive doors on both sides that led to stairs, that an helpful sign on both marked as the way up to the seats. Izuku had seen outside that there were three other entrances to the building, presumably working the same way as a normal stadium. The difference was that this was the entrance that included the VIP seats and, more importantly to them, the desk where they could sign up for the tournament.
Izuku noticed a rather short line of people he assumed were other aspiring participants. The woman behind the desk, dressed in a blue and white outfit spoke with each of them rather quickly, taking a sip of water from time to time. She looked rather exhausted, and Izuku couldn't help but wonder how much work she had to do for this.
After six or so people had walked through a door to the left of the desk, only to soon after come out with a sad expression on their faces, Izuku caught on that there was some sort of test. It made sense, if this tournament allowed total unknowns, that they would at least put them through a test before letting them in.
Finally, it came Huanli's turn. The girl excitedly spoke with the woman for a bit, and then rushed through the door on the right of the desk, that none of the others had walked through. While Izumi walked forward, the woman signaled them to wait. They both looked at each other, but did nonetheless. For about five minutes there was no sign of any change, before Huanli came back out with a grin and the number 135 printed on a large piece of paper, walking up to the desk and quickly signing some papers with the receptionist. "Alright, your turn now guys." She said, walking a bit to seat on a bench nearby.
Izumi had a similar quick chat with the woman behind the desk. Izuku now was close enough to hear bits and pieces of the conversation, even over the chatter of the five or so people behind him.
"… Alright so we will write down magic…"
"… No we don't require a detailed analysis of each…"
It seemed they mostly asked for the powers one had. Izuku felt slightly nervous.
'Should I tell them about you and Zuzu?' He asked.
"If you want to take part in it with Zuzu on, you better. As for me, I can't take part in this anyway, so I will have to leave your head once you go in." He groaned, "I really don't want to."
Before Izuku could ask why, Izumi was also directed to the door on the right, and Izuku watched her hesitantly walk in. He wondered if she was ok. She had been looking shaken for a bit, after their travel through those universes. Not that Izuku couldn't understand. To him that had been… Well, he was trying to not think about it too much yet. Once they found a lodging, he could start freaking out about those universes and the sights he had seen in private, but until then he was going to do his level best to not start.
He was so focused on those thoughts to the point he almost missed Izumi walking back out, a 136 print-out in hand and an awkward look on her face, like she wasn't fully satisfied. Izuku noticed as she walked out that she had her wooden sword. He hadn't even realized she had it with her, to be honest.
Izumi went to sit next to Huanli, who meanwhile had pulled out from a nearby vending machine a few candies – a lot of candies actually – and was gorging herself. Izuku snorted. Seemed like his Eri wasn't the only one with a sweet tooth. He moved up to the desk.
"Your name?" The woman asked.
"Izuku Midoriya." He replied with a nod. If Izzzuku was right, this world had multiple Wanderers taking part in this, so he assumed this wouldn't catch any attention.
"I see." She quickly wrote it down, "Native or from another universe?" She casually asked, like she had just asked him his age.
"I… Well, another universe." He whispered back, and she lazily marked a section.
"Are you fifteen or older?"
"Sixteen."
"Do you have a Quirk?"
"Yes, the name is…"
"Doesn't matter to me, that's for later. Do you have magic?"
"Yes."
She quickly marked two boxes, then glanced at the bracelet he was wearing, "Do you own any item you plan to use in the tournament."
Izuku nodded. Even if he didn't count Zuzu, he had a feeling his gloves and shoes would also count for the question.
"Do you swear you are not the Izuku Midoriya known as Izzzuku in most of the Multiverse, that you are not otherwise completely intangible at all times, and that you also won't use his help during a match?"
Izzzuku snorted, "Eh, knew they would remember me." Izuku glanced quickly at Izumi, and could almost feel Izzzuku leave his mind for the girls, accompanied by her yelping as he undoubtably shouted an hello.
He turned back to her and nodded, "Yes, I'm not…"
"Good. Well, that was all. Go in and if you come back out with the number, we will finish the sign-up. Right door please."
Izuku nodded and walked through. On the other side was an apparently empty room, about the same size of the one he had left, and on the opposite side of him were a series of machines. A voice from an interphone resonated through the room an instant later.
"Please use your Quirk at full force to hit the boxing machine." The voice said. Izuku looked at the padded target.
'Ah, so they are testing us.' He realized an instant later. It made sense now. He took a step back and used One for All. He didn't know what would be considered a good result, so decided to compromise by using about twenty percent of his power. Enough to show his strength but not enough to risk damaging his arm.
The target amazingly didn't budge at all, though Izuku felt the metal it was connected to strain a lot. He had one moment to wonder if that had done it, before a second machine lit up, this one a larger padded target. "If you have any long range attack, please hit this target with it while standing on the marked point." The voice instructed, as Izuku noticed a crossed tile about six meters from the target.
He walked there and opened his bag, putting on one of his gloves to aim Air Force properly. The flick of his finger created a shock wave as the air blast hit the target.
The following exercises were all in a similar vein. He was asked if his One for All included any other Quirk, and at a confirmation was asked to show them using the weights and machines in the room, using Blackwhip soon after to pull up the largest dumbbells effortlessly. A follow up question on his magic had them quickly dismiss most of it when he explained it, just asking to see the Dancing Lights, and then he was asked about Zuzu, the gauntlets and the shoes.
"I'm an AI that accompanies mister Izuku in his journey through the Multiverse." The machine explained, "I'm sure you should already know about me."
"We do." The voice replied, "We will allow you in the tournament, Zuzu-9-Epsilon. And as a representative of the Japan Tournaments Organization, I welcome you too, Izuku Midoriya."
Izuku thanked them, not knowing what else to reply, and a moment later a man walked into the room. Not anyone he knew, but most likely another examiner, he handed him a piece of paper with a number 137 printed on it. Izuku nodded in thanks and walked out.
As he did, he walked back to the counter. The employee that had explained him the process earlier finalized his participation, gave him a good luck and moved right around to talk to the next fighter. Izuku, not knowing what else to do, turned to the girls… and to the woman they were talking to.
He could recognize the Villain from his fight on Nabu. Tall, with long orange hair, the person that had fought Tokoyami and Mina almost to the death in the underground caves of the remote island, was none other than the Villain known as Slice.
Said Villain was currently talking with the two girls sitting in front of her, and chuckled at some story Huanli was telling.
Izuku hated to admit it, but he still had a hard time dealing with the Multiverse at times. That was nowhere as clear as the moment when the woman turned around, saw him, and instead of instantly attacking him just waved at the young man. With a sigh, Izuku walked forward.
"Hello!" She chirped as he made it to them, "You are Izuku right? The Wanderer they were talking me about."
Izuku nodded, still a bit wary of her, but the woman chuckled, "Yes, your reaction is fair. In the grand scheme of the Multiverse, I don't come off as an endearing woman. But I do pride myself of being the exception." She extended a hand forward, "My name is Kiruka Yagi, and I am a Founder of the League for All. Nice to meet you."
Izuku took her hand a moment later, shaking it.
Epsi didn't hesitate to blink to life, "Hello miss Yagi. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Epsi, dear, so he is in training." She paused, "Which means Izzzuku is here too right?"
"He is ma'am. He should be here with the girls."
"That coward is hiding isn't he?" She shook her head, "Well, he can try to hide all he wants, I'm a patient woman."
"Don't let her find me!" Izzzuku's voice, suddenly reverberating in his head, made Deku yelp, and Kiruka didn't miss that. Instead, she grinned wildly and moved her hand to Izuku's face.
"Exorcism!" She said, and Izzzuku suddenly emerged from the Hero's head. He looked back, bewildered, while the dream being just sighed.
"Hello, Kiruka." He forced out.
"Dear, I knew you were around here." She moved forward a step, a smug grin on her face, "Have you considered my proposal a bit more?"
"I have for a moment, and then decided that it's still a no."
Kiruka pouted, then shook her head, "Fine, fine." She turned around to the bewildered teens looking at her, "So, you three, you all have decided to take part in the tournament. Why don't you tell me why at a restaurant nearby? I know an amazing one, and then I will give you lodging for the next few nights, since I bet you didn't have anything planned."
"I… Sure, but why?"
"Well, it's my job. Every time there is a Tournament where Wanderers can show up, the League sends someone to keep an eye out for anyone we don't know."
-x-
Shoto took a few steps on the doorstep of the unassuming apartment complex. He had arrived here on a flying car, something that he still had a hard time wrapping his head around, but he put that aside to ring at one of the many doorbells. A moment later, the interphone cracked to life.
"Hello?" The voice on the other side asked. A woman, though something more was hard to pin down.
"Good morning. I'm sorry for the early visit, but I need to speak with you, Miss Takeyama."
The voice on the other side paused. "My name is Miss Takeshi." She said firmly a moment later.
"I… know who you are, Miss. I just wish to talk with you for a minute, if you don't mind."
"Is this about a way home?" She asked, and her tone was hopeful but also resigned, like she expected the answer to be a no even when she clearly hoped for it to be a yes. Shoto felt bad for his answer.
"No, ma'am. Unfortunately, we still don't know anything about your… home. I'm here to speak with you for another reason."
"Still related to the League of course."
"Of course."
For a long moment no one spoke. Then, finally, the door of the building opened. Shoto sighed in relief and walked up the stairs, floor by floor.
'Yu Takeyama, 45 years old, from J-099, the Giantverse. A currently unknown world with a population that averages at around ten meters of height.' He made his way up quickly, while repeating in his head the information that had been collected in the file he had read.
His decision to start with Yu Takeyama had been dictated by several reasons. First of all, the fact that she was one of the admittedly few competent fighters in the file. Second, the fact she had helped the League in two separate cases. And third, the fact that she was in London, meaning that he didn't have to fly across the world only to see his demand rejected. He reached the fifth floor, and stared at the large door, six meters tall if he had to guess.
The Allforverse was a rather unique universe. Quirks, magic and technology were woven together in many ways, used to prop each other to new heights. From the way Mariah had explained it to him, this world had already reached the moon with stable colonization, and was currently planning a Mars colonization, all while their wizards were developing new crop-enlarging magic that could feed the world and Quirks were constantly used to better the world.
As such, it wasn't odd that they had prepared many houses to allow basically anyone in. With a four meters tall door, most people, including those that had grown in size by Quirk or magic, weren't left out. It was similar to what UA did for its classes.
He knocked, and the doorknob looked at him, blinking once before stopping. Magic, he assumed, since tech-wise there was no way to do it.
Shoto waited a moment, then a five meters tall woman with long, light blonde hair opened the door. She looked at him and then let him in.
The apartment was large enough to be comfortable for her, which meant it was absolutely oversized by Shoto's impression. It was like being a small child again, with chairs and tables taller than he was, and so big he would have to basically climb them to sit down. The sofa was gargantuan, and the tv screen looked more like a small cinema screen.
The only thing that felt almost out of place was the enormous axe on the wall, clearly positioned like a decoration but sharp like the real deal. It covered the entire wall, and looked to be about six meters long from one end to the other. He was fairly sure the weight alone would crush Shoto.
Yu clearly understood his problem, since after a moment she pulled out from a closet a smaller table and chair. Shoto sat down on it, while she chose the sofa so they could look at each other. She coughed in her fist. "I'm sorry but I don't think I have a glass small enough. I tried to buy one but they tend to be awkwardly fragile."
It's no problem, really. I don't drink much anyway." He said, and she chuckled.
"I'm the same, though not drinking much by my standard probably means drowning in alcohol by yours." She nodded, "Well then, what can I do for you and the League?"
He nodded. Good, straight to the point, "Well miss Takeyama, I'm here on a more… personal inquiry. I'm looking for help for my world, and I decided to start with a wielder of One for All." He said, looking at the large axe.
"I see. I suppose still that the League is where you got my name though."
"Yes."
She paused, looking outside the window. "I owe the League a lot for their help. They never found my world, but they found me a place to live, a job, and a comfortable apartment that doesn't cost me an impossible amount to live in. So, if you are here with their help, I suppose I can hear you out."
He nodded, and started to explain. As he did, going through the history of his world in a very condensed fashion and then explaining the threat of All for Deku, Yu's expression grew more and more concerned.
"So, to summarize, you want my help to beat up some guy." She scoffed, "And why should I help? Is it because you are assuming my culture means I'm more likely to be violent because I'm a giant? Or maybe you are assuming I can't wait to get the rust off One for All?"
"Actually, it's just that you are strong. I'm not going to ask only you. I just decided to start with you because you leave closest to the headquarters."
Takeyama deflated immediately, falling back on her sofa with an almost ashamed look on her face.
"I'm sorry, it's just… you aren't the first that comes to ask for my strength. I assume if you read my League files you know that."
"Yes, I know about Nishiya. My condolences."
"It wasn't your fault, or anyone else's. I just…" She took a deep, shaky breath, "I-I'm sorry, I don't think I can talk about it yet. Can we go back to our previous conversation?"
"Of course. I understand your worries, ma'am. I'm not here to force you into this. I just decided to ask for help and hoped you would be willing to."
Yu paused, and he saw her look at the wall. In his world, Yu Takeyama, Mount Lady, had died over ten years before, so he couldn't claim to knowing her well, but he knew what it meant to lose someone important. What it meant to look at an empty room.
'Yu Takeyama and her husband Shinji Nishiya took part in the fight against the Dragon King Shrigiek of the Desert Land, an ancient Dragon that had acquired the ability of travelling the Multiverse and was building a slaver Empire through it. The League managed to take him down, but at the cost of many losses, including Nishiya.' The note made it clear it had happened a few years before, but he was sure now that to Takeyama it didn't matter. She was still grieving, and Shoto could understand why.
The note said she had signed up first. She probably felt guilty.
He stood up. "I'm sorry. I should have known better and not insisted."
"No wait, I can help. I should help."
"You can, but you shouldn't." He answered, "I think, miss Takeyama, that it was a misjudgment on my part to come ask you. You already lost your husband to the Multiverse, and your home before that. Asking more of you would be wrong."
"Losing my home… Our home wasn't much. You might know that."
He nodded. She was short by the standard of her people, and more so by the standard of a clan whose average was above the usual for her world. In a culture that valued martial prowess and physical strength, she lacked the latter. She had been an outcast for that. "I had figured as such."
"But my husband was not. My husband… he never thought less of me. I don't know why that Wizard's curse sent us here, but he always thought it was for a reason. I thought so too but… but then he died. And I was left alone."
Shoto nodded. He had heard tales like those too many times. He was glad Ojiro wasn't here, or it might have hit a bit too close to home. "I understand. My excuses again, miss Takeyama."
"It's not a problem. Just… I'm sorry, but I can't help you."
"I understand." Shoto bowed his head, as she stood up to accompany him at the door, "Thank you for your time."
"And you the same." She replied, closing the door behind him.
-x-
Yu took another shaky breath as he heard the footsteps of the man down the stairs. She looked at her trembling hand and closed it in a fist, turning toward the living room, staring at One for All mounted on the wall.
The ancient axe of her clan, an ancient weapon that was always one-handed until, for unknown reasons, had chosen her as the next vessel. Yu, who was so weak she had to hold the weapon with both hands. Yu, who always cried at the end of a battle over those she had killed.
She didn't deserve One for All.
'Nishiya should have had it. If he did, maybe…' She couldn't finish the thought. She just sighed and walked away from the door.
She was sorry for the man, but he would need to find someone else.
There was another knock at the door. Was he back? She couldn't face him right now.
-x-
Shoto sighed, entering the car again.
"I take you didn't have any luck." Uraraka asked from the front seat. He had been surprised when she had offered to drive him around town, especially because he knew it had to be at least a bit cumbersome to do so when she was in a wheelchair, but she had just laughed at that and told him to give her five minutes. True to her words, she was driving him around town, Zuzu-9-Beta left manning the desk.
"I figured it had been enough time since the death of her husband, but it seems those years were not what she needed." He sighed, "I feel bad for it."
"Hey, look at me." Uraraka leaned back on the seat, looking at Shoto's eyes, "You aren't doing anything wrong. You asked for help and she refused. Neither side is at fault."
He nodded, but deep down he knew that he had tried to use her. He wondered if it was bound to always feel like this whenever someone refused. "I guess."
"Not that convincing, but let's not waste the whole day. Who's next?"
"I think-"
The sentence stopped as an explosion rocked the building. They looked up in time to see a wall burst outward and a large figure drop from above, screaming as she impacted another building.
Shoto jumped out of the car immediately. "What's going on?!" Uraraka shouted, but he didn't answer and instead rushed to the unmoving figure partially covered in rubble.
Yu Takeyama laid there, bleeding from a wound in her chest and another on her head. The latter was clearly the result of hitting a wall, but the former was clearly the result of an attack. He looked up, but there was no movement for the exploded building. Around, the pedestrians and cars had already escaped, and he could hear the police coming.
"Miss Takeyama, can you hear me?!" He shouted, trying to climb the rubble to move close to her head.
She gurgled and coughed out some blood, "I'm… Sorry…" She gasped for air, and he realized she was not doing well. He immediately tried to reach the wound on the chest, but she put her hand in the way. "It's… too late…"
"No, I can freeze it and-"
"It's bigger than you are tall, little man. I can tell…" She winced, and another spurt of blood left her mouth. Shit, her lungs. "I can tell I'm done."
"What happened?"
"Someone knocked after you left…" She winced "I didn't stand up to open and then… the door… opened…" She was coughing now, more blood streaming through her teeth. Shoto forced his way past her weak, trembling hand and froze over the injury, but up close he could tell it was useless. Her lungs had been pierced by the attack, and freezing them wouldn't really help. And neither could he cauterize such a large wound. "I didn't see her… She said… Something about… Wasting power…" Takeyama coughed again, one more time, "And then the room just… Exploded…"
She coughed blood again, and Shoto could only watch as her hand slowly fell.
"Nishiya, I'm back…" She whispered, and then her eyes became glassy and still. Shoto fell to his knees, and then looked around the street. The pieces of what had been Yu Takeyama's apartment laid everywhere, along with her living room.
But he realized then, as the police and the firefighters swarmed the road, that something was missing.
There was no sign of the axe.
One for All, the giant weapon he had just seen on the wall, was gone.
-x-
Huanli sighed happily as the last of her many sweets disappeared in her mouth. Her mother could say she had a sweet tooth, but she really just liked sweets a lot. She could stop whenever she wanted. Definitely.
"So, that was how many sweets?" Izumi asked politely.
"Three servings of dorayaki, two of mochi and a piece of chocolate cake. Exactly what I need to charge my batteries." The martial artists replied confidently.
"That's so many sweets…" Izumi replied with a shake of her head, "Well, you do you."
"I will!" Huanli winked, smiling. This was the best. She got to enjoy good food, got to enter a new tournament, and the new League member she had met wasn't even trying to send her back to her mo-master. She collected herself. Itsuka might have been her adoptive mom, but first of all she was her Master.
She smiled. "So, now that we are done with the dinner, we told you about our training, but is there anything you can tell us about the tournament?" She asked, looking at the League Founder. Kiruka Yagi smiled, nodding.
"Of course, I was just hoping we could take some time to know each other better. Still, allow me to say, first of all, that you three are quite brave. It's true that killing is against the rules in this arena, but it's still a series of difficult, high stakes matches. You are throwing yourself in a lion's den."
"We are not going to give up." The girl stubbornly replied, maybe a bit too defensively. She chastised herself for that. If Kiruka really wanted them to step down from the tournament, she could have done so earlier, by either forcing them to leave or just physically pushing them away from the arena. Maybe Izuku and Izumi couldn't tell, but she could. This woman was strong.
"I don't expect you to. In fact, it would be quite inconvenient for me." She replied instead, ordering a coffee from a passing waitress. Huanli winced. She hated to admit she had a weakness, but she really hated coffee. Far too bitter for her.
"What do you mean?" Izuku asked.
"You see, I told you already the League sends me to keep an eye on the tournaments, because certain Wanderers tend to flock here. And since I know for a fact that some of them are part of it, the best option I have for the League to contact them is usually to go up to them myself. But with you three, you can just help me out, right?"
"Sure. We need to talk to them anyway." Izuku replied.
"Yes, you told me. I have to say, it's a rather bold approach you are taking. Travelling the Multiverse to collect allies is dangerous, and it makes your training a lot more cumbersome." She shrugged, "Still, it has some advantages, I suppose. But sure, if you find someone willing to help – and at this tournament, that's likely – go for it. I can even accompany them back to the League if you want." She took the coffee from the waiter, "Still, I should ask you how much you know about this Tournament."
"Not much." Izuku admitted, "Huanli convinced us to rush a lot."
"Hey!" She shouted back, before coughing, "I mean, it's true, but it can't be that complicated."
"It isn't." Kiruka nodded, "Well, I'm sure I can fill you in. But I need to ask another question. Do you know who the organizers are?"
"Of the Tournament? Isn't it the Japan Tournament Organizations?" She asked. That was how the examiner had introduced himself as.
"Correct! But we just call them JLO for short. Still, what I want you to understand is that the JLO is a very peculiar group. You certainly noticed this world knows about the Multiverse, and they are the ones that make money off it. They organize the tournament, recruit people from other universes to take part in it, and also invite rich and powerful people from other universes to come bet on it." She nodded, "It's honestly a smart business."
"Does that mean they can travel back and forth?"
Kiruka nodded, "They have some sort of magic ring that allows them to reach a copy of it somewhere else in the Multiverse. All they have to do is distribute copies around the Multiverse using a Wanderer or two they hired, and they can now reach other worlds." She shook her head, "It would be so useful, but of course they are never going to give it away."
"Is the ring One for All?" Huanli asked.
"You are learning fast." Kiruka smiled, "Yes, One for All is the name of the ring. All for One, just for your knowledge, is the spell they use to create the copies. I guess in this world it's still true that All for One created One for All."
"So… why does the League allow the Tournament?" Izuku asked, "Isn't it a problem that they take people from their homes to make them fight?"
"Why? They are regularly paid for the time they spend here, are rewarded if they win, and most of the time they go back home without a problem. Or they come here looking for both monetary aid and help fighting someone or something, like you are. Many of them come back multiple times to the tournament because it's a good way to make money and connections." She sighed, "Sure, a few times there are issues, but those don't depend on the Organizers."
"What issues?" Huanli asked, curious.
"Well, it has happened a few times with the fighters. Plus, once with a millionaire that got robbed while he wasn't home." She grimaced, "It's that kind of thing. The ring is stolen and fused by the robber, or is destroyed by someone that finds it, and then they can't go back home." She took a moment, "I actually told Isaac that we should collaborate more with the Organizers, maybe even sponsor the Tournament, but he is hesitant. Something about promoting this kind of thing through the Multiverse being dangerous."
"Oh." Izuku took in the information for a moment, and Huanli wondered what he was thinking, before he continued. "So then, you are only here to make sure everything goes well?"
"And to collect people that join the Tournament because they are lost in the Multiverse and need to make some money. Those always flock to this one when they find out, and the League can then help them either go home or find a new one." She sighed, "It's a bit of a daunting task to be honest. A lot of them are desperate and it's always hard to tell them that we might not know how to take them back."
Huanli understood. Even if she hated to admit it, those past six months had been hard. Sure, she had survived and, she dared say, even thrived in the many fights she had joined, but she could see why others might not be so lucky. "Well, I guess you don't have to worry about us, right?"
"Don't celebrate yet. I am allowing you to join the Tournament and I even trust Izzzuku to protect you after that, but I'm still going to tell your mother where you are." She shook her head, "And that's only because I can see you are doing well. If you get too hurt in the tournament, I'm going to go back on my word and drag you to the League whether you like it or not."
Huanli gulped, but slowly nodded, "Alright. Alright."
The woman's smile turned a bit more warm, "Well, great. Now, I believe there is a hotel nearby that has rooms reserved for the fighter, the Heights Alliance. We should be able to find you a room there."
Huanli sighed in relief. Alright, so she wasn't going back home.
She was still getting to fight, and she didn't have to face her mo-master.
Not that she was afraid of that.
(xx)
T-T-T-Tournament Aaaaaarc!
You know, it's kind of wild we made it here. When I was writing this chapter I felt the realization that we are really entering the last stretch of this fic.
Granted, it's still a long stretch, but well, wild to see. I won't say how much I think there is to the end (I don't want to feel tied down to it) but I'm almost sure now that we have more chapters out than chapters left. Make of that what you will.
This realization also comes from the fact that this is where the last Multiverse plot starts. With our Shoto finding himself personally involved, unwilling as he might be, in a murder case. Ojiro and Itsumi are in the Fantasyverse, Izuku is jumping, Shoto is involved and All for Deku is scheming. Now everything is set in motion and there is no stopping this till the end.
So, speaking back a moment about the Tournament, I'm actually really excited about this. Tournaments are a weird thing in fiction, and I hope it's clear that this serves a purpose beyond giving Izuku, Huanli and Izumi some fights. It's a key piece of the DitM plot that I've been both awaiting and dreading for a long time.
On a side note, this fic is on tvtropes in the MHA rec list. That's amazing.