Well, we're back pretty quick with another chapter! We're less than 30 to go before we're caught up, and what a time for things to get going! This original arc's kicked into high gear with Elsie Crimson's arrival, along with those of her crew and the other villains separating our heroes.

So without further delay, I think it's time for us to get into it!

FIVE MINUTES EARLIER

"Hmph," Sister scoffed with a smirk, wearing a light-colored uniform with a pair of angelic wings and a pattern of hearts on her sleeves, "These Nomu bastards aren't so tough after all..." she noted, seeing the deceased forms of the bio-engineered monsters lying before her, Witch, and Katsuki.

"Hmm..." her fellow Shining Star Hero hummed in thought, resting her left hand upon her chin as she was also equipped with her Battle Dress, "They're not regenerating like the Nomu at the USJ..." she noted, "In fact, Endeavor noted something similar about one of them in Hosu," she recalled.

"So you're saying these grey ones are like fodder?" Sister guessed, getting her attention.

"Possibly," she replied, "The authorities have yet to fully analyze the one we retrieved from the USJ, so there's a good chance we may discover more of them," she pointed out. As they conversed, Katsuki listened on intently. He hadn't done a thing the whole time. Rather, he was instructed not to do anything unless told to. He only had to follow both of the Shining Star Heroes the whole time during their venture.

"Someone's coming," Sister suddenly alerted, taking a ready stance alongside Witch. To their relief, they saw that it was Justice who veered around the corner, coming to a stop as he deactivated his Quirk, letting his hair go back to its normal white. He took notice of the several deceased Nomu scattered about.

"You too, huh?" he inferred as he approached the Shining Star Heroes.

"The League's involvement in this poses some very bad questions..." Witch noted aloud.

"Mission's all the same though," Sister stated, punching her left hand, "We get Hermit back and pummel that long-nosed bastard..." she vowed firmly while cracking her knuckles.

"Hey..." Katsuki chimed in, getting their attentions, "where're Granbell and that wind ninja guy?" he asked with a tilt of his head. Blinking in surprise, Justice turned to find that his two interns weren't with him.

"I could've sworn they were right behind me..." he said, widening his eyes.

"According to the doctor, he wants to divide and conquer," a female voice chimed in, getting their attentions. The Interstellar Hero gasped lightly upon recognizing it, trembling a little.

"Who's there?!" Witch asked as she and Sister whipped around upon hearing footsteps approach. However, they too were left shocked. Approaching them was none other than Elsie.

"It's been quite a while, James," she remarked in greeting. Katsuki found himself sweating from a sudden pressure in the air. He glanced back to see the rage building in Justice's eyes as he activated his Quirk, making his hair glow a bright blue as his markings appeared as well.

"Elsie..." he growled out.

"Japan's former top female hero..." Sister muttered with a grimace.

"Now one of the Oracion Seis villains..." Witch noted, "Sir Bakugo, please stand back," she advised seriously to the Explosion Quirk user.

"No, the three of you keep going," Justice insisted as he stepped out in front of the Shining Star Heroes to their surprise, "I'll deal with this fiend myself," he decided firmly as a bluish light started to shroud his entire body.

"Are you sure?" Sister inquired out of concern, "I mean, she's-"

"Go," the Interstellar Hero said insistently and darkly, interrupting her.

"...Tsk," she scoffed, "Come on, let's go find Hermit!" she beckoned, running off. Katsuki and Witch followed, leaving Justice and Elsie behind. The villain cracked a small grin.

"You're not going after them?" her foe inquired, narrowing his angered eyes.

"I have no doubts that they'll get to Hermit and stop Müller," she responded, "But that said, I'd like to test the field of these new young heroes... and see if they're worthy of the title," she told him additionally.

"Worthy?" Justice repeated in confusion.

"Chizome was right in a way," Elsie noted, "There are too many false heroes in this country who work only to benefit themselves over society as a whole," she explained, "Fortunately, you don't happen to be one of them," she mentioned with a chuckle, "At least... not in my eye," she added as she slyly smirked.

"So that's what you think..." James muttered out as the light around him brightened, "In that case, I suppose I am a benefit to society," he pointed out as his foe looked on at him curiously, "because I'm going to wipe you out from existence, Elsie Crimson..." he vowed.

"Hm," she scoffed, having red-glowing lines of energy appear along over her eyepatch, "Do your worst... James," she remarked with a smirk.

"Elsie... Crimson?!" Izuku gasped out as he and the others saw the Oracion Seis villain standing before them.

"Hey, isn't she one of the worst villains in existence...?" Setsuna inquired, sweating a little as she stepped back cautiously.

"Once known as the Crimson Star Hero..." Momo started to reply, "She's now one of the most feared villains in not only Japan, but all of the world..." she pointed out.

"And revered stupidly..." Holy mentioned with a frustrated expression upon her face.

"Oh, Seinaru," Elsie greeted, "It's been a while," she noted with a small smile, "And these are your interns?" she inquired, looking around at the group of Rebecca, Momo, Itsuka, Setsuna, and Izuku. She then took notice of Gran Torino. "And you've brought Sorahiko, too!" she noted, letting out a giggle.

"I don't think you should be taking us so lightly!" Justice roared, zooming out at her in a burst of blue light.

'So fast...!' Rebecca inwardly noted. However, Elsie evaded him to her disbelief, watching as he slid to a stop at the end of the hall.

"Oh come now, James..." she grumbled out, still grinning, "I'm just taking the opportunity to acquaint myself with everyone," she noted. All of a sudden, thin beams of golden light were shot her way. She leaned aside without looking, avoiding them easily. "And reacquaint with some familiar faces..." she mentioned, glancing back at Holy, whose hair had turned a bright gold as yellow-glowing, curved energy lines formed upon her face.

Hero Name: Holy! Quirk: Light!

She can produce light from her body and fire it off like lasers! She can also become light herself and wind up completely intangible! However, her power weakens depending on how illuminated an area is. If she's in total darkness, she won't be able to produce so much as an of light!

"You've gotten better since the last time we met, Seinaru..." Elsie noted curiously.

"You kids need to go!" Sorahiko yelled to the U.A. students as he dashed out in an attempt to kick the villain. She scoffed, speeding aside and kicking him into the wall as a crimson light wafted around her body.

"GRAN TORINO!" Izuku screamed, seeing his mentor fall onto the floor in a grunt.

"Go!" Holy yelled, firing off more thin beams of light. Elsie easily evaded them, drawing her cutlass. She slashed and shattered the lights throughout the hallway, darkening the area. Any beams the I.U.A. Hero fired suddenly dissipated and faded out, failing to even reach their target.

"I've read up on all the Quirks of the IUA Heroes," the villain noted, "including the one that exactly matches mine..." she mentioned, narrowing her lone eye onto Justice, who growled, "Now then..." Elsie continued, aiming her blade forward, "I think it's time I-" She stopped talking the second she saw Izuku lunge out at her, having activated his Full Cowling as sparks of green electricity sparked about his body.

"Izuku?!" Rebecca exclaimed in shock, while everyone widened their eyes. The freckled teen clenched his right tightly as he reared it back.

"SMAAAASSSSSSSSHHHHHHHH!" he roared, slamming it into Elsie's face and sending her sliding back along the floor. As she came to a stop, she widened her eye.

'That power...' she uttered inwardly. In that very moment, Justice sped in and grabbed her.

"Holloway!" Sorahiko yelled.

"You received word from Witch that they found Hermit, right?!" the Interstellar Hero inquired back in a shout, "Meet up with them and get out of here!" he insisted, slamming through a wall with Elsie.

"Justice..." Holy uttered out, letting her hair go back to normal as her markings disappeared, "He's right, we've got our objective," she pointed out to the group, getting their attentions, "Let's move," she insisted, hurrying off. The others followed, with Izuku glancing back worriedly at the hole left from Justice and Elsie's collision. They had wound up outside, standing just mere yards apart from each other.

"Haha..." the villain laughed, "Oh, you've been as rough as ever, James..." she remarked jokingly, "I still remember that night-"

"Shut up..." the Interstellar Hero interjected with anger bubbling in his tone, "Any memories you have of us ever being happy together..." he continued, "you threw that all away when you turned to crime..." he said in frustration. Elsie's expression shifted into a frown as her gaze softened. She lowered her head.

"I only turned because I saw what this society had wrought from idolizing heroes too much," she noted sadly, "There isn't a day that goes by in which I wish I didn't have to do this..." she confessed, balling her hands into fists, "But if this world of heroes is meant to be better from those once dark ages..." she kept going, enveloping herself in a crimson aura that grew, "then I'll be the villain that helps make it so," she declared.

"You'll be brought down by the hammer of justice soon enough... Elsie..." her foe stated firmly as the blue aura around him brightened and grew as well.

James Holloway and Elsie Crimson. Quirk: Star Drain.

By harnessing the energy of the visible stars in the sky, these two can become exponentially powerful. If it's a clear night, you definitely don't wanna be on the receiving end of their attacks...

"It's a beautiful full moon, too..." Elsie noted as her smiled returned somewhat, "This will be a night to remember, James..." she remarked.

"...It shall," he replied in agreement with narrowed eyes before dashing out at her.

"Hey, wait a second!" Shiki called out to Kris as they were running about the halls, "Shouldn't we wait for Mister Justice to get back?!" he questioned as they turned a corner.

"He'd want us to continue the mission," the Wind Rage Quirk user responded, "Besides, I think we'd only get in his way..." he mentioned with narrowed eyes.

"If you say so..." Shiki replied. They reached the end of the hall, coming to a stop and widening their eyes. Ahead of them in what appeared to be a laboratory was the cyborg Müller, whose metal tendrils held up an unconscious Kamui Woods. Also in the room was Ibara, who lied unconscious upon the floor, and Kleene, who was holding her head in her hands as she was on her knees, trembling all the while.

"No... not again...!" she whimpered out as tears brimmed her shaking eyes.

"Kleene!" her brother exclaimed. At that moment, Müller turned and spotted the two new arrivals. A sadistic grin came across his face.

"It seems the other Rutherford's finally made it..." he noted aloud.

And so, the battles have really gotten going! FYI, as of this time, it hasn't been confirmed what Holy's exact power is in Edens Zero, so her Quirk here is made up. However, once it is fully revealed, it will be brought into play in some fashion.

Anyways, that's our 46th chapter! Hope everyone enjoyed it!