In response, I swiped my leg at him. He dodged.
"Ingenium's brother? Huh. I used him to get the rumors going. But you, you're…"
He kicked a spike on his boot into my threw me with the pressure down to the ground. "So weak," he sneered, and then stabbed me through the shoulder as well.
"ARGHHH!" was all I could choke out through the searing pain.
"Both you and your brother are weak. It's because you're fakes."
"SHUT UP, evil doer!" I retaliated. "The damage you did to his spinal cord means he's probably going to be crippled for the rest of his life. He'll never be a hero again ! My brother, he saved so many people. He's a leader. He's a great hero!"
Tensei carrying people in danger to safety, when I was ten years old. Tensei smiling to me when I told him I wanted to be a hero. He's a hero, he's a great hero who inspired my dreams! I'll kill you for what you did!"
"Save him first," the killer spat back at me, pointing towards a man who lay paralyzed on the ground nearby - a pro hero, who perhaps he had attempted to kill before I had arrived…
"Forget about yourself for a second and try saving others. Don't wield your power for your own sake. Because getting trapped by your own hate and acting out of pure self-interest makes you the furthest thing from a hero." He pulled the blade from my shoulder. "That's why you have to die." He licked the blade, and I felt every single muscle in my body suddenly freeze. My body - it won't move…
Even my hands could not budge
"Consider yourself a humble offering to the betterment of society," he sneered at me, every word cutting deep into my head.
"Shut up, shut up!" I cried. You look up to me that much, Tenya? Guess that makes me a great hero or something!"
"It doesn't matter what you say now! You're still the criminal who hurt my brother!"
SMASH.
Midoriya sprang into action and, bouncing along the walls, punched the Hero Killer in the face.
"Midoriya?!" I cried out Where - how -
"Don't worry, Iida! I'm here to save you!"
This was not the Midoriya I remembered, of only a few days ago. His hero costume was completely different - darker in tone, with a grill instead of a hood, more rivets and decor. He was moving and bouncing around not like a hero whose power broke his body with every movement, but like a hero whose powers allowed him great speed and strength. And most importantly, his face and eyes were brimming with confidence and assurance.
What on earth happened to you in just a few days?!
"Midoriya? But why?!" I cried.
"It was on TV," he explained, answering instead how. "60% of the Hero Killer's victims were discovered around blind corners in deserted areas. So I've been scouring the back alleys near the Normal Hero agency, close to the center of all the trouble looking for you! Can you move?! Make for the main road and get some pros to come help us."
"I can't move," I told him. "He cut me. That's likely his quirk."
"They were talking about that," he muttered. "So he needs to cut you go get it to work?"
"Midoriya," I told him. "Don't interfere. This has nothing to do with you!"
"What're you saying?!" he gasped, not understanding at all.
"A friend shows up and says "I'm here to save you. A good line for sure," said the Hero Killer. "But it's my duty to kill these two, and if we're forced to fight then, naturally…the weaker of us will be culled. So, what now?" he asked Midoriya. And to my horror - Midoriya stood his ground.
"No!" I cried. "I told you to run! This is none of your business!"
"What's a hero supposed to say when you say crap like that?" he replied. "I-I've got a lot to say to you, but that'll have to come later. Because it's like All Might said. Giving help that's not asked for us what makes a true hero!" And he put up his fists with a clear smile.
And to my surprise, the Hero Killer smiled back.
Midoriya and the Hero Killer ran towards each other. Midoriya moving again as if his quirk was powering up his movements.
"Watch out, if he cuts you - " I warned.
Midoriya sped out of the Hero Killer's line of sight, jumped up into the air in time to avoid the blade the hero killer swept behind him, and punched him from above, shouting "DETROIT SMASH!" like All Might - and bouncing around, those movements are…like Bakugou's!
But as Midoriya hit the ground - he stopped. The Hero Killer had succeeded in freezing him.
"You're not powerful enough," he snarled at Midoriya. "You didn't predict my movements, you just slipped out of my line of sight to bring me down with a good hit. There are countless false heroes out there who are all talk, but I believe you're worthy of staying alive. Unlike them."
And he was standing over me again, wielding a sword. A sword prepared to come down on my head and end my life.
"Dammit stop!" Midoriya screamed.
A wall of flames appeared from nowhere and blasted the Hero Killer back across the alleyway.
I couldn't turn, but I recognized the voice that was now chastising Midoriya:
"For something like this, you need to give more specific directions. I was almost too late."
"You too, Todoroki?" I gasped.
"Why - and your left - " Midoriya threw in.
"Why? That's my line," Todoroki shot back at him. "It only took a few seconds for me to realize it. All you did was mass send your location pin to all your contacts. You're not the type who'd do something like that without a reason. It must have meant "I'm in trouble, send help.' Don't worry. In a minute or two even the pros'll be here."
He was jumping into action as he spoke, blowing Stain out of the way. His ice emerged as well, lifting Midoriya and Native out of danger and letting them slide right behind him.
"He fits the description all right. But you won't be taking any more lives, hero killer."
"Todoroki, don't let that guy get your blood! I think he paralyzes his opponents by swallowing it somehow. That's how he got us!"
"So that's how it is? Well, all I have to do is keep my distance - "
Then a blade buzzed by Todoroki's face, cutting his cheek.
"You've got nice friends, Ingenium," Stain snarled, coming towards Todoroki, blades drawn.
Dammit, muttered Todoroki. And ice blasted upwards around him, just stopping Stain from cutting him.
But the Hero killer looked up; Todoroki followed his gaze to the spinning katana in the air, just long enough for the killer to grab his collar and lean i not lick his blood.
A blast of flames from Todoroki saved us in seconds from losing our last fighter.
"That was close," Todoroki muttered.
And once again the Hero Killer was coming at him.
"Why - why?!" I cried out. "Please stop…I inherited my brother's name. I'm the one who has to do it. I'm the one who -"
"Inherited it? That's strange," said Todoroki. "The ingenium I knew never had that look on his face. You've got a dark side. Guess my family isn't the only one."
"Todoroki," cried Midoriya.
The Hero Killer sliced through Midoriya's ice wall.
"Attempting to block the view of an opponent who's faster than you. How foolish."
"We'll see about that - " Todoroki began, but was stopped when the Hero Killer's blades speared his arm.
"You're good too," he said, which slapped my pride like a knife. I had been disdained, but these two were praised.
"He flew up," said Todoroki, as the Hero Killer poised to strike Native.
Midoriya flew from nowhere to drag the Hero Killer away.
"Midoriya!" cried Todoroki.
"I don't know why, but I'm able to move now!" Midoriya called back to him.
"Must be a time limit!" cried Todoroki.
"No, that kid was the last of us to get caught," Native pointed out. I tried to move - to help Midoriya, as the Hero Killer swiped at him - but nothing happened.
"Fall back, Midoriya!" called Todoroki, saving him with ice in the nick of time.
The two of theme stood allied before us. Midoriya coughed out "So he tasted our blood and paralyzed us. But I was the first to break free somehow. I can think of three possible explanations. Either the effect is weaker the more people he uses it on, or it's about how much blood he gets, or its effectiveness depends on blood type."
"Blood Type?" said the Pro. "I'm B."
"And I'm A," I added.
"Blood type," snarled the Hero Killer, grinning. "That's right."
"Though it's not like knowing that'll really help us," said Midoriya.
"We need to hurry and get these two out of here." added Todoroki. "He's quick enough to react to both my fire and ice, so I'm not seeing an opening. Until the pros get here, our best hope is to keep him at bay and keep dodging."
"You've got too much exposed blood, Todoroki," Midoriya countered. "I'll draw his attention while you provide rear support."
"Pretty risky plan, but yeah. The two of us will protect them."
"Two on one, huh?" the Hero Killer growled back. "At least you're not naive."
I fought against tears of horror as my friends continued to leap into action.
Save him first.
That's what the Hero Killer had told me.
I'm here to save you.
The two of us will protect them.
I'll kill you.
Midoriya and Todoroki…and me.
Midoriya was bleeding again. Cut once more by the killer's blade.
"Stop it," I cried to Todoroki. "I can't take it…"
"If you wanna stop this," Todoroki replied, "then stand up! Never forget who you want to become!"