Nearing the end... Enjoy!
The group ran as fast as they could, helping out whomever they came across along the way. The amount of people they encountered was growing scarce however. The evacuation of the damaged areas seemed to be extremely effective and quick considering the timing of the incident.
The demons seemed to disperse whenever they approached now. Only on occasion would they stand and fight; most of the time they would flee. It seemed that with the addition of Misaki and Accelerator to their cause, their group had finally grown powerful enough for even the strongest of monsters to retreat. It made traversing the burning city significantly easier.
Though they were still a long ways off from the cemetery, they were finally inside district ten. At this point, they were only about 25 minutes away.
Suddenly, Touma's phone started to go off. He answered it quickly; somewhat worried that someone he knew was in trouble.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Kami-yan!" Tsuchimikado said on the other side of the line. "Long time no see! How goes the demon slaying business, nya?"
"I don't like it." Touma replied. "Where are you?"
"Other side of district ten, I'm trying to meet up with Stiyl. I can see you on the camera system, nya!" Tsuchimikado said. "I got Aogami with me and, oddly enough, he was with Sogiita! Did you know these two were friends? It blew my mind when I saw them tag-teaming!"
"That's neat and all, but more important stuff is going on!" Touma shouted. "You said you're trying to find Stiyl; any idea where he is?"
"He's somewhere around here in district ten with us; I can't seem to find him, but I know he's here." Tsuchimikado replied. "We're going to need him; they apparently set-up a barrier around the cemetery. One of those constantly regenerating types too; it's going to take more than Imagine Breaker to bust it open. Lucky for us, Stiyl knows the way to break inside."
"If it's just a spell we need, Index probably knows it. She's here with me." Touma said.
"I know, but we need someone who not only knows it, but has the ability to cast it! Apparently it's some top-class stuff; won't be able to just let one of the heroes do it because we need a large amount of mana. And I don't think me turning into a blood geyser would be too smart; I don't think you guys want more people to defend, right?" Tsuchimikado finished.
"…You have a point. Call me if you find him. I'll do the same if I find him first." Touma said.
"Roger, he should be making his way towards the cemetery too. Good luck Kami-yan!" Tsuchimikado hung up.
"What's wrong, Kamijou?" Izuku asked.
"Our job just got a little bit tougher. There's a self-regenerating barrier set-up and Stiyl is the only one who knows how to get inside and how to cast the spell that lets us in." Touma replied.
"Pain in my ass…" Accelerator clicked his teeth.
"The flames are getting more intense and the temperature is rising rapidly; I believe we are getting closer." Fumikage commented. Suddenly, from the burning buildings, demons started pouring out like a flood. It seems like they were coming from all directions. When they turned their back, a Chaos Knight burst from the ground, cutting off their escape route.
"Shit, it's a trap!" Kirishima said, hardening his arms.
"This many of them, plus another Chaos Knight… if we try to stand and fight, we could be overwhelmed very easily…" Momo warned, pulling a steel pole out of her leg with her quirk.
"Speak for yourself." Accelerator replied, switching on his electrode.
"Either way, we need to push forward somehow…" Ochako stood ready.
"…Their numbers are seemingly endless." Tenya thought out loud. "…But they are congested here; if we split up, some of us might be able to push forward while everyone else holds off the assault."
"If I can get close enough to the source, I can counter-act the spell." Index said. "They pull their energy from the underworld; if I can make it to the source, I can stop more from coming out."
"So… who moves on?" Izuku said.
"I'll stay back here." Accelerator said. "I have some aggression to work off anyway. These guys should make a good punching bag."
"As much I hate to say it, stopping these guys from following you is probably top priority." Mikoto said. "It seems like they are all focused here, so we need to create a bottleneck to stop them."
"I suppose Misaka is right… my boys still have plenty of fight in them anyway!" Misaki cheerfully said.
"It seems like the most use a guy like me is going to get is right here!" Kirishima punched his fists together.
"I'm unsure how useful I can be in a fight with all of this light… but if holding these beasts back is key, so be it." Fumikage answered as his Dark Shadow started to form.
"I can make more ammo for Shokuhou's soldiers; I think it'd be best to stay behind myself." Momo said.
"You'll find my abilities quite well-suited for a mass confrontation." Shouto said, his ice starting to cover the ground around the group.
"It seems that in this situation, that my speed will be useful in delivering supplies or quickly escorting people to safety in dire circumstance… I think I'd be best suited here as well."
"Well… if anyone can permanently stop Japhet's magic, it's probably me…" Touma said. "Imagine Breaker can probably reverse his revival like how it can send these monsters back… and Index already is coming with me… Midoriya?"
"…I'm going." Izuku firmly said. "I made a promise, and I intend to keep it."
"As much as I'd like to blow these fuckers apart, this Japhet guy seems like a giant piece of shit that I would just love to blow to pieces!" Katsuki popped his knuckles.
"Uraraka? What about you?" Izuku asked.
"I'll…" She trailed off, thinking. "…I'll join you, Deku. I'll do my best to make sure everyone makes it through."
"So it's decided then… now we just need a path…" Touma said. Just as he finished, a railgun blast from Mikoto blasted right past him and down the street towards the cemetery. The demons directly hit were obliterated, and the shockwave from the attack blasted the remaining demons back.
"There's your opening! Now go! And you better come back alive you idiot!" Mikoto shouted. Touma turned to her and simply smiled.
"You got it, Misaka!" Touma said as he ran; the sudden use of her name causing Mikoto to turn red. As the group began to fight of the demonic hoard, Index, Izuku, Katsuki, and Ochako followed after Touma as he ran, desperate to make it to the cemetery in time.
They ran as fast as they could, Touma following his map closely. Taking whatever shortcut they could, they were rapidly gaining ground.
"Almost… there…!" Touma said. Just two more blocks away. The alleyways around them were now engulfed by fire. Suddenly, there were a series of explosions that went off all across the sides of several buildings down the street. Rubble and debris filled the street, blocking their path. "Not again… can we find a way around!?"
"Dealing with the fire would take too much time to travel safely…" Ochako commented.
"I can blast us through; won't be nice but it'll get the job done." Katsuki said as he walked forward.
"Wait… not yet." Izuku said. "Fire couldn't have done that. Someone rigged those buildings to explode."
"Not bad! Not bad at all! What a brilliant deduction!" A familiar voice could be heard all around them with an echo; it sounded like Prometheus. Before they could question it, a massive dragon head made of ice with an elongated neck flew towards them from the middle of the debris pile; demolishing all that remained in its path. Despite its size and sheer power, Touma easily destroyed it with his right hand. Pandora was revealed after it's destruction to be in the rubble, completely unharmed. Prometheus suddenly appeared in front of the group, and Pandora flew forward to stand beside him.
"Damn it… get out of the way Prometheus! We don't have time to deal with you!" Touma shouted. Prometheus grinned.
"That is unfortunate… because I have plenty of time to play around with you!" Prometheus spun his scythe around. "No one gets beyond this point; orders from the top! So you're going to have to wait around here like polite boys and girls until there's nothing left of this city but ash!"
"Why are you doing this…?" Izuku asked. "You don't have anything to gain by helping destroy the city! Why are you doing this to innocent people!?" Izuku shouted louder. Prometheus laughed.
"Innocent? You think these pieces of shit are innocent!?" He shot back. "Let's take a little trip down memory lane then back to when little ol' Prometheus was a kiddy who all he had was his sister… one day; the administration decides that the brother and sister love each other too much, and send the brother away to torment them both! Then, let's move forward a bit, until some scientist folk suddenly notice little lonely Prometheus playing on the side of the street during one of the few times he's allowed outside, and they wonder what to do about that little problem. And they decide to take the little kid to a shiny little laboratory in some kind of city he'd never heard of because no-one bothered to tell him in the first place!"
Pandora looked at her brother with a look of concern. She remained silent however, and let Prometheus continue the story.
"Then came the needles! The drugs! The machines! Little ol' Prometheus was turned into a little lab-rat for special esper development programs they thought were far too dangerous for anyone who actually mattered! Little Prometheus went a little bit crazy; not everything made sense anymore! Images and dreams of confusion; it got so bad that little Prometheus forgot his own name! But they had a solution for that; let's give him a number instead, good ol' zero-zero-one, the first subject, and certainly not the last…!" Prometheus was starting to get hysterical, but quickly calmed down as if a pleasant memory jumped into his mind.
"Then, let's say… a few years later, after little Prometheus is deemed a failure and locked away with a special ability suppressant room so he couldn't escape, something knocked at his door. He ignores it of course, not wishing for any more special tests… at least, he does until the door is blasted off its hinges. Wouldn't you know it; Prometheus' long lost sister suddenly appears to whisk him away from hellish prison! She nurses him back to health, teaches him magic even! And when Prometheus' body breaks trying to use it, she fashions a special tether of sorts to eliminate that problem… and now, fast forward to right now, when Prometheus and Pandora have chosen new names to go by, to evade recapture." Prometheus sighed. "Man… memory lane is full of pins and needles huh?"
"So you just out for revenge huh…" Katsuki cracked his knuckles.
"Nah… this is more of a victory lap… the scientists directly responsible are already dead." Prometheus explained. "I can hear their screams, you know? Right in here. It's like music to my ears!" Prometheus held out his scythe, aimed at the group. "Besides; this city is full of experimentation like that; possibly even worse! We're doing the world a favor by wiping it off the face of the earth!"
"That scythe is magically enchanted." Index replied. "I can tell just by looking at it, if what he says is true, I believe that it might steal the souls of whomever he kills with it. Also, that connection he described; the girl must be processing the magic for Prometheus externally using her own mana supply. It is the only conceivable way that Prometheus to be able to cast magic without suffering the consequences as an esper."
"…So that explains when the guy's bullshit stopped working when Kamijou decked the bastard's sister then." Katsuki grinned. "Well this is going to be interesting, now isn't it?"
"…Little bitch found us out." Prometheus looked more surprised than anything. "…I don't like that."
"Her knowledge of magic is exemplary. She may have ways to counter-act Japhet's magic." Pandora suddenly spoke.
"Understood." Prometheus suddenly vanished. He reappeared behind the group, more particularly, behind Index, and brought his scythe down on top of her. Ochako moved quickly on reflex, catching the blade by slamming the palms of her hands onto the sides of it, holding it in place. She struggled, but managed to hold it for the time being.
'For such a lanky guy… he is really strong…!' Ochako thought as he held the blade back. Prometheus grinned wide and applied more force; attempting to break through Ochako's hold and cleave her in half.
"If his scythe is magic…!" Touma turned, attempting to grab Prometheus' scythe with his right hand. Prometheus however, vanished in an instant.
"Brilliant deduction…!" Prometheus was now behind Touma, and with an upward slash, he ripped open Touma's back, spilling blood.
"No, Touma!" Index shouted. Prometheus laughed, but his expression changed when Touma suddenly turned, swinging his right arm through the air, the side of his right hand slamming into the scythe blade. Even through it was just the side, a shattering sound was heard and in an instant, Prometheus' scythe was blasted into millions of pieces.
Prometheus' eyes widened. The voices of those he had slain, one of his few comforts, was gone. No more cries of pain. No more howls of terror. No more pleading for forgiveness. Nothing. His deranged mind was suddenly silent, and it made him furious. But he had no time to curse; Touma had already reeled back his right fist, and amidst Prometheus' confusion, slammed it into his face. Prometheus flew backward through the air, slamming into the ground a fair distance away.
"B-brother!" Pandora flew to Prometheus as he slowly pushed himself up.
"…He destroyed it, like it was nothing…" Prometheus gritted his teeth. "…Not even that All Might fucker would have been able to do that…!"
"There… one less problem…" Touma said.
"K-Kamijou! Your back!" Izuku called out.
"It's fine." Touma said simply. "Don't worry about it. We have more important things to worry about."
"Brother… are you ok?" Pandora asked. Prometheus opened one hand and a crimson flame appeared out of it. After a time, the flame vanished and Prometheus fully stood up.
"I'm fine." He stated simply. "…His right hand can not only stop magic, but apparently it can destroy magical objects… It can destroy our connection, but my guess is that it will only work if he touches you."
"…Understood. I will be sure to stay away from him." Pandora said.
"Stay safe." Prometheus said, bending his body as if he was about to run forward, turning his attention towards the group in front of him. "Now I'm really pissed off! Berserker Seal: OVERDRIVE!" Prometheus shouted, the intense aura from before erupted back full force, and crimson flames seemed to erupt form the ground around him and wrap around his body. He charged forward with crimson fire gathering in his hands in an attempt to attack Touma. However, Izuku quickly intercepted him with Full Cowl, kicking Prometheus in the chin, sending him skyward.
"If you two want to fight so bad, then fine! Let's finish that once and for all!" Izuku shouted.
"Don't get cocky! Promethean Flame!" Prometheus thrust his blazing hands forward and a cone of crimson fire surged forth, growing larger as it traveled. Touma moved in front of the attack and stopped it in its tracks with Imagine Breaker.
"…Index." Ochako called out. "Do you think you can find a safe place? You said you can't cast magic yourself right?"
"I can try- Look out!" Index shouted. Behind Ochako a massive knight made of ice suddenly appeared, and was swinging its blade down on top of her. However, the knight abruptly shattered when Katsuki attacked it with an explosion; the Knight's massive sword falling and hitting the ground near Ochako herself.
"B-Bakugou!? I thought you'd go after Prometheus!" Ochako stuttered out in surprise.
"Of course I am!" Katsuki replied with a smirk. "But this bitch is the key to that guy's power. Take her out and I'll be able to blast that Prometheus fucker straight to hell! Stop standing around and make yourself useful!" Ochako took a step back and the side of her leg hit the large sword of ice. She looked at it for a moment before getting an idea.
"…Sure, whatever you say." Ochako replied confidently. Curious as to where the sudden change of attitude came from, Katsuki looked behind him. Ochako gripped the large sword by the handle, and activated her quirk, making the massive blade as light as air, and heaved it upward with surprising ease. "Let's see how this works out!" She said, aiming the over-sized blade at Pandora. Katsuki was surprised, but suddenly smirked.
He didn't want to admit it, but Katsuki was impressed.
'Impossible…!' Pandora thought. 'A blade with that size and density would have to weigh over 800 pounds… and she can lift it like it's nothing!?'
"Let's go!" Ochako charged forward, swinging the blade horizontally at Pandora from her right side. Pandora crated a wall of ice to block the swing, but Katsuki came at her from the other side and blasted her through it, launching her into one of the building's walls.
"Pandora!" Prometheus shouted, aiming his hand to fire a blast of fire at Katsuki's back, but was suddenly kicked across the face by Izuku.
"Stay focused one me!" he shouted, attacking again, this time with a punch. Prometheus vanished and appeared behind Katsuki, trying to fire at point blank. However, Touma predicted this and ran for Katsuki before the teleport, and just as he appeared, smashed his right fist into Prometheus' face, imagine breaker canceling out his magic and deactivating his Berserker Seal. If that wasn't enough, Katsuki turned as well, grinning like mad, and threw both of his hands forward, unleashing two explosive blasts straight into Prometheus' torso, launching him back.
"I fucking knew it! Can't stand the sight of your sister being hurt, huh!?" Katsuki shouted. That was his plan; use Prometheus' relationship with Pandora against him. Prometheus stood up, and was looking even angrier than before.
"Shut the fuck up you son of a bitch!" Prometheus shouted, throwing his hands forward and unleashing another Promethean Flame attack. Touma moved to block it with his right hand, but Prometheus kept generating the attack. "Come on, come on! There has to be a limit, there has to be!" As Prometheus continued his assault, Pandora aimed her staff at Touma from behind, preparing a thunder-based spell. This stopped however, when her staff was suddenly kicked out of her hand by Izuku.
"This ends now!" Izuku then punched Pandora in the stomach, and then kicked her into the air with Full Cowl.
Prometheus' flames raged with such intensity, parts of his line of sight were blocked, as he struggled to overcome Imagine Breaker. He didn't notice until it was too late, that amidst his own rage, Ochako had slipped in next to him with the massive sword of ice ready.
"Home Run Comet!" She swung with the flat side of the blade aimed toward Prometheus' back, slammed it into him launching him upward at an angle. Prometheus slammed into Pandora in the air, stunning them both. Katsuki launched himself into the air, appearing just above them, and unleashed a double explosion again, not only blasting Katsuki to safety, but knocking the duo straight into the ground. After a short time, Prometheus stood up again, but Pandora remained grounded; she appeared to be rendered unconscious. Prometheus tried to gather a flame attack, but coughed up blood in response; it became apparent that Pandora had to be active in order for him to use magic.
"How… the hell… are you doing this…!?" Prometheus stammered out.
"You think you can attack us three times and not have you fucking figured out, you piece of shit!?" Katsuki shouted.
"It's time for this to end, Prometheus. Give it up. You can't use magic without your sister." Izuku added. Prometheus grinded his teeth together in anger.
"You pieces of shit…! YOU PIECES OF SHIIIIIT!" Prometheus shouted to the heavens as he activated his berserker Seal again. He coughed up blood, and various parts of his body were starting to rip open.
"The Berserker Seal will increase his power as he's damaged…" Index started. "…But by using it without Pandora's mana, he will rip himself apart…" She widened her eyes a bit with a sudden realization. "…It will be short-lived, but he'll become a never-ending conduit of physical strength!"
"I'll… TEAR YOU APART!" Prometheus shouted as he burst forward, his eyes completely shining red as his body destroyed itself. He only had one goal left; to kill. He rushed as quickly as he could, his hand outstretched, as if he was going to crush whatever he got his hands on.
This state was short lived as Touma slammed the side of his right hand into Prometheus' own, nullifying his magic entirely.
"You really think this is ok…!? Killing people because you feel like it, and dragging your sister along with it…!?" Touma clenched his right hand tight into a fist.
"She came for you, and saved you! And this is how you repay her!?" Izuku's fist did the same.
"Don't… you… dare…!" Prometheus' mind was hazy; he couldn't focus enough to use his teleportation.
"If you think we're going to let you get away with something like that, then we're going to shatter that fucked up illusion of yours!" Touma shouted, throwing his right fist into Prometheus' face. Izuku threw his own as well; the two colliding with Prometheus and launching him tumbling backward. This time, there was no struggle, and no way for a second round.
Prometheus and Pandora were finally defeated.
Now only one goal was left for them.
Hugo Japhet, leader of the order of the millennial phoenix.