Hi hello, I have no idea how I got another chapter done so soon but here we are. I hope everyone enjoys it! It was an interesting one to write for certain! Got to use some of my favorite Servants to write in this one!
He woke up in a daze.
He couldn't entirely focus his vision, but there was a mass of pink directly above him.
"Master! Master, are you ok?" Mashu asked as she shook him.
"What in the actual hell was that? What did you just do?" Paxti shouted in a panic.
"Ughr. D-Did it work?"
"It worked but… Master… What exactly was that?" Avicebron asked, "The enemy was routed but you also destroyed a handful of the golems I was using to protect us."
"I did?" Nathan tried to sit up but found his body largely unresponsive.
He held the Silver Key in his left hand.
There was blood all over it but he had no idea where it had come from.
That's right.
He'd wanted to do something, anything, to help improve their situation.
So he'd decided to try that present he received from Abigail at the end of the Salem Singularity.
"For the love of the Tsar, never, EVER, do that again," Paxti said as his sense of dread finally began to fade away.
Nathan accepted Mashu's help and directed his eyes forward.
The amount of carnage in front of him was simply…
Unforgettable.
"And yet I used it again," Nathan said to himself.
"And yet you used it again," A voice belonging to both him and Sut Typhon muttered.
Last time he'd been desperately trying to defeat an opposing army.
This time he'd been desperately trying to save himself.
"The wish you made upon the key was different so we responded accordingly."
"I wasn't entirely expecting you to actually start manifesting though, just maybe enough to get those guys off of me."
"We do not understand. This was the smallest amount of aid we could render."
It was a matter of scale.
Sut Typhon was too vast an entity to understand how to respond to Nathan's cry for help with anything other than what had actually transpired.
He thought he'd had an ok grasp on what would happen if he turned that key, but that had clearly been a mistake.
"I fucked up pretty bad this time huh?"
"Were you not the one that said that you should be allowed to make mistakes lest you lose what little is left of your humanity?"
"I guess…"
The memory of their first true encounter faded away, revealing a familiar sea of stars.
"What's going on outside now?" He turned to his right to see a shadowy version of himself with a few too many eyes staring back at him.
"Your container has sustained severe damage. The fatigue you accumulated is not helping matters. It has received basic treatment but it will do you no favors to return to the waking world as you are."
"... At least I made it to a hospital."
There was a strange groaning sound all around them.
"Hospital? No. You were captured by the two you saved."
"Wh- Well isn't that a nice thank you," Nathan said with an exasperated sigh, "What do we do now?"
"Your toils here to contain us have limited our options. We would need to break free in order to single handedly save you."
Nathan thought back to accepting all of Sut Typhon to try and ease the influence it was exerting on the waking world. They had briefly danced together as one in the same and while that had helped further the understanding of what Nathan wanted, it had still proven to be a massively difficult task.
After what felt like an eternity he had managed to help Sut Typhon contain the vast majority of the power leaking out. It was a stopgap measure and he would need help from Chaldea to fully understand and deal with exactly what he'd done to himself but it was good enough for the moment.
"Hm… Is there anyone else with us? That's on our side?"
"Bakugo Katsuki was also captured. Bubaigawara Jin is likely to aid you should you ask him."
"... Let's think about what other angles we can consider here… As much as they would help, I don't want to put them under direct fire because of the mistakes I've made today…"
A large clanging noise reached that inner sanctum. Something smashed into an invisible wall, desperate to try and reach that distant sea Nathan and Sut Typhon stood on.
"Who's there?" Nathan called out.
Another bang.
"Shrouded in anger and hatred. He reaches between in search of his revenge." Sut Typhon said, regarding the distant crashing.
"... The Count? Can we let him in?"
"He brings an untold darkness with him- It would be best if we-"
That wall containing the endless sea shattered, allowing a single burst of darkness to slip through, landing at Nathan's feet.
It bubbled and quivered before rising into the shape of a man.
"Master," Edmond Dantes said as he took form.
"Yes Count?"
"You're grounded when we get you back to Chaldea. Now. Tell me exactly what happened."
"Why… Are there two of them…" Shigaraki asked, looking between the two unconscious boys tied up before him.
"Well. Bakugo is the one you requested and… Twice took some liberties with the mission it seems," Compress said gently.
"This piece of shit is the last person I want to see! He's the one that was such a pain in the ass when we first attacked UA!" Shigaraki roared as he furiously scratched at his neck.
"Y-Yeah well- I didn't know that!" Twice said, "Besides he's a real pain in the ass but he understands us!"
"That's the problem with heroes like him!" Shigaraki shouted.
He'd been subjected to Nathan's particular brand of understanding before.
That pitying look…
The hand extended in peace…
He'd hated every second of it.
He was just some obnoxious brat that knew nothing of the pain this world was capable of inflicting.
"I want him gone. I'll kill him myself."
"W-woah woah wait! That bastard- He's an extra hostage right!? It's good that we keep him around, yeah? Besides! I think- I think he'll listen to us! Like really listen to us!"
"When did you become his number one fanboy? We were only separated for like 20 minutes…" Toga said.
Twice began to short out at the thought of that whole ordeal lasting only 20 minutes.
But Dabi flinching caught Magne's attention.
"You two fought him right? Would he be a decent addition to our team if Twice is right?"
Dabi shuttered at the thought of that fight. He'd had the upper hand all the way until that key had been turned and then everything went to hell.
That darkened mass of flesh was still there but the alien air it produced was absent currently.
"We shouldn't hurt him for now," Dabi finally spoke, "Don't mistake me, I'd sooner burn him to ash, but attacking him without a plan did not go well for us…"
Toga pulled a knife and approached the unconscious boy.
"He's out cold, I'm just gonna slip this into his heart and it'll be alllll over!"
"Woah woah! Yeah Stab him!" Twice shouted as he grabbed her wrist, "Please… He's not like the others! I swear!"
"Ultimately it's up to you Shigaraki, what will it be?" Kurogiri said from his place behind the counter.
"I'll end it here."
The door to the bar slammed open.
A figure none of them recognized slid through the entrance.
"Did you really capture Nathan Relnor? That glory stealing fake is here?"
"And you are?" Spinner asked, knife drawn.
"An associate of your benefactor. I hail from the other side of the world. I believe you were told to kill this boy and yet he lives and you have brought him here."
Dabi winced.
"Well we really did try!" Twice defended himself, "But then he killed us!"
"If he killed you you'd be dead…" Toga muttered.
"No. I believe he speaks the truth… What a development we have here…" The figure approached Nathan, drawing close to that discolored shoulder, "Ooooh yes. This is… Frankly this could not have gone more perfectly for me if you'd tried. I can't believe my eyes…"
The League of Villains watched as that cloaked mage circled Nathan, poking and prodding at his left shoulder a few times before finally coming to a stop before Shigaraki.
They pulled their hood down, revealing a blank mask and a mop of unkempt black hair.
"I just need a sample. You've managed to turn this boy into an extremely valuable resource for study. As compensation I would like for you to have these."
He reached into his cloak and pulled out five of the strange silver devices that they'd given Stain.
"They're of slightly higher quality than the last batch. They still will have difficulty standing up to Chaldeans but this should be more than enough to ward them off for a time."
"They didn't seem to help Stain that much," Shigaraki said sharply as Compress took the devices off of that man's hands.
"The fact that Stain lasted more than a few seconds against a Chaldean is testament to the effectiveness of these devices. Sadly the production process has been slow so I've only managed to distribute a handful to various criminal organizations. But I'm sure with time their power will be known across the land. And you have the entirety of my new and improved batch!"
The mage cackled to himself as he twirled back around to face Nathan.
"Although with this little number production might step up a few degrees!" He let out a strange laugh as he produced a syringe. He jabbed it into Nathan's shoulder and pulled back the plunger but nothing returned.
"Oh you're a stubborn one aren't you! Don't worry, I have my ways."
"Y-You're not gonna hurt him too bad are you!?" Twice asked.
"Why do - Oh. I see. You listened to him didn't you. He does have quite the habit of making a mess of things by opening his mouth. He's quite the little deceiver. Some no name from nowhere reaching the rank of FES like it was nothing. What a joke."
He drew a symbol in the air before Nathan, causing an odd crack to sound. Removing the syringe he jabbed it into Nathan's arm just below that darkened flesh and drew a fairly large amount of blood.
"Theeeeeere we are! Excellent. Hopefully this will be as rewarding as I think it will be," he quickly disappeared the syringe back into his cloak before turning to the gathered villains, "I suppose I can offer my services to you as well. You can call me Aleister. It's a pleasure to meet you. If you need further anti Chaldea measures I'd be happy to lend you my services free of charge. Oh. I do have one final request. Keep the boy alive. I'm not sure what I'm going to get out of this vial so the ability to draw more would be appreciated! I know it's a bother but if you help me I'll supply you with some wonderful toys capable of bringing hero society to its knees!"
He let out an odd cackle as he strode through the door, slamming it behind him just as forcefully as he'd kicked it open.
Shigaraki stared at that closed door and then turned his attention back to Nathan.
He genuinely didn't want to look at this kid for another moment.
Killing him would certainly damage hero society at large.
But if that man was an associate of Teacher…
The promise of more powerful weapons was tempting. He was just starting to make choices and he needed firepower to back them up.
Besides, what if Twice was right? What if he could turn two of the top placing students from the sports festival?
"Mange, tear off those scale limbs and gag him. We'll figure out what to do with him later…"
For now he was just barely more valuable alive than dead.
But he wasn't about to take any chances.
The next morning came too quickly.
The news of the villains' attack had spread and the media was lambasting UA for failing to protect its students.
But they and the police were hard at work chasing down leads as to the League's location.
Aizawa and Vlad sat in a police station giving their accounts of events and helping to coordinate the search efforts.
Tsukauchi leaned back as another officer with a cat head entered the room, followed quickly by a now familiar face.
"Sherlock Holmes. What brings Chaldea's representative here?" Tsukauchi asked as he stood to greet the man.
"Not idle chatter for certain," He slid a tablet across the table between the three, "This is accurate location data for Nathan Relnor. We are ready to retrieve him and would like to do so immediately if at all possible."
Aizawa's eyes widened at that. Did Relnor have a tracer on him that Chaldea kept track of? Could that have been a vector as to how the villains found out about the location of the camp? But he didn't have any of his normal equipment on him when he was taken. Was it some kind of implant?
"How did you get this?" Vlad asked.
"Nathan Relnor is close to Chaldea's true Master. It only stands to reason that there exist those that would go through him to reach at the heart of our operation. As such he has certain protections afforded to him," Sherlock explained coolly, "When will the operation begin?"
"Wait. Do you know anything about Bakugo Katsuki? Is he with Nathan Relnor?"
"Unknown. We've prepared to retrieve Nathan Relnor and will rescue Bakugo Katsuki if at all possible during that operation."
There was an uneasy air.
"Make no mistake. We at Chaldea are absolutely furious about this turn of events. We do not blame you, we are no strangers to having missions go south no matter how many precautions are taken. But Nathan Relnor's safety is our number one priority at the moment, we can and will retrieve him at a moment's notice, but we are bound by law to only operate when authorized."
As much as they wanted to vaporize the building and kill everyone in it except Nathan and Bakugo…
That did not fit with their standing orders.
They could not draw undue attention to themselves.
They had to operate in the constraints of hero society.
They would not kill unless absolutely forced to.
Those were Nathan Relnor's wishes and to trample upon them while he was gone would be to prove the descenters back at Clocktower correct.
If Nathan Relnor could not control Chaldea while he was not present he would most certainly receive a Sealing Designation.
While there was little anyone could do about Chaldea's direct fire power they could not risk Nathan being exiled from this world he gave so much to save.
"We just got another tip that corroborates this. Let me make a few calls and we'll start putting together a team. I know Chaldea is angry, but UA… No… Professional Heroes will not take this lightly either. You have my word on that." Tsukauchi said sternly.
"Very well. My team will be on standby, you know how to reach us."
Midoriya awoke slowly, blinking his eyes open..
His arms were heavily bandaged and he felt sore all over but…
He'd absolutely destroyed them in his battle with Muscular. Even with Recovery Girl's help he should be in much worse shape shouldn't he?
"Izuku!" One Midoriya Inko shouted as she hugged him.
"M-Mom!? What's going on? Where-"
"You're in the hospital! You can't keep doing this to your mother, I can't take it anymore!"
She sobbed into his shoulder as she held him in her warm embrace.
"What happened? I remember… The Chaldeans were helping with first aid and then I-"
"Th-this is the closest hospital to the camp. They brought you all here. You've been in and out for several hours but the doctors say they're astonished with your recovery!"
"Erm. Yes, quite right." The doctor said as he walked in. "The Chaldean that treated you on the scene had an unparalleled healing quirk and was able to repair your bones and ligaments on the spot, but… If she hadn't been there there's no telling the damage you would have done to yourself. I have to advise you that you cannot push yourself that far many more times or else you may render your arms completely unusable…"
That was not a message he wanted his mother to hear immediately after he woke up but… He would have to thank Chaldea for sparing him the worst of his injuries.
Wait.
"Nathan! Nathan Relnor! He-"
Immediately Inko and his doctor looked away from him.
"I am unaware of the larger situation but Nathan Relnor was one of the two students captured during this attack. He is not here."
Midoriya's expression sank.
Nathan really had been…
He shouldn't have left him alone! He should have forced him to help him with Kota! He should have-
"Good morning."
The three turned towards the door to see a figure only Midoriya recognized.
"Georgios?" Midoriya called out.
"Ah, good, you remembered. I see you've had quite the adventure since we last spoke."
"Who- Who is this?" Inko asked, clinging to her son as that strange man in bronze armor entered the room.
"Th-This is Saint George! He helped me during- He helped save us from- He's a Chaldean hero that helped me during my internship!"
The doctor took the opportunity to excuse himself from the room as Georgios approached Midoriya's bedside.
"Georgios I- I'm sorry- Nathan- He ran off on his own and I should have-"
"Young man. I've known Nathan for many more years than you. If he had his mind set on a course of action there was little you could have done to talk him out of it."
"But- I should have gone- And now he's-"
"Nathan Relnor's location is known to us. Chaldea is working closely with the authorities to organize a raid as we speak." Georgios said evenly, his presence acting to sooth the mother and son's nerves.
"Thank goodness! When I heard that poor boy had been taken I was-"
"Be at ease. Nathan Relnor is not someone who will fall to simple villains. He has withstood much to arrive to today. This will be but a drop in the ocean for him." Georgios said perhaps a bit too jovially, "There's no need for excess worry. He will be fine. Chaldea will see to that with all of the might we have available."
Midoriya shuddered at that thought.
Chaldea possessed numerous powerful heroes who were capable of handling a wide variety of disasters.
But all of them working towards a single goal? Especially a goal as important to them as Nathan's personal safety?
He felt his worry ease slightly, but he could not help but feel the weight of his failure to save either Nathan or Bakugo.
Georgios narrowed his eyes as he watched Midoriya's feelings rumble barely disguised within him.
"If you are anything like that boy, I know it's tearing you up that you're stuck here, but please. For your own safety leave this to us."
He spoke firmly and his words felt like a command that was impossible to ignore.
But-
"Hey George. We've got new intel. You'll want to hear this." A man with long brown hair and striking blue eyes leaned his head into the room.
No wait. He wasn't a man was he? He had the lower body of a horse so he had to be some kind of centaur right?
"Ah. Of course Chiron, I'll be right there. If you'll excuse me," Georgios bowed as he exited the room.
"I know that look you've got too young man. Please. Think of your mother before you decide to do anything rash. And. We need to have a talk later. About UA…"
Midoriya nodded slowly as he tried to follow Georgios' movements, losing him as he left his field of vision.
Inko left his room after a while. The doctors had assured her that they were going to observe him overnight and that there was no need to stay by his side. This unfortunately left Izuku alone with his worries.
At least until someone else barged into his room.
"Hey man, looks like you're awake," Kaminari said as he entered first followed by most of 1-A, "You hear what's been going on, the media is going crazy over what happened."
"It's only a matter of time before they come down even harder on UA," Sato muttered, "Bet it'll be worse than it was in spring…"
They were missing a few by his count… Everyone still seemed a little jumpy but that was to be expected not even a day after they were attacked by villains.
Wait.
"Shoji? Are you ok?" Midoriya asked, remembering the severity of his injuries.
"Ah, Yeah I'm alright, that Chaldean patched me up really well before I even got here, looks like she did the same to you huh?"
"D-did you catch her name?"
"I think it was Circe?"
"Like the Greek Witch?" Tokoyami asked back.
"Y-yeah I guess?"
"Curious… Regardless… I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble," Tokoyami said with a small bow.
"N-No- I'm the one that should be sorry… Is everyone from class A here?"
"Not everyone. Jiro and Hagakure have yet to wake up from the poison gas. Not to mention Yaoyorozu suffered a severe head injury. The Chaldean that arrived on scene did wonders to treat her so she's conscious but she's still here for evaluation." IIda rattled off helpfully.
"All 14 of us are here…" Uraraka muttered.
"Of course, Bakugo and Nathan aren't here," Todoroki said quietly.
"W-Woah Todoroki-"
Midoriya spiraled inward. Bakugo and Nathan had been right in front of him and he had completely failed to save either of them. Aizawa was right all along, he could not be a hero if he rendered himself useless after saving just one person.
"I couldn't… Move my body…"
"Then let's go save them now." Kirishima said simply, knocking the entire class off balance.
"Todoroki and I came by earlier this morning, we saw All Might, the police, and I guess a couple of Chaldeans talking to Yaoyorozu. Apparently she managed to plant a tracker onto one of the villains. She made a receiver and gave it to them but…"
"You're saying that she may be able to make another one, for us…" Iida muttered.
The air was still for a moment before Iida fully processed the idea.
"Absolutely not! We have to leave this to the pros! It's foolish to try and interfere!"
"I know that! But- I couldn't do anything! I heard they were after my friend! And I couldn't do a damn thing! If I don't do something now- Forget being a hero! I won't even be a man!" Kirishima shouted.
The rest of the class tried to calm him but there was nothing they could do.
They too felt the unfairness of the situation.
"You feel the same way too, right Midoriya? We can still reach them!"
"Woah woah! L-lets think here-" Mina piped up.
"The villains took them both alive despite saying we were on their hit list… There's nothing to say that they're still alive so Kirishima and I will go," Todoroki said quietly.
"Are you not listening!?" Iida shouted.
"Hang on. I get it. I get the pain of having someone snatched away from right in front of you but not being able to do anything. But we can't lose our heads here," Shoji said, "I regret it all too but this isn't-"
"Ou-Oui we should leave this to All Might! We're not allowed to fight anymore."
"We're all still in shock," Tsuyu said plainly, "So we have to think about this calmly. It doesn't matter how righteous your feelings are… If you say you're going to fight again… If you're going to break the rules… Those actions are the same as those of villains…"
Her words brought a sense of finality to the conversation. But.
"Is Relnor a villain then?" Todoroki asked simply.
Tsuyu took a sharp breath.
"If he were here… He would say we should save them no matter what."
USJ felt like it was years in the past, but the memories of that boy flying down the staircase to protect Aizawa came rushing back.
Tokoyami clenched at his heart as he remembered Nathan's extreme actions during their internship.
Not to mention, the smile he gave once everything was over.
There was no arguing against Todoroki.
Everyone there knew that insane boy would throw away rules to save someone in an instant. But did that make him a hero or a villain?
"Y-You can't just speak for someone that isn't here…" Koda said shakily.
But they knew that wasn't true. Everyone present had a clear image in their head of Nathan standing at Midoriya's bedside with a smile that radiated too much love.
They had no idea what drove him to the lengths he went, and he was always the first to downplay anything he was involved with. But he had reached truly astounding heights and used that strength to reach out to anyone near him.
A knock came at the door, startling the class.
One of the doctors poked their heads in, "Time for Midoriya's checkup. I hate to ask this but can you all please leave the room?"
"Y-Yeah, C-Come on let's go. We should check on Jiro and Hagakure…" Sero said, ushering everyone out of the room.
Kirishima lingered around Midoriya's bed and spoke in a hushed whisper.
"I talked to Yaoyorozu after she met with All Might and the others. If we're going it has to be tonight… I don't know if you'll be in any condition to go but… I know this is probably hurting you more than the rest of us… We'll be waiting outside the hospital for you…"
Iida paused at the doorway.
His fists clenched as his thoughts rumbled inside him.
Bakugo awoke with a start.
He was flat on his back but he could hear fire off in the distance.
Something was grievously wrong with the sky.
Smoke was blotting it out but he could still see the strange shimmer.
It looked like thousands of eyes were watching him…
It was so distressing that it took him a moment to register.
The fire wasn't off in the distance it was all around him.
He shot up and glanced around.
The city around him was completely ruined.
Bodies crushed and burned by rubble and fire spread out as far as the eye could see.
How long had he been out?
"Not long."
He nearly jumped out of his skin as he turned to blast the somewhat familiar voice sounding from behind him.
An 11 year old boy stood behind him causing Bakugo's natural instincts to freeze up.
In the blink of an eye that child was replaced by Nathan Relnor.
"Don't worry about all this, it's just a dream. We're asleep in the same area, this sort of thing just kind of happens," Nathan said with a level of casualness that did not match with the setting.
"Where the fuck is this place?"
"It's Fyuuki City. Well A version of it. It's not super important. I just wanted to touch base with you before things start moving."
"... And… You pulled me into your dreams to do this?"
"It was either pull you here or jump into yours. I was trying to do both but it looks like drawing you in was easier."
Bakugo was at a loss for words. What the hell was this guy even talking about? Was this a quirk he had? And why a burning city? Was this an actual place? Something Nathan had seen? And that kid…
"You're getting off track."
"Stop fucking reading my mind you bastard."
"I can't help it, we're not really talking out loud right now, this is a dream after all."
Fuck.
"How come I can't hear you thinking then?"
"I'm a lot more used to protecting my thoughts in this kind of setting than you are."
Why on earth-
No no, despite everything, he was actually right, they had other things they needed to deal with.
"We got captured," Bakugo said plainly. There was no point in keeping up his aggression right now, in fact he found it difficult to be indignant with the horrors on display around him.
"It happens, even true heroes have bad days where they just get caught off guard. Thankfully we didn't die for it so we're doing pretty good so far."
"The hell are you being so cavalier about it? Aren't you worried at all?"
"There's not a lot worrying is going to do for either of us. Right now we're in the belly of the beast and we need to work our way out. Everything else is secondary to surviving this."
The flames around them danced as billowing smoke swirled above them.
"They… Probably took your scale limbs off. That's what I'd do."
"Yeah, no doubt. But I know how to get myself out of situations like this. I just need to not do something stupid like I did back in the forest…"
"What information do we have right now?"
"From Sut's report it sounds like they're in a lull right now. They'll probably be talking to us, or at least you, sometime tonight. You remember that hand villain? Shigaraki from USJ?"
Bakugo nodded mutely.
"He's in charge of this operation. We've got to deal with him and a crew of… Six others it seems like? Plus any of those human puppets they have in reserve." Nathan said casually.
"I got a question,"
"Shoot."
"How in the fuck are you doing all of this?"
Nathan's smile tightened as his figure distorted slightly.
"This world really is a big place isn't it?"
That voice had not come from Nathan despite being his, so Bakugo whirled around to see its source.
Nathan was dressed in an outfit he didn't recognize. Pure black with some kind of armor over his right arm and the right side of his chest.
Wait.
His right arm was…
"In doing everything you can just to survive from one day to the next sometimes you take a few steps away from what it means to operate as a human being."
Bakugo turned to the new Nathan. This one was older, dressed in pure white.
"But regardless of the how or the why, they are tools we can use to escape and live to talk about it. Can't be a hero if you're dead right?" A Nathan dressed in a dark suit said with a somber tone.
"Just because we're hurt and deep within enemy territory doesn't mean we've lost. As long as we survive we can fix everything later," Nathan Relnor as Bakugo recognized him said as he took a step forward from within one of the nearby fires, "So what else do you need to grasp that kind of victory?"
Bakugo did not know what he was seeing, but, with this kind of information and foresight…
They could not lose.
"What do we know about those bastards?" Bakugo asked with a vicious smile.
"I'll tell you everything I can."
"And we're sure Relnor is in this location?" Best Jeanest asked as he pointed to the operations map.
"Yes, according to our tracking data he has not been moved since his capture."
A man with piercing red eyes and blond hair stood on the other side of the table as heroes and Chaldeans scrambled all around them, getting ready for a two pronged operation in record time.
"Gil! We've got our support squad ready for Nathan's recovery," Enkidu said cheerfully as he approached the table.
"Excellent. And your units? I am aware that you've already begun coordinating with local authorities to properly receive these mongrels once we capture them."
"Yes, once everything is in place All Might will lead the assault against the League of Villains. I'll be heading the team that goes after the second location…"
"Good. We will wait for your signal but if we see an opportunity to rescue Nathan Relnor during the chaos we will be taking it."
"Understood," Jeanest nodded, "I was wondering, why have you assigned Chaldeans to work with my team? I was under the impression that you had no interest in crushing the League like this beyond simply retrieving Relnor."
Wise King Gilgamesh cast him a long look before glancing down at the operations map.
"I believe it will be in our best interests should anything go awry. We are unaware of the scope of their operation and are simply ensuring that should the worst happen we will have units on standby no matter what…"
"I- I see. Thank you for that consideration. Do you know who we'll be working with?"
"They will meet you on site."
That was a little odd to Jeanest but he couldn't complain. All Might had provided them with information about a villain that was just as capable as he was. If they ran into such a man they'd need all the help they could get.
But Gilgamesh had a different concern in mind.
Stain had been provided the means to summon a Servant directly after he started working with the League of Villains.
They either had acquired that device from some other organization, or they'd gotten it from the source.
As such there was a chance that a magus would be present at one of the two locations.
Or perhaps the chance that they would have more of that strange device…
"Do we have further information from Chaldea?" Gilgamesh asked Enkidu.
"Nothing new. Our attack teams are set, we've just got to wait for them to get ready," He gestured vaguely at Best Jeanest.
"..."
Midoriya stepped out of the hospital.
Thanks to the excellent care from Circe his wounds were already mended enough that it had been decided that he didn't need to stay overnight again.
Todoroki, Yaoyorozu, and Kirishima were waiting for him just as they'd had said they would.
"Midoriya… Hey…"
The tension was heavy. They knew what they were about to do was wrong, but they could not just stand by and do nothing…
"So… What do you say Yaoyorozu?" Kirishima asked.
Before she could answer, another party interrupted.
"Wait."
Iida Tenya stood before them.
"I can't believe this… Of all the people who should know better… You two…"
His eyes locked onto Midoriya and Todoroki.
Once upon a time Iida had run off on his own quest for revenge only for those two to step in and make him reconsider his rash actions.
And yet.
Here they were ready to repeat his mistakes right in front of him.
He couldn't take it.
They were under UA's protection but public pressure was at an all time high. If they did anything to get in trouble there was no saving them from the law.
So when Midoriya opened his mouth to try and explain himself Iida felt his body start moving on its own.
He punched him directly in the face.
"I have regrets too!" He shouted furiously, "I'm your class president! Of course I'm worried! And not just about Bakugo or Nathan! Seeing you injured reminded me of my brother! What happens when this little vigilante act brings you somewhere there's no coming back from? Are you saying you don't care how I feel here?"
He'd run out of steam half way through, barely getting his last few sentences out as he put his hands on Midoriya's shoulders.
"Iida. Do you seriously think we're going to smash down the door and go in guns blazing?"
Iida turned a weary eye to Todoroki.
That's right.
This was a covert mission.
Something they could do without getting on the wrong side of the law.
"I can't just sit around doing nothing… I have to save them," Midoriya said, meeting Iida's stare with a powerful one of his own.
In the face of all of that…
He realized there was no way he could change their minds.
So he would have to go with them to make sure they were safe.
That declaration was met with applause.
"Hnnnnnnnn! Beautiful. Honestly, absolutely beautiful. It brings a tear to my eye to see the young ones display such wonderful determination!"
Everything about the man applauding them screamed that he was a villain.
He was tremendously tall and wore some kind of heavily stylized priest garbs.
His long hair was split between black and white down the middle.
And he absolutely radiated a vile misamsa.
"Ah- Don't be alarmed! I'm not here to get in your way! Rather I'm interested in lending a hand. After all you're Lord Nathan's friends aren't you?"
"N-Nathan! Yeah- We are- Who are-"
Iida and Todoroki instinctively took a defensive posture in front of the others.
"Hhhhnnnnn yes! Good! My name is Ashiya Douman. I am… an agent of Chaldea in the more unscrupulous sides of the world."
Midoriya connected the dots in his head.
"Are you the one in charge of managing intel from villains?"
"Hoh? You've heard of that? Yes. Yes, well that is the simplest way to put it. Yes."
He let out an unsettling cackle.
"If you're intent on going into the jaws of hell to free your friends then I intend to accompany you on that journey."
With a Chaldean supporting them suddenly they had an excuse. Maybe even if things did go south this Ashiya Douman could vouch for them.
"Of course, my existence is not known to hero society, so being with me won't provide you any safety in the eyes of the law. But I assure you I will be on hand to save you should you get in too deep…"
"As long as you're here to help us we're happy to have you aboard!" Kirishima said excitedly.
"Hhhnnnn what an honest little boy you are. Yes! Of course! I'll help in any way I can!"
"Um. Did you tell anyone else about this mission?" Midoriya asked.
With Yaoyorozu on board they had a location. Unfortunately it was in the Kaimo ward so they were currently taking a train to reach their destination.
"Yeah but everyone just tried to stop us." Todoroki said simply.
"Uraraka was especially harsh man," Kirishima added much to Midoriya's surprise.
"Of course they would try to stop you. This is the first time they've been forced to the very edge of their morals. It's only natural that they'd be hesitant! HHhhhhh if only I could have seen the looks on their faces when they tried to stop you!"
Douman, as the most conspicuous person in the entire universe, was seated behind Kirishima next to Iida.
He stood out so much that somehow nobody seemed to register what was going on around him.
"Th-Thats really weird. Are you sure you're actually a hero?"
"Lord Nathan will vouch for me when we retrieve him~"
Although.
Douman knew there was a good chance they would not encounter Nathan.
The location they were headed to was not the one Chaldea had tracked him to.
They didn't need to know that though. It would make it all the more fun to watch their expressions as they realized they'd stepped out of line for nothing.
"Let me say this much, what we're about to do is a selfish thing that won't be accepted by anyone, not even Bakugo or Nathan."
"Don't be so sure. Lord Nathan is extremely familiar with the kinds of selfish choices you're making right now. There are quite a few people alive today that owe their lives to that selfish nature of his."
For some reason, every time Douman opened his mouth, they wanted to disagree with him. Even if what he was saying was something they were actually on board with.
Nathan would probably thank them for the save.
"Regardless, there's still time to back out."
"If I was gonna back out I wouldn't be here in the first place," Kirishima said with an indomitable smile.
Midoriya nodded slowly, mulling over something in his head before speaking.
"There's no turning back now."
Douman just chuckled, drawing Iida's attention.
The large, almost demonic, man was fiddling with a stack of paper dolls.
"The very essence of a hero, hm? What a magnificent air. Even the Master of Chaldea would smile upon that resolve."
"... What's your real angle in all of this?" Iida asked.
"Hm? Hmmmmmm!? Oh my. Oh my indeed," Douman reached out and ruffled Iida's hair, causing the boy to flinch in his seat, "I am here to make sure you all return safely. That's all. Success or failure hinges on your actions."
For the life of him he could barely understand what this man was saying even though they were speaking the same language.
His thought process, emotions, and intentions were completely absent from his words.
It made Iida extremely suspicious, but at the same time Douman didn't seem to be hindering them.
He would simply be extremely happy if they ever split up.
And so their train arrived at the station.
When they disembarked Midoriya glanced around.
"Hey. Where's Ashiya san?"
Iida looked around and felt a sense of relief wash over him.
He'd been right behind him but at the moment he seemed to have completely disappeared.
"H-How do we lose someone shaped like a giant evil clown that easily!?" Kirishima shouted.
"He said he'd be here even if we couldn't tell he was here so… Let's proceed. He must not have wanted to draw too much attention to us."
"R-Right"
Bakugo awoke with a start.
He was tied to a chair in a bar he didn't recognize.
No. That wasn't true.
Memories from his dream bubbled up.
He looked to his left and saw Nathan, tied up with a gag in his mouth, his head lulled to the left.
He'd indeed had his scale limbs removed.
Bakugo winced at the sight of those scars.
Strange glowing lines spreading from a clearly grievous wound. Obvious scars from taking gunfire. Strange spiraling wounds. That darkened flesh peeking from under his glove and on his shoulder.
He glanced down and saw Nathan's shadow bubbling slightly.
So that yarn he'd spun was true huh?
"Let's get down to business," A man he now knew as Shigaraki Tomura said from his seat at the bar, "Wannabe hero Bakugo Katsuki… Won't you join me?"
Fresh rage boiled up from inside him.
He remembered the conversation he and Nathan had in that burning city.
How could that bastard not even be awake but have such a good read on the situation?
He thought on how best to respond with what he knew.
"You can shove your offer up your ass."
Yeah that was good.
Shigaraki leaned back on his stool.
"Wake him up too if you want something better than that."
Shigaraki opened his mouth to immediately reject him. But if he did… Wouldn't that make this harder? This was a give and take. So it was only natural that he had to give a little bit to earn Bakugo's trust.
'You can't keep running from the pain that drives you.'
No.
Waking Nathan Relnor up was a mistake.
Twice already couldn't shut up about him.
And despite receiving explicit orders to do so Dabi had failed to kill him.
Even after removing his arm and leg Shigaraki didn't feel safe being in the same room as that kid.
"No. His survival is an inconvenience. The fact that he is still alive should show you that we're willing to meet you in the middle."
Bakugo clicked his tongue.
It wasn't going to be that easy huh?
Well, it was worth trying at least.
With Nathan up, even without his limbs, Bakugo was sure the two of them would be able to take out this entire group by themselves.
The tv on the table across from them was turned on.
It was playing a segment of UA's apology conference.
That they had to put on such a show was ridiculous, but-
"You know it's so strange. Why are they criticizing heroes? All they did was not show up in time. Sure it's their job to protect people but they're only human right? Why are they expected to be perfect?" Shigaraki started, gesturing wildly as he spoke.
He and his little groupies went on and on about how society was rotting away. How the oh so perfect rules shunned and pushed away the losers, blaming them for their own problems.
What is a hero?
What is justice?
Was this the true form of society?
It was all a bunch of nonsense.
"Once we get people thinking about this stuff, that's when we've won. And I know you love winning!"
Bakugo felt his stomach churn.
These clowns didn't know the first thing about him.
Not at all.
"Dabi, untie him."
"That's not a good idea, he'll go nuts."
"We have to treat him as one of us, we're scouting him after all. Besides, he has to know he simply cannot defeat all of us."
Bakugo was dying to test that theory.
Dabi dumped the job of untying him onto Twice, who protested but did it anyway.
"We are sorry for your rough arrival," Compress spoke casually, "But we need you to understand, we're not thugs serving some aimless evil. It wasn't an accident that you find yourself here now."
Bakugo barely contained the chuckle in his throat. It wasn't an accident he was there for sure, but he wasn't the only one there.
He glanced over to Nathan as Twice began untying his restraints.
His eyes narrowed.
Nathan's head lulled to the right.
So that's how it was then.
He was glad they were on the same page.
"Everyone here has a story to tell. We've all suffered. Because of people. Because of rules. Because of heroes we've felt suffocated. Surely you of all people must understand how that feels?"
A soft chuckle crept through the room.
A smile appeared on Nathan Relnor's face.
"So what?"
Everything shifted in that moment.
Shigaraki's attention snapped to Nathan in a heartbeat.
No no no no no, that kid could not be allowed to speak- why hadn't they thought to tie his mouth shut.
Wait- That was the first thing they did wasn't it?
Nathan's head lifted up and he smiled his unique smile.
A smile that threatened to drown the world in love.
Bakugo took advantage of the distraction and lunged forward, blasting Shigaraki directly in the face and knocking the hand covering it away.
"Blah blah blah. I thought I was gonna die of old age while you idiots yapped away." Bakugo said as he straightened up, "I can't stand morons like you who can't get to the damn point."
"Shigaraki!?" Twice called out.
"Basically you're saying 'we want to cause trouble so be our pal' right? What a joke!"
Bakugo looked up with an indomitable smile.
"I want to win like All Might. No matter what anyone says, that will never change!"
"Now now, they do have somewhat of a point." Nathan said as his restraints slid off of him. "You cannot expect anything constructed by humans to be perfect. The status quo is one of those things," He said casually as he leaned back in his chair, "if everyone here has a story, then I'd like to hear it. I can never walk the path of a true hero like All Might so I'd be happy to do everything I can to help all of you. But that means you have to stop killing, here and now."
"Or else?" Toga said with a manic grin.
"If you want to rule with strength. If you want power to decide if you're right or wrong. You had better hope you're the strongest person here. I want to live. I want to live and be happy just as fiercely as all of you!"
An immense pressure poured out of Nathan Relnor as he smiled serenely.
"If you will destroy that which stands in the way of living your life, how can you expect me to be any different?"
Spikes of hot iron were driven through their hearts.
Something was wrong.
Bakugo rebelling against them was something everyone except apparently Shigaraki had seen coming.
But the words pouring out of his fellow student were something else.
"Y-You think you're in a position to talk!? You're missing half your limbs and you think you can stand in the way of our ideals?" Spinner shouted.
Nathan looked him up and down. He'd read Georgios' full report about Stain and this guy was clearly taking inspiration from him.
"Do you honestly believe you can create a true hero by punishing them with death should they fall short of perfection? Weren't you guys talking about how they're only human?"
"Wh-"
"Can you tell me with absolute certainty that your idea of what a true hero is will never ever change? Do you even know what one looks like? Or are you just as spellbound by All Might as the society you wish to topple?"
Dabi winced.
Nathan Relnor was an extremely dangerous opponent in a physical fight.
But he was almost even more dangerous when it came to talking.
He could see Spinner open his mouth but struggle to form any words in response.
"Shit- I-"
"The important thing to ask yourself right now is, do you really want the system to change, or do you just want to be the ones the current system benefits?"
"You're a real creepy motherfucker you know that?" Bakugo shot back.
"I know. You saw the fire I was born in. What could that possibly create other than a monster?" Nathan chuckled as he reached his hand out.
The TV showed the press hounding UA but Aizawa stood firm that there was no possibility that his students could be persuaded to switch sides.
UA was sticking up for them.
With both of them awake, Bakugo knew there was little to fear from these villains. After all, they were working so hard to keep him alive and recruit him so they wouldn't fight him with their full power.
Nathan was a different story but he doubted very much that the villains would bother much with someone who realistically wouldn't be able to get out of his chair.
"Do you understand your position here?"
"Just so you know, we've still technically got permission to fight," Bakugo said with a manic smile, explosions dancing across his hands.
"Can I stab them!?" Toga said, her earlier cheer replaced with a sense of uneasy dread.
"No you idiot-"
Compress tried to reason with them but Bakugo wasn't having any of it.
And Nathan simply nodded along as he spoke, considering everything he was hearing as he flexed his left hand slightly.
Shigaraki meanwhile stared at the hand Bakugo had knocked off his face
This seemed to alarm the barkeep but Shigaraki ordered everyone to stand down as he picked the hand up.
Murderous intent flowed from him, stapling Bakugo's feet to the ground but it didn't even seem to phase Nathan.
"This kid… Is an important pawn…" He said, replacing the hand on his face, "I wish you would consider what we are saying… I thought we could understand each other…"
"Nope." Bakugo said as he regained his composure.
"Shigaraki Tomura."
This time it was Shigaraki's turn to feel stuck in place.
"Do you want to be understood, or do you just want us to agree with whatever you say?"
He desperately did not want to be on the receiving end of another of that kid's speeches.
"Because that's where you messed up tonight. I know nothing about you. All you've done is whine to us about how society is difficult for you to engage with. That's not going to move either of our hearts. Now." Nathan stood shakily, using the chair he'd been tied to to steady himself. "Why don't you tell me what happened to you? Why is this the corner you've been backed into? If I knew that much, maybe we could actually reach some kind of understanding here."
Shigaraki shook his head.
The press conference had mentioned that the Pro Heroes were already chasing down leads as to their location.
He did not have time to deal with these two.
"Teacher… Lend me your power…"
The TV switched to static.
"We need to go," Nathan said quickly, "We're out of time!"
Everything started moving all at once-
"This is the building where the signal is coming from…" Yaoyorozu said.
They stood before a nondescript warehouse with a medium height stone wall around the perimeter.
It was a little off the beaten path but there were still people going about their lives nearby.
"So this is their hideout huh? I'd buy it." Kirishima said as he glanced around the building.
"We can't be sure… I've been checking the tracker and it hasn't moved from here all day…"
"Hnnnnnn it seems… That your journey is at an end."
Everyone jumped the moment Ashiya Douman's voice drifted into their ears.
He poked the upper half of his body out from a narrow alley next to that building.
"Wh-Where have you been?"
"Hhm. Hm. Hm? Around. Yes. All around you. Fufufu. Your guard is frightfully low despite marching directly into enemy territory."
The thought of someone who looks like the final boss in an RPG trailing them from the train station unnoticed was not a comforting one.
"We have very little information, and none of us are suited for this kind of stealth operation… At the first sign of danger we need to fall back…" Iida muttered. He was totally willing to call the proper authorities should the need arise. As long as it meant keeping his friends safe.
"Just… Give me a minute to think about what we can actually do…" Midoriya said as he began to mutter his thoughts aloud.
He walked towards the gate as Douman pulled himself fully out of the narrow alley, brushing himself off.
"Hey! Hey hostess! What are you up to baby! Come join us for a drink!"
A man, obviously far gone, approached Yaoyorozu.
Kirishima and Midoriya moved but they were not fast enough.
"Oh? What's this? Have you come out tonight to play games with me?" Douman was in front of her startlingly quickly. She hadn't even seen the imposing man move.
"H-ha- N- No come on man we don't want any trouble!" The Drunk's friend desperately began pulling him away as Douman smiled and smiled and smiled at them.
"Hm. Humans never change, do they? Milling about mere meters from a den of evil but being utterly blind to it."
Iida and Todoroki gave the man an odd look as the other three simply continued examining the building.
"The front is dissued so there must be some other way they get in…"
"You came from around back right Ashiya-san? Was there anything of interest back there?" Yaoyorozu asked.
"Oh yes. Certainly."
A pause hung in the air as he looked around, his attention clearly elsewhere.
"What was it?"
"Hhmmmmm. It would be better if you saw for yourselves. Shall we?"
They shuffled into that narrow alley and had to wonder how exactly Ashiya Douman managed to squeeze into this space considering how well built he was.
"The window up there," Douman pointed with his strange claw like nails.
"O-Oh! That's a great place to peek inside!" Midoriya said excitedly.
"It's dark though. Do we have any night vision equipment?"
"I can make some-"
"No no! I um-" Kirishima pulled out a pair of expensive looking night vision goggles, "When I was thinking about what we could do I decided to get a pair, though I could only afford the one…"
"Alright, Iida and I can lift Midoriya and Kirishima up so they can get a peek-"
"A-Actually Ashiya-san, do you mind lifting me up?" Midoriya asked.
"Hmmm? Sure. That can be arranged. Do be careful where you touch me, you never know what could curse you!"
Midoriya could never tell what to take seriously in Douman's words, but he was tall so he'd offer an excellent vantage point. He climbed on top of that strange clown shaped man and sat on his shoulders as Kirishima was forced to stand on Iida's to reach a similar height.
Kirishima put the goggles up to his eyes and scanned through the window.
"See anything?"
"Try to the left little boy!"
"The left- Wh-Woah!?"
He almost lost his balance.
"Hey what did you see?"
"Check it out, on the left back side!"
He handed the goggles over to Midoriya who took a peek through them.
What he saw was-
"Nomus!? They're just sitting there on standby!?"
They had the right place, but there was no sign of Nathan or Bakugo in that warehouse.
"We should move." Douman said casually as he plucked Midoriya from his shoulders.
"Wh- Why!?"
Once again Douman pointed, but it was almost too late.
They caught a glimpse of Mountain Lady growing taller than the building before her and slamming a large vehicle down the side facing her.
A shower of debris flew everywhere but thanks to Douman's warning everyone managed to keep their heads about them.
"My my. How unarousing. Well then. What say you? Is our sneaking mission at an end so soon?"
"Teacher? I thought you were the boss around here?"
"It's All for One," Nathan said casually, "I heard about him from some sources at Chaldea. We need to tread carefully-"
"Feh-"
"Compress, Kurogiri, let's put them back to sleep."
Bakugo's mind raced.
But he just needed to focus.
He had spent entirely too long in that burning city hashing out a plan to screw things up now.
He let loose a weak explosion, enough to produce a covering smoke.
Shigaraki put his guard up front only for a chair to smash into him from the side.
It was enough to knock him off balance.
Nathan hopped backwards on one leg as Dabi moved.
That Aleister guy had told them to keep him alive but now that he was moving against them it wasn't worth it.
"Don't forget how well that went the first time," Nathan smiled as his shadow expanded outwards, surging and bubbling up.
Dabi's entire body locked up in that instant.
No
No no no
He couldn't go through that again-
There was no way-
The wall beside him exploded, knocking him and Twice off balance.
Mass confusion followed as All Might opened the way for Kamui Woods to capture every villain present in a single large explosion of his quirk.
Nathan's shadow expanded up, the Count catching him as he fell backwards.
"CLARENT BLOOD ARTHUR!"
A shout exploded from outside as the roof of the building was removed in a massive surge of red energy, obliterating it so thoroughly that there wasn't even a scrap of debris to rain down upon them.
Edmond handed Nathan a simple prosthetic leg and helped him attach it as pro heroes flooded into the now open space.
"There is no escape for you villains!" All Might shouted as two white blurs zipped around the room, knocking a few prominent members unconscious with powerful blows.
"Because we are here!"
With the roof gone, Bakugo looked up and saw a large golden ship circling overhead.
What looked like angels surrounded the building from above.
Another hero slipped through the door, unlocking it only for it to fall from its hinges due to the damage Mordred had caused to the building.
"Of course it's more than just us. Endeavor, along with support from Chaldea and the police are here too. You are completely surrounded." Pro Hero Edgeshot said in an even tone.
"That must have been terrifying for the both of you. Well done holding out. You're safe now." All Might said to Bakugo and Nathan.
"Terrifying!? As if! We could have taken them!" Bakugo shouted after a wave of relief washed over him.
"Eh, it's Tuesday," Nathan said with a shrug after taking a couple of careful steps to test out his prosthetic.
"What the fuck kind of lackluster reaction is that!? I came all the way out here to bail you out you bitch!"
One of the white blurs slammed to a stop in front of Nathan as the Count handed him a strange silver arm.
"Good to see you're as lively as ever. Thankfully I just got a nice nap so I have the energy to deal with you Rumi."
Rabbit Hero Mirko gave a sharp huff as she watched the Chaldean affix that arm to Nathan's stump. The mechanism by which it operated was a mystery to her but it seemed to come to life in short order.
"After all that the final boss goes and shows up on our doorstep… But, we're not the only ones you need to watch out for… Kurogiri! Bring them all over to play!" Shigaraki roared.
But
Nothing happened.
"The Nomu set aside for us are… Gone!?"
"It seems the attack on the secondary location is going well then," Edmond said as All Might launched into a speech.
"I hope you all didn't step too far out of bounds while I was away," Nathan said, flexing that seemingly mechanical arm.
"Of course not…"
"This ends here Shigaraki Tomura!"
"This ends here!? Don't be ridiculous! We're just getting started! Justice this and peace that! All things used to keep a lid on society's ugly underbelly! We're smashing through that and to do that we're going to bring you down! Kurogiri-"
Before anything else could happen something pierced through Kurogiri's side.
Pro Hero Edgeshot incapacitated him in the blink of an eye.
Grand Torino took the chance to inform the villains that their identities were known and that there was no longer anywhere for them to run.
But.
Hadn't they forgotten something?
Shigaraki began trembling.
Something inside him was breaking.
He was pleading for help.
Black ooze manifested from nothing, allowing several Nomu to fill the room.
"Che- It's All for One isn't it? He's going to try and recover the League-" Nathan muttered
"Fat load of good that'll do him-" Mirko shouted as she nearly took the head off of one of the emerging Nomu, "Like hell you can pull a win out from a situation like this!"
Nathan felt like something was very wrong with his body.
"What-"
Only a single word escaped his mouth as black ooze erupted from his and Bakugo's mouths.
Edmond latched onto Nathan's arm only for the ooze to squeeze under his grip. As soon as it covered Nathan the boy was whisked away.
No one was fast enough to catch him, Bakugo, or the other league members as they each disappeared into that slimy dark substance.
The League had snatched escape from the jaws of defeat…
Nomu flooded the building as well as the police perimeter outside.
Three of them moved to latch onto All Might before a vicious dark fire tore through them.
The air grew heavy as a severe murderous intent flooded off of Edmond.
"I- I'm sorry everyone!" Kamui Woods shouted.
"There's nothing to apologize for- that quirk likely selected targets instead of distorting space, there's nothing we could have done!"
"Where the hell did they take that brat to now!?" Mirko said as she batted aside another Nomu.
One of the angelic figures descended, slamming a glowing spear through a nearby Nomu.
"Report. The secondary location is compromised. We are moving to secure it immediately."
"Then we don't have time to waste." Edmond said before exploding into a ball of fire and zooming off at a terrifying speed.
The golden ship disappeared in a massive explosion of movement as half of the Valkyries followed, the other half descending on the Nomu.
"That's where we're going too! Endeavor! Can you handle things here!?" All Might called out.
"Does it look like I can't!?"
"Thank you. Take care of everyone."
With a sudden burst of motion All Might launched himself from the building. With Grand Torino and Mirko on his heels.
"Blech… Are these things actually alive?" Mountain Lady said as she collected Nomu by the handful.
"That's quite rude, you know those are humans just like you, right?" Enkidu said casually as he bound another group of them in chains.
"Wh- Really!? Wh-What happened to them?"
"Human experimentation," Shi Huang Di said as They scanned the area for more.
"This is the worst. I wish I'd been with All Might's team…"
"This is an important job. Securing a location like this might not be glamorous or difficult but it's another step in dismantling the League."
"Ragdoll! I found her!" Tiger called out. He carried her from the container he'd found her in. It was difficult to tell if she was awake or not but recovering her was a victory in and of itself. He handed her over to one of the riot squad members so she could be taken to a hospital.
Meanwhile Midoriya's group listened in. Clearly the pros had the situation in hand. Not to mention from the looks of it All Might was leading the group that was actually rescuing Bakugo.
"MMMMM! EVERYONE I BELIEVE IT IS TIME TO HUDDLE TOGETHER~" Ashiya Douman said, scooping the students up in his arms to the extent allowed by the alley they were in.
Being squished this close to Douman was extremely uncomfortable but there was a sense of urgency in his words.
Why did he always seem to know when something bad was about to happen-
"I'm sorry Tiger. I've had my eye on her quirk for a while so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to take it."
Another voice echoed from deeper within the building.
They could hear footsteps approaching.
"Stop right there!" Gang Orca called out as Enkidu and Shi Huang Di exchanged confused looks.
Best Jeanest acted quickly, binding the villain with his own clothing before he could fully step into view.
"Woah- wait! We don't know who that guy is yet he could just be-"
It happened in the blink of an eye.
A massive blast of energy tore through the lot blowing everything away.
"Tomura has only just learned to think for himself so I would prefer if no one interfered with his development…"
Thanks to Douman they were shielded from the rubble.
But they were not protected from the overwhelming sense of dread.
Visions of their broken bodies scattered across the ground filled their minds.
This was… All for One… In the flesh…
"Haha! Hahahahaha! This simple monk has his work cut out for him today doesn't he! Mmmmmm now then!"
Somehow Douman didn't seem bothered in the slightest.
"I mean we'd be happy to stay out of your way," Enkidu said as the smoke began to clear.
The barrier he'd produced fell apart as he stopped maintaining it, revealing the other pro heroes stacked behind him, having been snatched away from harm by his chains.
"But you also took something precious from Us so we're here to reclaim him," Shi Huang Di said as They cracked Their knuckles.
A shield made of shimmering liquid metal flowed behind Them, taking the shape of a large blade.
"Ah. With Nathan Relnor's capture I would have assumed you Chaldeans would only be at the other location." All for One said as he clapped his hands together.
This was a worst case scenario.
Jeanest recalled the reports he'd received about that villain that was just as strong as All Might.
And here he was right in front of them.
He was very very glad Gilgamesh had seen fit to send a few Chaldeans with their group.
If Enkidu hadn't been there there was a very real chance every single one of them would be incapacitated.
"However."
All for One reached behind himself and pulled out a strange silver device.
The vial of blood was already empty.
"What good is that going to-"
The building behind him exploded.
A massive structure rose from within it.
No. Structure was not the right word.
Even though it more closely resembled machinery than an actual living thing, that was only because it took on the traits humans associated with the word calamity.
"You're kidding me." Enkidu said as his eyes grew wide.
"What in the world is that!?" Mountain Lady shouted.
Three glowing eyes lit up as that hulking monstrosity leaned back.
It let out a terrible scream.
Glass in nearby buildings shattered all at once as an instinctual fear took hold in the pro heroes hearts.
They could not move.
They could not move and they were about to die.
A soft popping sounded as Bakugo and Nathan appeared in the rubble before All for One.
The rest of the league followed suit shortly thereafter forming a human wall between the students and everyone else.
Nathan immediately recognized the problem.
"Wait- What- Is that!?"
"Huwawa…" Enkidu finished. "Berserker class…"
Huwawa, or Humbaba did appear briefly in FGO in one of Enkidu's interludes I believe so that's how Nathan can kind of recognize her by feel. I thought it might be interesting if I expanded a little outside of FGO only Servants for stuff the can get from those strange summoning devices.
Things are really starting to move huh? I hope you had a good time reading this chapter! If you have any questions feel free to ask me whatever!