My Hero Academia: Son of Justice

by Jayme F. Midorikawa

The son of the disgraced former greatest Hero of The Soviet Union is extended a chance at a new life by the Symbol of Peace, All Might. After having lived so long resenting Heroes and Villains, and being scared to death of his own Quirk, will he be able to step forward and become the Hero he once dreamed of, and will he be able to find new purpose through friendship, or even love?

77. Hokkaido Arc Part 12 - Reunited

Hello again everyone. It's certainly been a long and arduous road, but with this chapter, My Hero Academia: Son of Justice has officially exceeded the 2 million word landmark! I'm honestly still trying to process the fact that I've gotten to this point in the span of less than two years. It only makes me wonder what the word count for this story will look like by the time we finally reach the end. I'm sure there are some that would consider such a huge word count as anything BUT something to be personally proud of, but I like to think of it as a testament to dedication to one's goals.

And I once again have to sincerely thank every last one of you out there for your continuous readership and support through all the ups and downs in order to make it this far. You're all amazing, and I cannot possibly thank any one of you enough. Give yourselves a round of applause, because you all freakin' deserve it!

I hope you all enjoy what you read here today. If you do and have any outstanding thoughts and/or feelings you'd like to share in regards to what's going on, I'd love to read about it, either in a PM or a review. Communication between a writer and their audience is paramount.

I'd also once more like to thank not only my two beta readers, Mizu and Jonny, for soldiering through alongside me through the difficulties of real life while going through this story at the same time; but also to my steadily growing number of wonderful artists who've been creating some beautiful artwork for this story to go to my DA account 'ubasnaga;' namely 'syyndev', 'Akane Kahomi', and in the near future, 'AliceKuroCross', 'Venera-Taro' and 'Suki-Chan2509'. You're all exceedingly awesome! If any of you all out there would like to contribute artwork of your own for this story on my DA page, please feel free to PM me about it, because I'd love to hear from you all.

My Hero Academia is the property of Kouhei Horikoshi and Shonen Jump. I only own my original characters and the original events surrounding them.

A/N: [[]] indicates characters are speaking Russian.

Chapter 78

Reunited

(Воссоединенный)

Arakisu City Hospital, Friday, September 12th

Despite his driven claim of being able to only give all the gathered Hokkaido-based Pro Heroes and their respective Yuuei interns from Classes 1-A and B all the information he knew of regarding whatever diabolical situation was even now unfolding, and apparently had been for several months already; Leonid was still ultimately in no shape to stay on his feet for long. So once he was escorted back into his hospital bed, which was fortunately in the same room as the similarly bandaged Blast Beat and Chiaroscuro at both his sides, he and his captive audience all knew there was no further time to be wasted.

"All right, Linguist-san…what are you able to tell us? Just what the hell is going on around here?" De-Condenser finally asked; similar anxious sentiments uttered from his fellow Pros and their students, while the old Russian man himself had his eyes looking them all dead-on to convey just how genuine he was being about what he was about to tell them:

"It all started several months ago. You Kapenta Pros, you all remember back when we'd received that large migratory influx of new citizens? Well…that's how Pietro Dobrynich Granin first came to our community; him and those Serbian, Czech and Bulgarian followers of his."

To help keep their Class B allies and their teachers as informed and contextualized as possible; Nikolay, Mina and their Kapenta teachers both shared the names of all unfamiliar individuals in the story in relation to the Quirks they had all personally witnessed in their respective battles; only for Leonid to continue from there:

"At first, he seemed like a completely down-to-earth and sociable man. He told us he was a former commander in the Russian army before the Siberian Flash, but had been reduced to a fugitive upon discovery of his having a Quirk. Despite this, he said he wanted to try and form a community security team out of those that came with him, and any interested volunteers; all for the sake of protecting our community. Since it was legally within our territory, we gave him free reign over the old hospital up north to make into a training compound for that purpose.

"A couple days after that, since I wasn't seeing either of them out on the streets with everyone else going about their business, I ended up learning that two of our own citizens, barely any older than you kids; Maja Kieslowska and Danila Ignatenko, had ended up volunteering for his training. I thought that was wonderful news, so I thought to tell their parents to see how they felt, only to find that both their families weren't home. Neither of them had jobs that required them to be outside of town, so I thought that was very strange, but I ultimately chalked it up to them wanting to observe just what kind of training their kids would be getting."

"A very natural assumption to make, I must admit." Knightfall muttered, with his fellow Pros nodding likewise.

Leonid went on: "However, after a few more days, and still seeing no sign of their parents, that's when I was really starting to worry…and that was when Pietro himself finally came to me on his own later that night. Of course I had to ask him if he had any ideas as to just what was going on; I didn't want to jump the gun and risk calling any of you Kapenta Heroes for a wild goose chase.

"It's what happened next, though, that's the key to everything that's going on even now. At some point in the discussion between us, Pietro reached out to me. I thought he was wanting to shake my hand, as any gentleman would, so like a fool I actually approached him, and…and he actually grabbed onto my head. I can still feel that awful sensation of his fingers just sinking into my brain…and the voice he spoke with…it was undeniably him, but there was something so…so powerful about it, something that just penetrated right into the very core of a man.

"He started, not asking me questions, but just outright telling me that Maja and Danila had only just come to Gagaringrad with him just those few days ago, that neither of them had any parents. And the strangest thing was that, as he said it, it was as though I could feel the memories I had about those two and their families being completely rewritten from inside my head. By the time he'd finally removed his hand, it was as though the story he'd planted was God's honest truth to me; still so vivid and real, even though deep down in my subconscious, I knew what the truth was, but couldn't possibly bring myself to say."

Just as Leonid had feared; this part of the story left all the Hero students looking completely blown away by what he was suggesting Pietro's Quirk to be: legitimate Memory Rewriting. Even the Pros looked visibly shocked to hear it, just as much as the old man himself was to finally say it out loud.

Nevertheless, he knew he couldn't possibly stop there: "Because of his Quirk's affect on me, for all the months that passed until earlier this week, I simply carried on as though nothing had changed. The fact that none of the townspeople were asking the whereabouts, not only of Maja and Danila's parents, but soon even those of the other local youngsters he ended up recruiting relatively recently, has led me to believe he's gone and spirited them away as well, and used his Quirk on the people in town…or at least the ones who actually thought to ask questions. I remember now he did it over and over to me with each new addition to his army, and the disappearance of their parents; time and time again rewriting my memories so I wouldn't ask questions as to where the parents had gone, or risk saying something in front of the wrong person that would arouse suspicion. I can just feel it in my gut."

From there, he proceeded to finally fill the gathered Heroes in on how his real memories had come back while suffering from his physical ailing period earlier this very week, how he had sought refuge in Sergei Cherenkov's church for a few days, how he had tried to flee through the old missionary tunnels underneath the whole town in order to get to the Kapenta Heroes to tell them what he'd finally remembered, only to get caught and taken to the old hospital Pietro was using as his headquarters.

From there, it was a very straightforward retelling he gave them of what little he'd been able to glean from his time being held as a prisoner in the hospital basement, detailing to them all the distinct personality change he was observing in Pietro's becoming considerably more manic and sinister in his way of speaking and his mannerisms, and all on top of his eyes having become red, and having a grotesque new scar adorning the top of his scalp.

And so on Leonid went, further elaborating how Pietro told him of having gone to and most likely used his Quirk on Father Sergei to figure out exactly what all Leonid had told him before his previous escape attempt, and finally on to the chaos that ensued when Pietro was attacked by a small bunch of Russian-speaking people whose voices he didn't recognize, the one woman he saw wearing what looked like some kind of special military ops uniform before they both ended up getting blown up by Ljubomir's Quirk.

Finally, it was on to his desperate escape from the rest of Pietro's soldiers through the woods that had ultimately led to Leonid getting shot and taken to the Kapenta Agency. From there, everything else was still all too fresh in all the Heroes' memories; even those that hadn't been in Arakisu City to begin with, having been able to put the rest of this insane timeline together for themselves.

As Leonid lay back, trying to catch his breath and slow his racing heart after having finally shared everything he knew; all the Yuuei interns looked visibly shaken by what they now knew to be a fact, as Tenya instinctively muttered in disbelief to himself: "It's unbelievable…to think that someone Tunguska-sensei knew as a friend as well as Bezpalov-san suggested, would turn to such Villainy as to brainwash a town's children to make into his own soldiers."

At this, Leonid once again jolted up from his bed; his tired eyes losing none of their fire: "In its own way, it's even worse than typical brainwashing, young man! This isn't some mere hypnosis; if what he's done to those kids is anything like what he did to me all those months ago, he could essentially be rewriting their entire perceptions of their lives! If he's telling them that they've been under his protection and guidance for as long as I'm afraid he is, he could be instilling them a deadly loyalty we'd never have a chance of being able to break them free of."

To this, Mina visibly perked up, this time with a look in her eyes that could have only been described as a sad remembrance: "He's right. The first day we met them all, Maja-chan and most of the others told us about where they'd come from, and they all talked about their parents either dying or abandoning them, and Pietro-ojiisan taking them in."

"Wait a second, wait a second!" Tetsutetsu suddenly exclaimed; momentarily snapping all attention in the room his way, as he began looking all his fellow interns in the eye, stating matter-of-factly: "I think we're all overlooking a really big detail here! You know, the one about Linguist-san here seeing the guy get blown near clean in half before he escaped! There's no way anyone could survive something like that, especially if Memory Rewriting is the only thing his Quirk can do! I hate to say it, but it sounds like our main Villain here is already…well, taken care of, you know?"

However, taking into account the timing of everything Leonid had shared with them, including Pietro's apparent death, in relation to all of the coordinated attacks they'd all just gone through; Nikolay and Mina's heads both visibly jolted upright, their eyes both wide with realization, as the young Russian boy nearly mouthed: "Valera."

Seeing the confused looks on the Class B interns' faces (while Tenya, Momo and Kyouka were both visibly catching up with their classmates' train of thought after everything they'd been told of the standout people in Gagaringrad previously), he continued to fill them in: "Valera, this little boy we met the first day we'd gone to Gagaringrad! He's got this incredible Quirk that allowed him to bring life back to something that was dead! If he could do that for an animal, who's to say he couldn't do it for a person?"

Mina followed up right on his heels as she looked their fellow interns in the eye, as though that was somehow going to help them all follow their line of reasoning that much better, her fists pumping anxiously: "Yeah, yeah! He and his parents disappeared the day after that, and everybody was acting like they'd moved away way before all that, and then the day after that, De-Condenser-sensei sent us a photo he'd gotten from Maja-chan, saying they'd been found! Maybe that was all, like, a super huge cover-up, right?!"

While the Class B students were slowly but surely starting to follow, Momo's mind was all but racing as her eyes gazed off into the distance in thought: "If the timing is all right, then something must have happened to this Pietro character that would allow his Quirk's affect on Briner-san to break and bring his real memories back, and whatever that incident must have been, was what would require them to bring Valera-kun into the fold so that his Quirk could resurrect him. It would explain why they would all still be driven to attack us all as they did, even after what Briner-san just told us of the last condition he saw Pietro in.

"Bezpalov-san, Mina-san; you both said that Kieslowska-san and the others were all with you when you saw the boy use his Quirk for the first time, so of course such a power would be immensely useful for a man like him to use. It's a leap, yes, but it currently is the only possibility we have to go on that makes the most sense, doesn't it?"

This theory visibly did not sit well with the Heroes, nor did Leonid's follow-up: "Even more so than his Quirk or whatever it is he's up to by doing things the way he has been…not to mention these sudden attacks he launched on all of you this morning…what worries me is the fact he had at least one person under his command whom I'd never even known the existence of; this colossal person in a dome helmet and heavy-looking armor. They surely must've snuck into our territory while he was making himself known officially to the rest of us. If that's the case, then who knows just how many other secret soldiers he may be hiding in that hospital under his command?"

Just as Leonid had feared, this news of other potential enemies they had no knowledge of did send a much more grim air among the Heroes…but none more so than Nikolay himself, as the unfamiliar Pro Heroes and the Class B interns were all quick to notice, and Mina and Kyouka both recognized with dread.

"It's all right, Bezpalov-san. Yes, your battle against these Villains at your agency was especially close, but we're all gathered together now, and we can all finally start to put together a plan to put a stop to this." Tenya tried to reassure his classmate, even reaching out for his shoulder to provide some emotional support of his own, only for Nikolay to solemnly shake his head in denial.

"That's not it, though, Iida-san, everyone. It's…it's actually about the last of them we…tried to fight back before it was all over. I hadn't gotten the chance to tell you all, but…this last person that came, the one Leonid-san just described…his Quirk was more powerful than any of ours, even those of his allies. Mina and I tried everything we could to get him down, but it was like he knew virtually every move we could think before we did. He's the one who even took Blast Beat-sensei out of commission.

"But that's not the worst of it. When he had me pinned, Mina actually managed to melt that helmet of his…and when I saw the face of the person beneath it…I realized that I…t-that I-I knew him."

They all quickly noticed how Nikolay's hands had not only instinctively closed into fists, but were even already starting to shake as he tried to force himself to have to admit the awful truth all over again; ignoring the looks on Mina and Kyouka's faces to try and tell him he didn't have to.

"The eyes on that man…I couldn't have ever forgotten them; that's how I knew for a fact justwho I was looking at. That person…is an old comrade of my Dad, from back in his old Hero team, The New Bogatyrs. We'd both believed him to be dead for all these years, just like all the others…and my mom. That Villain who is fighting for Pietro Granin, who nearly killed us…is the River Hero, Volga."

The Pro Heroes and Leonid were all visibly stunned at the revelation of a former Pro Hero (and such a familiar one from a beloved team in Leonid's case) being one of their adversaries in this situation. As for the Yuuei students of both classes, all knowing well by now of Tunguska's old Hero team from his stories in Quirk History class and outside; the fact they were up against not one, but now two of his old friends was something that left all of their stomachs in incredibly nervous knots.

And, of course, for a student like Neito Monoma; the best way he could try to cope with that nervousness, was to start chuckling at the very first train of thought he could come up with: "You know…after our Field Training assignments had ended…Tokage-san actually told us what she'd learned from you during that time…about how that Vukodlak Villain was actually once Tunguska-sensei's sidekick before turning back into the Villain he once was. And now…now we find ourselves against two more of his friends…now aiming to kill us all."

Finally looking Nikolay in the eye, it was clear to see just how deeply frightened Monoma was, even despite the cocky grin stretched across his face as he couldn't stop laughing nervously. "I don't usually believe in such things…but it's starting to look more and more like your father is cursed to have his friends that aren't already dead turn to the side of Villainy, doesn't it?"

Nikolay's eyes were the only thing to reflect any kind of shocked reaction to just what Monoma was implying, while Tenya and Momo both looked ready to give him the scolding of a lifetime, and Mina and Kyouka both looked like they had half a mind to smack the blonde young Hero upside the head for saying something so cruel…which, fortunately, Tetsutetsu and Pony both beat them to the punch to, as they both smacked him into silence with resounding swiftness and intent in their eyes.

"Seriously, Monoma? Time and place, dude!" "Yeah, what kinda thing to say is dat right now?!"

"Please, that's enough right now, all of you!" Whiteout suddenly ordered, and as if she were their teacher as well, all three Class B interns in question instantly went quiet, while High Noon crossed her arms in thought:

"That's right. Right now, the most important thing is for us to put together a plan, based on what we now know. Unfortunately, as it stands, with Blast Beat and Chiaroscuro in no condition to fight, it falls to the rest of us to have to tackle the Gagaringrad and Pietro Granin situation ourselves."

She and De-Condenser could clearly see their fellow active Pros were already on the same page, and the realization, and most importantly the acceptance, of that fact was also sinking into all the interns as well, even Nikolay, despite his clearly still being visibly shaken up by the experience.

Looking to the towering Knightfall in his stony armor and the elegant but clearly no-nonsense Whiteout beside him, Nikolay asked: "I know the Hero Network tower is down, but surely you both must have the numbers for the Heroes from your agencies on speed dial. Couldn't you be able to call them all to come here so we'd have that much more to our ranks?"

The regretful sigh they both let out pretty much set the mood for the rest of their answer as Knightfall responded: "I'd actually considered that as well on our way here, Bezpalov-kun; but things have degraded across Hokkaido faster than even I had anticipated."

Following on his heels, Whiteout further clarified: "That's right, I tried calling my colleagues back in Asahikawa City as well, but unfortunately, with the news spreading that Pro Heroes across Hokkaido can't get in instant contact with each other for backup or assistance like before, Villain activity has been steadily spiking as a result. All of my fellows have been busy trying to maintain the peace in all our absence."

"Same here as well. The fact is, everyone; that our respective backup is already spread thin as it is in our official territories in order to keep the Villain activity there in check. As it stands, we're all there currently is, alongside the police, to be able to put a stop to what's going on in that Gagaringrad place right now."

As Knightfall's words resonated deep in the pits of all the interns' chests, De-Condenser cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention. "That's not all, though. While we know what our current resources are in terms of manpower and that we ultimately need to act, we still don't know what it is that Pietro is ultimately hoping to accomplish with these actions of his. If we don't know the full scale of the risk we're going to be putting ourselves into, we could end up stumbling into something we're wholly unprepared for, and we could fall within his grasp as a result."

"Sensei's right, but how would we be able to get more details than what Linguist-san just shared with us already?" Kyouka regretted to ask, clearly having no clues of her own, no more than any of her other schoolmates currently did.

This time, even Monoma at least had the courtesy of lifting a hand to speak, even if he was physically struggling to keep the cockiness inherent in his tone to a minimum: "Plus, whether it's all really as Tolstoy-ojiisan says it is or not, we only have the word of one person to go off of as far as what's really going on already, and it sounded like he was pretty delirious already when he stumbled on you lot. How do we know he isn't misremembering things without meaning to?"

CRRRK!

As if by the grace of serendipity itself, the door to the hospital room suddenly opened; drawing all the occupants' attention to the arrival of a couple especially concerned-looking police officers. "We're sorry for the interruption. It's just that…well, the three captured Villains from the attack on your office have just regained consciousness."

"Isn't it normally police procedure for you to inform your superior officers of that kind of thing?" Blast Beat instinctively asked from his bed, once more leaving the two officers especially put-on-the-spot.

"Well, yes, Blast Beat-san. One of our colleagues is informing our sergeant of this development as we speak. It's just that, well…t-the girl among them, she didn't even waste a moment before asking us to bring you all over. She said she has a lot of things to tell you all about what's going on in that town of Russian refugees…some very urgent things, being her specific wording. We weren't sure what to do; on the off-chance she's telling the truth."

The Pros and the interns alike all exchanged similarly uncertain glances with one another, but in the end, after thinking long and hard about it in the span of just those few seconds, Nikolay felt overtaken with what he felt in his gut was the best option: "I think we should go in there and hear Maja-san out."

The moment Mina, Kyouka and their two remaining Kapenta Pros all voiced their agreement, Reiko was surprisingly the one to respond, albeit as quietly as always: "I know you all said she was something of a friend to you, but do you really think it wise to take her request to talk at her word? Can you be certain it's not some kind of trick, or a trap?"

Monoma was visibly just about to explode into another mocking diatribe in agreement with his classmate, while Tetsutetsu and Pony both looked similarly skeptical as well. However, before the Class B blowhard could get a word out, Nikolay actually answered back: "No, we can't, but what other option do we have right now? We were just saying that we need more information, and this could be able to give us just the info we need to put a plan together."

Even as Mina was nodding and clenching her fists in driven agreement, the look in her eyes showed just how serious she was as well in that moment: "Besides, even if she did attack us with all the others before; now knowing what we do from Linguist-ojiisan about Pietro's Quirk and the affect it had on him at first, it's possible she also may be back to normal and could be totally honest now! We gotta give her the benefit of the doubt, right? That's just what friends do for each other, no matter what!"

Inspired by the pink young Hero's unwillingness to cast even a brief friendship like theirs with Maja aside for the sake of the greater good, even Tetsutetsu and Pony found themselves changing their tune, just as Tenya, Momo and their respective teachers ultimately did as well.

With the police offering to bring in their superior to finally get an official statement from Leonid and the other indisposed Kapenta Pros now that their conditions had stabilized, the rest of the gathered Pro and intern Heroes followed their recently arrived escorts to the section of the hospital Maja and the two unknown men from the attack were being held in.

---

Upon reaching the hall that had a visible police detachment standing at the ready at a set of two doors, the Heroes and their two escorts were approached by an older man in a more decorated uniform who walked with an authoritative stride the two junior officers immediately saluted at the sight of.

"Thank you all for coming so soon. The girl's been asking for you from the moment the doctor told her where she was. She's in the room in the middle, so you can speak to her. If you feel the need to speak with the two men in the next room over, feel free, but I don't think they speak Japanese, so they obviously aren't from around here, even for Russian speakers. All we know from a medical examination while they were still unconscious is that neither of them have Quirks; which makes it all the more curious why they were working alongside the Villains responsible for this attack at all."

"Thank you, officer. If need be, I imagine Solovei-kun here will be okay serving as our translator." De-Condenser thanked the officers present, and once Nikolay gave an affirming nod for the responsibility, they finally began making their way through the middle door.

Inside, firmly handcuffed (and even cuffed by her feet and neck) to the frame of her hospital bed, the young, waxy turquoise-haired Polish girl immediately jolted to attention once she saw people finally filing into her room. The familiar sights of De-Condenser, High Noon and their three interns had her brighten up for but a moment, but once she saw the two less familiar Pro Heroes follow them in, accompanied by yet more young boys and girls she could only assume to be interns as well; her comfort instantly vanished.

"I don't blame any of you if you can't bring yourselves to forgive me," Maja felt it best to immediately open up with an apology. From the outside, anyone would have naturally assumed it to simply be a formality on her part to say so…until she finally worked up the courage to look Nikolay and Mina in the eye, and really looked at the assortment of bandages and band-aids on their arms, legs, sides and faces.

The moment she saw those details, it ultimately drove a nail of painful realization into her heart of just what she'd done, and that was what ultimately brought her to fall apart into inconsolable tears. "I'm so…so s-sorry! I'm so sorry, Bezpalov-san, Ashido-san! I-I never wanted this! I never meant for something like this to happen…to anyone! He…h-he forced us all to do it…to all of you! Pietro Dobrynich Granin, he didn't give any of us a choice! That's why you're all here, isn't it? My friends all hurt you because of him, didn't they? I know most of you don't know me, and you have no reason to believe or forgive me, but please…"

"Oh, please, are we really going to stand here and listen to this? You've gotta be kidding me if you think this is legit, right? I mean, Class A may be gullible enough; but not us! She's putting on such a hokey act! Total crocodile tears and everything!" Monoma suddenly exclaimed after listening to Maja's voice crack immensely with each passing word, completely discrediting the tears running down her face from her pink eyes.

Yui and Reiko were both still as unreadable as ever in whether they agreed with him or not, and while Tetsutetsu was clearly still on the defensive, Pony actually had a sympathetic look in her eye while listening to the foreign girl break down before them; much like Momo was as well.

The three Kapenta interns all looked back over their shoulders, sending a matching disapproving glare that shut Monoma up instantly, especially when looking back to Whiteout for support, only to see her eyes reflected the same disapproval for his attitude.

Confident that Monoma wasn't about to run his mouth now, Nikolay looked to the rest of the Class B interns, their mentors, and even Momo and Tenya. "Any of you may think this is an act…and who knows, you could be right. But Maja-san was our friend once, and she deserves a chance for us to at least hear her out."

Clutching the railing at the foot of the hospital bed in a trembling grip, Mina followed up, her own voice shaking with a trace of raw emotion as well, as she spoke to Maja directly: "Besides, during the attack, you even said you wanted to kill us, and that you didn't need or want us as friends. You sounded completely serious then, Maja-chan, with this really scary look in your eyes…just as serious as you do now. Only I don't see that scariness in them anymore. If that's not a sign you're being totally straight with us, then I don't know what is. I mean, it's gotta prove at least some of Linguist-san's story, right?"

Maja looked utterly blindsided that she was actually being given the chance to explain everything she realistically could after what had happened; especially when she saw even the Pros nodding in similar approval, giving her the floor, with De-Condenser stepping forward: "You wanted to talk to us, so go ahead and start from the beginning, Maja-chan. Linguist-san already gave us some info about Pietro and his Quirk, primarily what it did to the man himself after you and Danila-kun had volunteered for his training."

The moment De-Condenser mentioned this last detail, Maja immediately began shaking her head in vehement denial. "I never volunteered, though! You should know that, De-Condenser-san! You were there when he used his Quirk on me the first time!"

Now all confused eyes were on the similarly confused Density Hero himself, while Maja proceeded to explain herself: "It was just a couple days after he, Ljubomir, Eliška and Hristofor had arrived with that huge wave of refugees and got given the hospital to use as a training camp from Linguist. I'd been kept so busy over that time pick-pocketing all the new arrivals just to get an idea who they were, just like I did with you guys when you first showed up earlier this week. I remember you were already in town for your patrol by the time I'd finally gotten around to picking Pietro's pocket…only unlike everybody else; he actually was able to catch up with me.

"I thought he was going to beat me once he got me cornered, but instead he actually commended me for my reflexes with my Quirk. He even asked me if I'd ever wanted to try using my Quirk for a higher purpose, like becoming a Hero. I told him that I did; then before I even know it, he's suddenly grabbing my head, and the next thing I know, he's telling me that my parents died when I was super young back in Poland, that I've been under his watch and care for pretty much my whole life, I just got to Gagaringrad with him, and I'm commencing my Quirk training full-time at his headquarters at the old hospital…and above all else, I'm actually believing it all myself, like it's the most obvious fact ever and always has been. I remember glimpsing you nearby that very spot just before it all happened, De-Condenser-san."

At that moment, the Density Hero's whole body jolted and now stood rigid with a sense of shock written on his face, leaving High Noon and their three interns and all others visibly concerned, before his eyes fell upon Maja, and he shakily spoke up: "My God…these last several days I'd felt like something I didn't even realize was foggy in my head had finally cleared, only I didn't realize what it was…but now it's all just come back to me. I remember now: I'd heard the commotion about you having snatched Pietro's wallet. I didn't know the man, so I too was afraid he would get violent with you, and I wanted to go and stop it before it happened…but then I heard that same resonance in his voice while you were both hidden away from the public…and the next thing I knew, I was carrying on, believing in the very same story he'd planted in your head. I don't think he even realized I was there, or that his Quirk had carried over to more than one person."

Needless to say, this revelation of De-Condenser's left everyone's imaginations running wild with what this implication meant for the full scope of Pietro's Quirk, and what it ultimately meant for them if they were really going to be going up against him face-to-face.

However, before they could dwell further on that, Tenya suddenly stepped forward with intent. "Kieslowska-san, Briner-san earlier told us of you, your friends and all your parents disappearing over time; the latter specifically. However, Bezplov-san and Ashido-san likewise told us how you had told them of only having recently come to this area with no parents to speak of. I feel this may help ease away whatever doubt there is among us, but what is the real truth here?"

On one hand incensed that she (and De-Condenser's otherwise confirming testimony) were still being called into question by a young Hero intern she didn't know, but on the other hand understanding where he was coming from; Maja straightened herself out in her bed and looked all of them in the eye, speaking as clearly and with as much honestly as one could possibly convey: "Everything I'm telling you right now is the uncut truth; not whatever convoluted bullshit story Pietro put in my head to tell anyone who asked. He, that dome-headed behemoth Ocean Master, their doctor Alyosha Mikhalkov and those Serbian, Czech and Bulgarian goons of his are the ones who recently came here, not me or my friends. Hell, we've all pretty much lived in Gagaringrad for as long as any of us can remember. Hell, go ahead and have the police bring in a polygraph and ask me to tell you all this again if that's not enough for you; I'm telling you the truth this time!"

The clearly passionate display of emotion Maja was conveying right now was doing quite effectively to do away with Tenya, Momo and Pony's suspicions. It may or may not have been doing the same for Yui, Reiko and their mentors as well; it was still very hard to tell. However, Monoma had the same judgmental intensity in his blue eyes, while Tetsutetsu was visibly hesitant to take her words at face value, even saying as much: "I don't know, you guys. This whole story of hers…it just feels way too cut and dry to be real, you know?"

The intensity with which Maja slammed her head back into her bed and let out a frustrated groan rendered any other chatter silent as her eyes now burned with as much anger as they did imploring: "'Too cut and dry?' Are you for real right now?! De-Condenser-san all but proved I'm telling the truth, and that's somehow still not good enough for you?! Well how about this: did the Linguist tell you about what happened before he fled the hospital? About how he saw Pietro get blown in half in the basement while Ljubomir got his goddamn neck broken; and we all rushed in to get the people responsible back in a damn prison cell, allowing him to slip away?

"Well while the others were busy chasing him through the woods, and all I could do was wait and see if that Valera boy and the doctor would be able to bring Pietro and Ljubomir back to life, I could actually feel all my real memories from all those months coming back to me! Enough to where I actually went down in that basement while no one else was around, and I found a bunch of Russian navy officers, three guys in uniforms I didn't recognize, and all our damn parents, including Valera's, being held in all these different cells down there like common criminals! They even had my parents lying under these heavy heat lamps just to keep them from escaping, because our Quirks are virtually the same!

"When I saw that, everything that had been buried deep in my head had become clear again, and the first thing I tried to do was bolt, just like Linguist did. It's only because of that coldhearted witch, Eliška, and her damn Puppeteer Quirk that I wasn't able to run to you all and tell you what I'm telling you now so you could save everyone and put a stop to those psychos and their damn invasion campaign! Why the hell would I make any of that up, huh?!"

The unbelievable intensity lining every word Maja spat had left Tetsutetsu and Monoma both especially shaken, and the former thoroughly convinced. Even Reiko and Yui's eyes both reflected a different kind of consideration for their new inside source of info.

All the while, Momo still had that deeply thoughtful glimmer in her eyes as she suddenly spoke up: "Forgive me, Kieslowska-san, but considering everything you've just told us alongside everything Briner-san did earlier, there's something I've been curious about. If Pietro's Quirk specifically rewrites a targeted individual's memories so thoroughly, then how is it you both mention feeling all of your real memories from the period of time you were under his Quirk's power come back?"

This question clearly had Maja looking just as stumped as the rest of the interns, before she let out an exhausted sigh after trying to figure out how to explain it: "I wish I knew how to describe what it feels like in a way you'd all be able to understand. It's like…like, imagine that your brain, or the memory part of it, is like an audio track. Pietro using his Quirk on you is like when someone lays a separate audio track on top of that one, like when mixing different instruments on separate tracks alongside each other to make a whole, or like when you rerecord something and place it on top of the original recording. The rerecording is what's playing on the forefront that everyone hears, but the original track is still playing at the same time underneath it all; or in this case, your actual memory-saving part of your brain is aware of what's actually happening, but your consciousness doesn't know or acknowledge it, hence you don't think to actually address it. That's the best way I can describe it; sorry."

"That actually makes perfect sense to me, honestly." Kyouka immediately answered, showing no sarcasm or confusion, while Nikolay, Mina and the rest of the Class B students were clearly trying to mentally catch up with the analogy as a whole.

Finally, with every source and bit of information as to the grand scheme of things now coming together between all of the Heroes; the air in the room was physically changing. Where there had once been nothing but suspicion and doubt, there was now an unquestionable sense of better understanding (if reluctant) from all of them, as despite their best efforts to try and weed it out from observing Maja's body language or listening for any hesitation in her words, they simply couldn't find any trace of it.

There was no further denying that, as insane and elaborate (if not convoluted in Monoma's opinion) as this situation as a whole was, it was ultimately the honest truth they were facing now, and they now needed to focus on the facts as they stood, with no further probing or doubt in what Maja and Leonid had told them.

That, of course, didn't stop Nikolay from finally asking the biggest question that was now on all his allies' minds: "Okay, I think we're all on the same page finally about just what Pietro's Quirk is and what he's done to you, Leonid and your friends, if not the whole of Gagaringrad over these last several months. But there are still some things I don't fully get. First, earlier this week, according to Sensei and Leonid himself, apparently both their real memories started to return to them. But why was that suddenly happening so recently? How did it never happen at any point before?

"Second, how does all of this tie into you and your comrades attacking us all in order to take Giver-sensei away, and keeping us from getting any Hero backup?

"Third, if Pietro's whole goal is to build up this army of his, then why wouldn't he use his Quirk on your parents like he did with all of you? We need to know as much as we can about how his Quirk works; especially if we want to find some kind of weakness to use against it."

A near cacophony of similar iterations of the same curious questions quickly followed, before Whiteout pointed out just how much more intense and fearful the look in the Polish girl's eyes had become as she answered their latest inquiry:

"Okay…before anything else, your last question: I wish I knew; but I just don't know why he wouldn't go ahead and use his Quirk on our parents…but believe it or not, I'm glad he didn't. If you knew the other things he'd gotten us to do while under his Quirk over all this time, you all would be, too; and so would they.

"Now, as for your first question: those two men you arrested me with…the covert soldiers; they're a part of it, why Linguist and De-Condenser-san started getting their memories back. It's the whole reason we took Valera and his parents in the first place. Monday night, while we were all at that musical performance in front of the church; those two men and the rest of their comrades…I don't know where exactly they came from or how they got into Gagaringrad without any of us noticing, but they…they actually assassinated Pietro that night.

"We were all desperate, and I remembered seeing Valera using his Quirk to resurrect that dog, so that's why I hurried you guys out of town so that Eliška and Tuule could get him to the hospital to use his Quirk on Pietro as well. I personally thought that if it worked, that would be the end of it…but that's when Pietro used his Quirk to convince Valera and the rest of us that he was actually his son named Misha, and that he was to stay in the hospital with the rest of us. That was when he had Eliška guide his parents over to the hospital, and then had them imprisoned in the basement with the rest of our parents. From there, all throughout the next day he had us bring any curious townspeople back to the hospital so he could use his Quirk on them again; no doubt so they wouldn't start asking questions about any of our parents' whereabouts, I'm sure."

All at once, Nikolay, Mina and De-Condenser's remembrance of the whole period they'd spent earlier this week worrying over Valera and his parents' disappearance, the surprise mention of Pietro having a son named Misha, and the surprising swiftness with which the disappearance issue had been resolved by Pietro's people themselves, all took on a whole new context between the duo and even the rest of their classmates; their faces all reflecting disbelief at how thoroughly they'd been deceived; especially when Nikolay finally uttered in newfound clarity: "That explains why Father Sergei's kid and his friends were all just as surprised as us by his disappearance, only to completely change their tune the next time we met them that same day. Sensei, that's gotta be it!"

Thankfully, De-Condenser, High Noon and their fellow Pros all looked to be in full agreement with the information they now had to work with, as did the rest of Nikolay's classmates. Without the personal context to work off of, Tetsutetsu, Pony and the rest of their own classmates had no choice but to hesitantly take the Class A students' experience and words for it.

"That still doesn't explain why you all went to so much violent effort to take Giver-sensei away from us." Mina pointed out, to which Maja bowed her head in unmistakable shame.

"Well…the reason for that is all because of me. After they'd all stopped me from escaping after I'd found our parents in those cells, and after Pietro had been resurrected again and rewritten my memories again…I'd remembered that little funeral we'd stumbled upon before at the orphanage, Ashido-san; the one the kids were holding for that same dog Valera had resurrected to begin with."

Mina's eyes widened with momentary pained remembrance, but Maja was far from finished as she just continued on with growing urgency: "That whole thing made me understand that the resurrection effect that Valera's Quirk provides isn't actually permanent. I don't know if it's based on physical health, intended lifespan or what. All I know is that I told Pietro about that theory, and that's when he came up with the idea for us to bring The Giver-san into the fold, so she could use her Quirk to strengthen the power of Valera's Quirk, as well as those of the rest of us in his army. That way, the effects of Valera's Quirk would potentially last far longer in their potency…and also the continuous use of it wouldn't take the physical toll I've been seeing it take on the poor kid."

This final mention drew numerous dreading gasps from nearly every one of the Heroes; and that was all Maja needed to hear to know for a fact she couldn't possibly leave this part out anymore: "It's true, I'm afraid. The last time I saw Valera, he was so pale. He was even coughing up blood after bringing Pietro back again, alongside Ljubomir. I almost want to just guess that his Quirk works like some kind of exchange. You know, where you bring someone back from the other side at the cost of some of your own lifespan. It's just a guess, but it's really the one that makes the most sense to me."

The sheer dread evident in Maja's voice when expressing this theory of hers had made it all universally click in the hearts and minds of the Heroes, Pro and intern alike, as to just what kind of outcome they were looking at if they didn't act soon, if not now, as Whiteout muttered in barely restrained disgust: "So this Pietro character…whether he has Giver-san's Quirk on his side or not, he could actually be aiming to use Valera-kun as some kind of recharger for his own physical body's lifespan, if not those of every one of his soldiers if they were to fall somehow…even if it ultimately means brainwashing the poor thing into giving up the last of his own lifespan for his sake in the end."

Every single Hero intern in that room felt their fists instinctively clench with disgust at such cruelty and selfishness. Just the very idea of someone intentionally hurting children like that had Mina's eyes overflowing with tears of anguish, and her fists trembling with righteous anger. Right now, even the more level-headed of them found themselves burning with the desire to go right out the hospital room door, race to Gagaringrad, and put a stop to everything Pietro and his people were concocting, no matter what the risk or cost would be. This had sent their natural Hero instincts to save and protect into something beyond an overdrive, and their heart rates all reflected it.

Finally, the crunching sound of Knightfall clenching a shaking fist broke the oppressive silence. As all the interns looked to the stone-clad behemoth, his dark blue eyes were visibly burning with righteous determination within the opening of his helmet. "Alright…I think it's clear that we all understand exactly what it is we must do. Above anything else, we need to get to that hospital, save Valera-kun, save all of those people being held in that basement, and save Kieslowska-san's friends from the affect of Pietro Granin's Quirk…and if I'm understanding everything we've now learned correctly, I believe neutralizing the man himself may be the only way to do so.

"We may even find ourselves needing to save the entirety of Gagaringrad itself. Briner-san said the man was initially mild-mannered and reserved, and yet ever since the start of this week, he sounds to have been growing progressively bolder and erratic in his actions. If he was forward enough to potentially use his Quirk outside of his headquarters, and on a public figurehead like the local priest—

"Then it's not impossible he may grow emboldened enough to start using his Quirk on the entire population of that town en masse, too. Being as isolated from the rest of Hokkaido as they are, he couldn't ask for a more perfect testing ground." High Noon concluded right alongside her fellow Pro, while the interns all looked as though they were about to break into a frigid sweat at the mere thought of Pietro having an entire town of brainwashed soldiers at his command.

All those men, women and children being enslaved into unwitting soldiers and puppets for Pietro to undoubtedly throw into the crossfire for his own sake; such a thought had all the interns' blood boiling…and the idea of any one of them having to actually fight those people in order to get to the man himself left them all hurting deep in their hearts more than anything else could have at that moment.

Nikolay had to suck in an especially harsh breath to try and maintain his composure, and Mina was biting her lip while clenching her fists as tight as she could; instinctively thinking of all the children at the Gagaringrad orphanage she'd been trying so hard to befriend, now being stuck in such dangerous circumstances without her or her friends to protect them at this very moment. The very idea of having to actually act against them if Pietro got his Quirk into their heads had her finally gasping for air as she couldn't hold in the initial choking sob that horrible image brought out of her.

However, even despite her own visible nervousness among all of her peers, Momo continued to stand steadfast as she looked their mentors in the eye. "Forgive me, Sensei's; but even with all this information at hand, there's still one crucial piece we're missing: what exactly is Pietro Granin's endgame here?"

This one simple question seemed to visibly inspire an even greater enthusiasm in Tenya as he joined in: "That's right! Simply amassing an army of a town of Quirk-users can't be the extent of his plans. Even with the Hero Network tower for Hokkaido currently down, the news coverage of the incidents that have occurred here will reach out to the Hero Agencies across the rest of Japan in next to no time at all. Once that happens, they're bound to come flocking here to provide aid, and once they learn who's responsible, then everything Pietro Granin is doing will amount to little more than buying himself a few extra minutes. I can't help but imagine that someone like him, with the years of experience as a military commander like Bezpalov-san and Tunguska-sensei have suggested, would already be well aware of this."

To this, Kyouka suddenly suggested with surprising assuredness: "Well, why don't we try asking those two guys that Maja-san was arrested with? Assuming they really are some kind of Russian military, they surely must have some kind of idea what the man was up to, maybe even before he used his Quirk on them. I mean, yeah, we know now that Russia in general doesn't exactly take kindly to people with Quirks like us, but if they consider what's at risk otherwise, surely they would be willing to at least talk to us. It's gotta be worth a shot, right?"

Thankfully, nobody could bring themselves to shoot down the purple-haired girl's suggestion, but that didn't do anything for the admittedly curious look in Nikolay's eyes. "What I don't understand is that if they've all been in hiding in Gagaringrad all this time, then how is it the Russian government would've been able to figure out where Pietro was hiding to begin with?"

A pronounced clearing of Maja's throat drew all the Heroes' attention once more, all of them quick to see another deeply regretful look in her pink eyes. "I-I actually can answer that for you guys. Remember when I said that Pietro had gotten us to do some things while we were under the affect of his Quirk? Well…the truth of that is…h-he actually got us to go on two covert sabotage missions over the last couple months into Russia itself with Ocean Master's help, against some government and military installations specifically. During our last mission, my friend Gazsi Istvan, the Hungarian with that Rewinding Quirk; he ended up getting shot shortly before we'd fled the scene. It wasn't until shortly after they'd killed Pietro the first time, that the doctor, Alyosha Mikhalkov, told us that he'd actually been shot with some kind of microscopic tracking devices in his blood that let those guys follow us all the way back here."

While the initial reminder of the individual with the Rewinding Quirk that had given them so much trouble, had earned an instinctive shudder from Momo, Monoma, Reiko and Whiteout; there was something far more serious now weighing on the hearts and minds of the Heroes, as De-Condenser gripped onto the railing of the hospital bed in a white-knuckled grip. "Maja-chan, everything that's happened today, and the risk it carried to the general public, has shown us just what Pietro is willing to do in order to get what he wants…or rather, what he's willing to have you all do for him. I'm sorry for this, but please understand that, as Heroes, we need to ask difficult questions like this. So, here it is: during either of these apparent missions he sent you all on…did any of you ever end up…taking another person's life?"

The way her eyes immediately darkened with remembrance already sent a horrible chill across the rest of the Heroes in the room; Nikolay and Mina feeling their hearts catch in their throats with the hope that it wasn't true.

Maja sucked in a pained breath as she finally met their gazes: "The others…*choke* yes. Me? No. I don't know how to explain it. Even with all the training Pietro had given me until then, even though I knew we were in a situation where we could be killed if we weren't thorough…I was never able to bring myself to use my Quirk to that kind of extent…even if it meant I'd earned everyone else's ire as a result."

"Then how come you were so serious about trying to kill us earlier, Maja-chan?!" Mina asked while still trying to resist her own tears all the while.

Even with the cuffs around her wrists, Maja gripped the sheets of her hospital bed with a shaking grip; her eyes welling with fresh tears of her own. "It's because of Pietro himself! The big guy in the rock armor already pretty much figured it out! These last two times he's actually died and been brought back with Valera's Quirk…it's done something to his head, given him this hair trigger rage and bloodlust all in one like I'd never seen from him once before! Before, he actually seemed to approve of me trying not to kill anyone…but after the first time, he started treating it as though it were me being weak. After the second time…it was like the thought of it made him sick; that's why he told me to specifically kill any Heroes that got in the way before he sent us after you guys."

The five Class A students all had similarly pained looks in their eyes to hear Maja beseech and implore them for help like this while finally revealing so much that had to have been weighing down on her for so long. Nikolay and Mina looked especially heartbroken to hear their Polish friend had been suffering at all like this.

However, among the Class B students; while Pony looked completely convinced by what she was hearing, and even Tetsutetsu was looking less assured in his own doubt; Monoma was still visibly standing his emotional ground; a judging look in his eyes as he kept his arms crossed, clutching the sleeves of his costume tight.

"You can do away with whatever suspicion you have left, Phantom Thief-kun." Whiteout suddenly addressed her intern with a surprising softness, catching the blonde young Hero blindsided, especially when seeing the light of genuine compassion reflected in the Blizzard Hero's bright red eyes as she observed Maja before them.

"It's perfectly natural for us Heroes to reserve our judgments and our willingness to trust those we don't know, especially in situations like this. However, a vital ability you'll all need to develop if you truly want to become successful Pro Heroes, even if some of you are clearly more naturally adept at it than others already; is the ability to read people, but not just on the surface level. You need to be able to pick up even minute physical or vocal ticks in order to gauge how truthful a person is being…and right now, this young girl is being as genuine with us as can be."

As Monoma kept looking back and forth from Whiteout to Maja with incredulousness all over his face; Knightfall similarly chimed in: "It's true. All of you young Heroes take note and remember this moment. You'll come to learn the difference between genuine regret and an act in time…and it's been far too long since I've seen the suspect of a crime express honest regret like hers right now. Not even the cleverest of Villains can fake emotions like this so convincingly."

With such an emotionally exhausting outpouring having finally come to pass, it was quickly becoming apparent to the Heroes that the rest of the crucial information they needed in order to act wasn't going to be found in Maja's testimony, at least not for now. As such, they finally began to file out of her room and into the next one over that was being guarded by the police; all while De-Condenser made a request to the attending officers to have the young Polish girl share everything she'd just told them again under a polygraph test, if for no other reason than to finally put the last nail in the coffin of any of the interns' lingering uncertainties about her.

As soon as the senior police officer that had met them earlier had given the Heroes authorization to speak with the two men inside, he led them in, clearly having to think on how to translate the initial greetings between the bunch behind him, and the two men in the side-by-side hospital beds at the other end; one being of average height with a thinning head of black hair, narrow and piercing eyes and a thick dark mustache; and the other being especially bigger than his comrade in both height and muscle mass, with a head of long black hair, a thick and braided beard, and especially fierce-looking eyes of red and blue.

[[I apologize for the intrusion, you two. These Heroes were hoping to speak to you in regards to the inci—

PTOO!

The very moment the especially larger man, Ilya, had seen some of the more outlandish-looking of the people behind the police officer, his instinctive reaction was to spit at the ground at their feet, glaring hatefully at the opposite corner, refusing to even give them the dignity of eye contact.

[[You tell those freaks and all their kind to go to Hell. They want answers; they can go ask someone else. I'm not giving shit to a bunch of goddamn Quirk-bearing monsters. They're nothing but bringers of disaster, the whole lot of them.]]

While nowhere as vocal as his counterpart; it was clear, even from a distance, that there was similarly no love lost from the smaller man, either, as his eyes simply observed the gathering of Heroes with a very well-veiled sense of contempt.

Even with the language barrier, it was easy for the Class B students to identify such rancor when they heard it, as Tetsutetsu was already baring his sharp teeth and clenching his fists. "What the hell, why won't these guys actually hear us out?! Don't they have any idea what's at stake?! Hey, you bastards, we're just trying to help y-!

"That's enough, Tetsutetsu-san, there's more to this than you realize!" Tenya immediately intervened, trying to talk his quick-tempered partner down, while Nikolay similarly stepped forward, addressing his less familiar allies.

"It's true. If you really knew the recent history of Russia over the last thirteen years in relation to people with Quirks…and my dad, specifically; you'd understand exactly why these men would have this attitude towards us. It's nothing Pietro did to them…at least, not in the sense you're thinking of; I can already tell you that." Of course, his fellow classmates were all completely understanding, while the fact he was trying to get through to the Class B students as calmly as he was, thankfully seemed to dim Tetsutetsu's momentary anger, and leave the rest of them open to Nikolay trying his hand at it.

As the young Russian stepped forward to take his intended place as translator, he could feel the weight of the gazes of the two men before him; both as previous aggressors, and as embodiments of the very hate his own homeland still carried for people just like him…the very same kind of hate he once was in danger of growing with. In a strange way, it was as though he was looking into two mirrors to a future he found himself eternally grateful no longer was.

Clearing his throat and standing as tall as he could, Nikolay finally spoke to the two restrained soldiers: [[Sirs, we're here because we feel you may be able to help us—

[[Don't bother, boy. No matter what you try to say, you can't possibly convince us that anything but the obvious is going to meet us by the time this little chat is over,]] the mustachioed sharpshooter, Angel's Eye, interrupted with complete apathy, both for whatever Nikolay had to say, and for exactly what he had in mind for his own fate.

Ilya similarly rolled his eyes. [[Yeah, nothing you or any of your costumed band of monsters can say to us will change the fact that we all ultimately snuck into your country off the books, looking to kill one of your kind and more. So save your breath, brat. We both know life in a cell or an execution is what awaits us. You're wasting all our time, whatever's left of it.]]

Many of the interns could still feel the hostility in the air, just listening to the tones the two soldiers spoke to Nikolay with. Mina, Kyouka and De-Condenser could feel their senses of worry begin to rise when they saw Nikolay even fight the urge to clench one of his hands into a frustrated fist.

And yet, the young Hero continued to stand his ground, looking both men directly, even when they'd long since stopped. [[The girl you were both arrested with, Maja Kieslowska; she told us about why you two came to Gagaringrad with your comrades; about how Pietro Dobrynich Granin used his Quirk on both of you and another of your comrades to get you to fight for him against us. If the severing of his Quirk's affect on either of you is anything like it was for her, then surely you must have your own clear memories of what happened between us all earlier today. Even despite you trying to kill us, we all went through the effort to save you when things were at their most dangerous.

[[I have no misconceptions about you men; it's clear that you're some kind of secret military force Russia sends to take care of outside threats to it…specifically ones with Quirks. I don't expect either of you to believe a word I or any one of us here says, and I definitely don't expect you to ever even want to help us. But this isn't about trying to change your minds about people with Quirks or Heroes or any of that. It's been thirteen years that everyone back home has taken to this whole Anti-Quirk mindset; nothing I say or do is going to change that.

[[This is about you being able to give us some kind of information as to what's going on around that man, Pietro Granin, so that we can put a stop to it! Whatever it is he's planning can't possibly be good for anyone, and as Heroes, it's our sworn responsibility and desire to save everyone we can. You can go ahead and continue to hate us and wish us all dead as much as you want, but please…at least so nobody else out there needs to be put at risk because of him, I'm only asking you to tell us what you know.]]

Nikolay felt utterly vindicated by the time he'd finally said everything he could think to say. When there was no visible change in either of the soldiers' demeanor, De-Condenser suddenly stepped forward with considerable calm, quietly clearing his throat so he could get their attention.

[[Forgive me, I never perfected my Russian. The fact is…in the end, the way you both came here is technically illegal. But we don't want international issue, like you don't. We want to save the people in Gagaringrad, and your comrades. We can still help each other for greater good, no matter how you feel about us. You help us to stop Pietro Granin, and we help explain everything to the authorities, so you all can return home, and we go our separate ways in peace.]]

Neither Angel's Eye nor Ilya said anything at first, nor did they still show any visible sign of contemplation to what Nikolay and De-Condenser were trying to tell them. There was still nothing but contempt in both their hearts for the two and the rest of their Quirked companions, if not for this whole damned nation that embraced Quirks like the fools the two soldiers believed them all to be.

However, there was also the consideration that, yes, in spite of them coming to attack the Heroes' agency with nothing but killing intent, those same Heroes had still ultimately gone to every length to keep the two men alive, when by all accounts, they would have had every natural right to simply let them die.

And, on the minuscule chance that these people really did actually give enough of a shit about wanting to know what all was happening, and wanting to prevent it; then by definition that meant they were technically fighting for the sake of the Russian people as well as anybody else around these parts…and as soldiers sworn to fight for their Motherland, given these circumstances, they were both loathe to admit that they were no longer in a position to do that themselves, and would be even more foolish to turn down an offer of help to do so, even if it was now coming from the very same kinds of people they were made to be able to kill.

Ilya still looked like he would have rather bitten off and choked on his own tongue than actually give anything but a bullet to a person with a Quirk; even a kid…but with a spiteful growl, he was the one to ultimately break the oppressive silence: [[A short while ago, we were informed of some kind of coordinated Quirked terrorist attack that had destroyed one of the R&D labs for the Anti-Quirk Mobilization and Armament Bureau around the Kamchatka region.]]

Realizing, and just as quickly accepting their position, Angel's Eye followed suit: [[A short while after that, there were reports of a similar attack, this time with more hostile boots on the ground, that was launched on a secret government vault facility and a nearby naval installation up in the Ural district. This incident raised many more red flags, because it wasn't just the destruction of a whole military installation that occurred.

[[After the Kamchatka incident, the government higher-ups feared many of the financial resources and state secrets kept in the vault facilities across Russia were at risk of being stolen, and so were hoarded over to Moscow. While the culprits didn't make out with their intended quarry, they still ended up getting away with a whole shipment of weapons, ammunition and supplies…as well as a single Typhoon-class nuclear submarine.]]

Angel's Eye could see the dread reflect in Nikolay's eyes at this last part, but in an impressive display for someone his age, the boy swallowed that fear and continued to try and stand tall, even as he continued to translate everything that was being shared into Japanese for his companions, all of them soon reflecting the very same shock and fear as he did.

At this kind of sight on people with the Quirks that were supposed to make them all so powerful, Angel's Eye and Ilya both couldn't help but smirk with some sense of satisfaction, before the sharpshooter continued on: [[However, this time they weren't able to get away as cleanly as they did before. After it had been surmised their original attack had meant they had to have entered the country's borders from the sea, the government decided to increase the military presence along the coastlines…and that included sending me to one spot of their random choosing. Guess I just turned out to be lucky that I got sent to that very same Ural location. Before they all managed to get away, I managed to hit one of them with a special bullet I had carrying some microscopic trackers to follow them home with.

[[After that, I was joined by the man heading our operation and the rest of his team as a special add-along, and we followed the tracker all the way to that little refugee town and hospital here in Hokkaido so we could kill the terrorists responsible and recover that submarine, or at the very least destroy it so nobody else could use its payload against the Motherland…and I'm sure the girl told you all the rest.]]

However, while Angel's Eye seemed fairly content having told what he had; by this point, Ilya was the one to actually look the most contemplative between the two. [[That man…Pietro Dobrynich Granin…we all saw you take him out before his merry band of killers got the jump on us, Angel's Eye. I just can't wrap my head around how he was still alive after that…and even after I saw him get blown to pieces when we tried to escape…that son of a bitch is still standing! Comrade Ustinovka died for nothing!]]

All the while, as the burlier of the soldiers was exclaiming this, Nikolay and all his allies were still trying to fight the urge to dry heave when processing the fact that their situation had just become indescribably more serious.

"That man…has access to a nuclear submarine's payload? Oh my God…" Kyouka muttered in near silence, unable to stop shaking while Tenya similarly uttered: "If we don't stop him…the damage he could inflict would be incalculable, not just here or in Russia, but potentially worldwide."

"But with their testimony, at least now we know for certain that Kieslowska-san has been telling us the truth about Pietro Granin dying and Valera being used to bring him back all these times." Momo stated further, trying desperately to find the one sliver of a bright side in this circumstance, being that they could now know for sure to trust Maja. This time, even Tetsutetsu, Yui and Reiko looked to be coming to the same conclusion, while Monoma was visibly struggling more to do the same.

"W-w-what could we be able to do to stop him from using such a thing?" Mina struggled to find the words to ask; now tears of raw fright building in her eyes at the realization of just how much was resting in all their hands, while similarly trying to maintain a brave posture.

Finally, De-Condenser stepped forward and planted a firm hand on Nikolay's shoulder, snapping his intern to full attention, while the Pro Hero's eyes were focused on the two soldiers. "Solovei-kun, translate for me, please. How many of your fellow soldiers did you men come here with? Do you have any idea if they're still alright? If we know how many to look for, we can still be able to save them."

Distaste for Heroes or not, neither of the men could deny how genuinely impassioned the taller Hero before them was being with his words while Nikolay translated. As such, Angel's Eye answered: [[Our younger comrade, Boris Tartakov, got taken away shortly after we'd been taken prisoner…and never came back. We never even saw him after Pietro Granin had used his Quirk on us, so…I'm afraid we have to assume the very worst about him. The only two of us still left are our other comrade who fought against you with us, Anatoly Grischenko, and the man who was leading us this whole time, Konstantin Khodamchuk. He was the only one still being kept in our cell once we'd been taken away, so we can only assume…or better yet hope that he's still alive.]]

[[There's more to it than that.]] Ilya suddenly stated, drawing all curious eyes his way once more as the man's eyes reflected grim remembrance. [[Comrade Khodamchuk and Pietro Granin…more than once we saw them speak to each other while we were being held in that cell. Those two men clearly knew each other, far back from the sounds of it…and there's plenty of bad blood to be had between them. If that man gets pushed enough, how can we possibly say for certain he won't kill him, too?]]

So much new information as to just what they were dealing with was coming in so quickly, it would have been no surprise for any of the Pros if it was too much for their interns to process all at once. This was the initial impression De-Condenser and High Noon got when Nikolay suddenly turned on his heels and began making his way for the exit.

"Kolya-kun, where are you going?" Mina asked worriedly when seeing the intense look in his green eyes.

"We need to run these details by Maja-san. She may be able to help us come up with a plan," he explained over his shoulder as he began to reach for the door.

At that moment, having been able to pick up the sound of a typical Slavic nickname amid the pink girl's words; something simultaneously clicked among the two soldiers as Angel's Eye suddenly spoke up: [[You, boy, wait!]]

This thankfully managed to stop Nikolay in his tracks; momentarily looking back to see what else the soldiers could have possibly had to say. The moment their eyes met, the sharpshooter's gaze widened with what could only have been recognition. [[She called you 'Kolya'…that could only be the nickname for 'Nikolay.' Of course, I thought there was something I recognized about your face. I saw it all over the TV last November alongside Tunguska! You're his son, Nikolay Bezpalov! So this is where the two of you scurried off to!]]

Just as quickly did Ilya similarly light up with recognition to hear his comrade finally confirm it. [[Holy shit, you're right! Why the hell would you, of anybody with a Quirk, possibly give a shit what happens to us or anybody back in Russia? All those years of death and hardship your old man caused us, and everyone with some sense turning on him and his kind; seeing us get wiped off the face of the earth by some despotic psychopath must be like a dream for you! Why the hell are you even really here; to get our hopes up and gloat all the while to yourself? Are you just as much of an egotistical murderous fraud like your father, boy?!]]

Nikolay's heartbeat was hammering like mad at his chest with every poison-laced word Ilya threw his way. His friends could all see how his chin was barely quivering with restraint, but they could never have begun to comprehend the anger that was starting to burn in his veins as he tried to find something to answer the two soldiers with. It was almost like the fury he felt the day of that ill-fated party at his and Tunguska's original home…only somehow more focused.

Mina and Tenya were both already starting to inch in to try and talk their friend down from saying something he would regret; but just before either of them could make contact, Nikolay's trembling stopped, and he let out a sigh so heavy, it almost felt like the breath of relief of one long suffering, who was about to finally take the long sleep of the dead.

When he opened his eyes to look the two soldiers head on, all of the bubbling emotions had vanished, and even if his words were strained, his composure was almost miraculously kept calm: [[If you both really want the truth: for the longest time…I really didn't care what would've ever happened to you or anyone else back in Russia after all we'd gone through. I didn't care about Quirks or Heroes or any of that stuff anymore than you all did after all those years of listening to what people and the media were calling people like me and my dad. As far as I was concerned, we all were monsters and deserved to get put down.

[[But ever since I came here, met all the other Quirk-users and aspiring Heroes I now call my friends and teachers…I was reminded of what Heroes could be, what they've always been meant to be, instead of just what the news was telling us they were. Heroes are supposed to embody kindness, courage…and above all else, hope. It made me realize that that was what we all lost back home, and have been in such desperate need of ever since the Siberian Flash: hope…and we let ourselves be convinced that hope was for fools as a result.

[[That realization helped me to remember when I wanted to be a Hero before it all fell apart…and it helped rekindle that want in me like nothing ever could have otherwise. I decided that I wanted to be the kind of Hero that could return hope to the hearts of people again, no matter if they were back in Russia or anywhere else. I'd lived in misery and anger for so long already, and I didn't want that to be what ruled my life anymore. I was brought out of the deepest pit of my life, and it's all because of my friends here, and so many more all over this country, that I was able to return from that point, because helping people is what Heroes do, and I want to be able to do that for everyone as well…including the two of you.]]

Nikolay actually began to approach the two silent soldiers, while his schoolmates and the gathered Pros could only watch and listen to this complete emotional turnaround present in the young Russian. The way he was speaking, even despite the language barrier; the determined look in his eyes and body language, it all positively radiated with an air that couldn't have felt more natural for a Hero. Such a display honestly left his classmates all looking indescribably proud of him, and even had Tetsutetsu and Pony looking a touch inspired.

[[My doing this isn't about anything like clearing my name or Tunguska's; boosting my ego, changing yours or anyone else's minds back home, or anything paltry or selfish like that. Everyone back home may have let the words of others drive them to forget this simple fact, but the fact of the matter is that no matter what, Heroes help people in need, and right now there are innocent lives in danger both here and in Russia. As Heroes, all of us here want to help all of them, including you; no matter who you are, what you've done or what you believe about people like us. We're going to help you all, no matter what.]]

With that, and a deep inhale to steady himself from getting too emotionally wrapped up within himself after having given such an impassioned speech, Nikolay and the rest of his fellow Heroes finally took their leave; and Angel's Eye and Ilya both found themselves left in a frankly dumbfounded silence.

As the Heroes made their way for the door to Maja's room; just at the same time the police had made their exit with the previously requested polygraph machine in hand; Nikolay felt a momentary tap on his shoulder, looking back to see Tenya, Momo and Kyouka all giving him similarly approving smiles; the ponytailed girl specifically stating: "I can't imagine how difficult that had to have been to carry on like that, Bezpalov-san, but you handled things commendably."

"Hell yeah, dude. You almost sounded just like your old man whenever he's in the middle of teaching class and telling us his old stories." Tetsutetsu enthusiastically agreed as well; completely ignorant of the returning look of conflict in the Russian boy's eyes now that the moment itself had passed.

Of course, this change wasn't lost on Mina, as she too gave Nikolay the lightest tug on the sleeve of his costume to get his attention. "Are you feeling okay, though, Kolya-kun?"

With a sigh, Nikolay knew he couldn't hide the truth from his friends and allies, not anymore, not here. "I want to say yes…but I honestly can't, not just because of what we're dealing with. I mean…if things had played out differently and I'd never come here…those two men in there, they could've genuinely been the ones to find me and dad…and kill us. That kind of perspective really screws with your head."

Nobody could bring themselves to answer such a sentiment, since they knew there was nothing they could say that wouldn't sound like they were discounting his feelings. It really was an incredibly heavy thing to think about, and something they simply wouldn't be able to ever fully relate with their friend to, much to their regret.

Of course, there was no further time to elaborate or discuss it, as the Heroes now found themselves stepping back into Maja's room; the young girl once more visibly pleased to see such familiar faces again already, before seeing the serious intent reflected in many of their gazes.

Taking charge, High Noon stepped forward: "Maja-chan, we spoke with those two soldiers, and they told us some very serious things about you and your friends; how they came after you all and Pietro Granin because you not only attacked a government lab and a navy installation back in Russia, but even stole weapons and an honest-to-God nuclear submarine. Is any of this true?"

Even despite their previous realizations of Maja's honesty, just saying these incredible things out loud made it turn back around to sounding wholly unbelievable. Yet, no matter how much they all wanted it to be so, that simply could not be, as Maja's head bowed with even greater regret now that they knew. "It's not just that…not anymore. Shortly after we'd captured those men and their comrades, we found out how they planned to sneak out of the country and back into Russian waters once they'd…well, finished the rest of us off: a navy gunboat waiting just at the international waters line for them to swim out to.

"We'd taken their radio equipment, and once we'd figured out the coordinates the boat would be waiting at; Ocean Master actually moved us out there, and we ended up taking the whole thing for ourselves by Pietro's command; crew and all. Like I said, I'd found all of them being held in the basement cells like everyone else when my memories were coming back. I don't know specifically where Ocean Master had to have taken it once we'd all returned to the hospital, but I know there's a small seaside cave a little ways north of the place. If I had to guess, I'd say that's where they're probably keeping it now…and the submarine wouldn't be far from there."

As bad as Maja's guilt was over the two missions she'd been sent out on before with the others; it couldn't compare to the twisting in her gut when she saw the looks of confirmed dread on all the young interns' faces when hearing her confirm Pietro's possession of a genuine nuclear submarine; De-Condenser muttering quietly: "My God, Maja-chan…why would you all do something like this; taking something so incalculably dangerous to so many people? Why would he have you do this?"

The instinctive jolt that Maja's body went through had earned an similar muscle reaction from many of the other Heroes as she tried on reflex to speak in defense: "You have to understand; when we'd first come back with it, Pietro…he wasn't like the way he is now. He kept assuring us it was only to be used as a deterrent, to keep any of our enemies in Russia from trying anything reckless against us while he kept putting his campaign together. I believed that then…but after seeing the way he is now? Well, I'm not willing to take those words on good faith coming from him anymore."

Of course, to hear her of all people saying something that grim sent a shudder up all the present Heroes' spines, before Kyouka suddenly asked: "Those men also told us about how they'd originally come after you all with several more comrades of theirs. Linguist-san told us how one of them got killed trying to attack Pietro shortly before he made his escape from the basement, and they confirmed it themselves, just as you did, Maja-san. We know there was a third one of them that attacked us alongside you and some of your ex-comrades earlier, but they also mentioned another one of their people who apparently got taken away and was never seen or heard from again. Would you know anything at all about that?"

Maja could see the other interns were all just as eager for the truth as Kyouka was; but the shame that she couldn't give them the answer they were looking for twisted away at her gut something terrible. "I'm sorry…I don't really know anything about that…but for a good couple of days, we often heard Pietro, Ocean Master and Dr. Alyosha talking about this weird experiment they'd been working on ever since our mission at that lab in Kamchatka. I don't want to think it…but I can't shake this feeling that that might have something to do with it.

"This experiment they'd been working on; they kept referring to it as a 'Quirk-Explosion Bullet.' Don't ask me what exactly that's supposed to mean, although I'm afraid to guess it's as self-explanatory as it sounds. You see, when we carried out that original mission; along the way, Eliška had overheard through the soldier she was controlling through her Quirk, about the Anti-Quirk Mobilization and Armament Bureau recently getting its hands on some weird shipment of bullets from a source outside of Russia: bullets they said could actually 'erase' Quirks, being the words she kept using when describing it to us.

"Pietro wanted us to try and recover one for him and Dr. Alyosha, so when we destroyed the lab and the convoy that had just left it, which was carrying a couple crates of those bullets, we ended up stealing one for them to study, and destroyed the rest. We never found out just where those bullets came from in the first place.

"Once we'd come back and given the one bullet we took to Dr. Alyosha, the guy started working day and night studying it. Just a couple of days ago, he told us he'd actually managed to reverse engineer the chemical compound that allowed the bullets to erase Quirks to begin with, and thus give it the exact opposite effect. He described it as…'being able to forcefully activate Quirks in the Quirkless beyond physical capacity,' was the wording he chose. Ever since Tuule and Hristofor got him all this fancy chemistry lab equipment; I don't know where from; he's been able to start mass recreating his formula and the bullets it would be injected into, themselves."

All at once was everything finally connecting together (not the least of which being Tenya, his fellow Sapporo interns and Knightfall making the connection with the previously mentioned recent university robbery days ago) as the Heroes considered everything they now knew, almost forming a huddle in the process as Knightfall began their process of running down all the pieces: "She mentioned before about Pietro and his followers having some kind of invasion campaign set up as their endgame."

Whiteout followed: "She similarly mentioned seeing a bunch of people in Russian navy uniforms in those cells even before this mentioning of stealing a gunboat, so I believe that part checks out."

Then High Noon: "And from hers, Linguist-san and those two soldiers' testimonies, it sounds as though Pietro himself is becoming bolder in exercising the boundaries of his Quirk in the wake of his deteriorating mental state, especially if he's come to the same conclusion that his Quirk can affect more people than just his intended target, like it did with Mitsudo-kun when using it on Maja-chan in the beginning."

And finally De-Condenser himself: "If he has, then there's no doubt he may start trying to use it on all the people in Gagaringrad to amass an army capable of this campaign of his, especially with his apparently having a whole cache of stolen weapons to put in their hands alongside their Quirks. With that and the news of the gunboat and submarine, he'd easily have the manpower and the means to move said army without a problem, especially if he were to bring that gunboat's whole crew under his influence and have them move out on the surface, while he'd move all the townspeople underwater with the submarine. Nobody would be any the wiser until it was already too late."

That was when Momo suddenly chimed in with a look of realization evident in her eyes: "And with their having kidnapped Giver-san, then he would have the means to strengthen his own Quirk exponentially, as well as those of every single person with a Quirk under his thrall. He could wind up with a much stronger army at his command then we'd initially thought."

A momentary gasp from Nikolay snapped everyone else's attention to him, as his eyes were wide and glued to the floor as he expressed his train of thought: "It's obvious at this point, with these sabotage missions of his, the involvement of those soldiers and the taking of that submarine and the gunboat with its crew, Pietro has to be aiming to launch this invasion of his on Russia itself. Japan has so many Heroes among its population, such a thing would be impossible to carry out. But with Russia having long since driven what was left of its Quirked population out or into hiding, they've automatically put themselves at a huge disadvantage against a Quirked army, strengthened by Giver-sensei's Quirk or not."

Tenya suddenly went rigid with his own natural conclusion: "And with these apparent Quirk-Explosion bullets thrown into the mix, then not only would Pietro Granin have raw Quirk power on his side, but he would also have psychological warfare as well. What better way to maintain an advantage over your enemies, than having the means to turn them into that which they've been taught to fear and despise more than anything for the last thirteen years?"

"Not to mention the words Maja-san used: 'to forcefully activate Quirks in the Quirkless beyond physical capacity.' To me, that sounds like something that not only activates Quirks, but to a degree that their bodies can't possibly control, likely killing them from the outset." Kyouka similarly suggested, crossing her arms over her chest and shuddering alongside the rest of the interns at such a terrible thought.

However, it was then that Mina suddenly chimed in with a genuine show of confusion in her eyes: "But we all know that Russia is, like, totally anti-Quirk now, so they'd have to be really well prepared against something like an invasion, right? After Maja-chan and the others attacked twice, I'll bet their security's gonna be at least quadrupled against another, right?"

"Not if he were to worm his way in from the outskirts inward. Then it ultimately wouldn't make a difference." Reiko suddenly muttered, primarily to herself, but earning the discerning eyes of her multiple partners all the same.

The grey-haired female Hero's one visible eye barely even lifted to acknowledge their stares as she continued voicing the train of thought that had come to her: "He'll obviously need more manpower on his side than a gunboat crew and a whole town of Quirk-users can provide if he wants to make a campaign that'll last. Even with a nuclear submarine in his arsenal, time and resources ultimately aren't on his side. If he's indeed an experienced commander, then he should know he needs to build up his resources, human and material alike, in order to really deliver a sustained fight against an entire nation. But where and how would that be?"

"Oh God…" Nikolay suddenly muttered in shock to himself. "Of course…we're up in northern Hokkaido. The location is perfect for it. Sakhalin Island."

Behind his back, even Maja looked to visibly jolt with the same realization, while Nikolay continued to answer his fellows' imploring expressions: "Sakhalin Island is the easternmost part of what is officially Russia's territory. Its southernmost point practically touches our northernmost…and it has the largest naval base in eastern Russia."

All at once could he see his friends and peers all starting to come to the same horrifying conclusion as he was, while he continued: "If Pietro were to rewrite the memories of the crew of that gunboat, which clearly had to have come from that very base, he would be able to have his own team of saboteurs infiltrate the place without their fellow officers even knowing it. They would be able to cripple their defenses and communications, while Pietro could arguably move himself and the rest of his forces in with the submarine, and systematically take over the entire base and its personnel from there, not to mention the locals in every town on that island."

Out of everyone else who could have come to the same dreadful ultimate conclusion to speak out, it was ultimately Monoma; his hands and barely maintained smirk both visibly trembling: "With an entire naval base's worth of manpower, weapons and transportation, he'd be able to launch a much stronger campaign on virtually every other coastal installation on the Russian landmass. Hell, he could repeat the very same process in each one and grow his army vastly with every single one…and with a nuclear option constantly at his fingertips, he could theoretically then move his armies further and further inward, taking over town after town, with the Russian army having virtually no way of getting to him to stop him without risking a total nuclear response."

"He'd be completely unstoppable then." These words naturally came from every single person in that room, the weight of it all leaving them all visibly shaking.

"There's still time, though," Maja suddenly noted, leaving the room deathly silent as the Heroes all looked to her, stricken by the sight of her previous fear having turned into a look of pure determination. "After everything that's happened today, there's no way he's going to immediately set sail for Sakhalin Island. He still needs to draw the rest of the town under his Quirk's affect so they'll fight for him, properly arm them and give them even the bare minimum of training in using their Quirks on the battlefield. Nearly all those people weren't even soldiers before they emigrated to Gagaringrad; even his Quirk won't automatically instill in them the training they would need. That gives you all a window."

This news couldn't have come at a better time, as the fear the Heroes all felt in their core was likewise starting to fade, and was just as quickly being replaced with a universal and recognizable desire between them to utilize that window of opportunity for everything it was worth. One way or another, they needed to put a stop to Pietro and his plans quickly.

At that point, a momentary clearing of the throat at the doorway drew their attention to find the same older police officer from earlier watching them all intently, clearly having been listening in on everything just as they had. And standing eagerly at his side was the still-grinning Mei Hatsume, whom had been keeping herself in the back of the Heroes' whole group the entire time, simply listening to everything they had been learning with rapt attention, and the reality of what they were now facing up against had her yellow crosshair eyes all but glowing with excitement.

"The results of the polygraph we put her through are just as we'd been hoping for, everyone. She's been completely honest about everything she's said since she woke up. However, if I may, given the scale of what's at stake, I personally don't think you're in a good enough physical condition yet to just go rushing out there to stop these people. If you were to let the doctors here do what they can for you, I imagine you may be good enough to go within the next few hours."

Just as the police officer had said, the Heroes all had to take that moment to look upon each other; specifically their injuries. It was unfortunately true that, even despite the adrenaline rushing through their veins in the wake of their ultimate goal, they were likewise all still feeling a considerable lingering pain between them from the injuries that were still in the process of healing. Even at the closest to their physical best, they'd still been given a considerable beating by Pietro's original soldiers, not to mention the royal thrashing they'd received from Ocean Master once he'd shown up.

Ultimately, Mina let out a deeply regretful sigh: "They're right. If we just go running in, how do we know we wouldn't get hurt even worse and get beat before we can even do anything to really stop them?"

A timely and confident chuckle from Mei diffused all lingering doubt among the Heroes, as the pink-haired Support genius gave them all a reassuring wink and thumb up. "Well, if you're just gonna rely on your Quirks alone, maybe! But that's gotta be why I'm here, isn't it? An army of Villains with such a variety of Quirks, and a high-tech nuclear threat? Forget some Support school internship, this sounds like the kind of do-or-die challenge I was born to take on! Fate's at work, people! I've been scribbling up notes on everything you've all been learning today, especially the Quirks of the guys you're up against related to your own, and I'm confident that if you just gimme a Support lab and a few hours, I can give you guys so many brand-spankin' new babies of mine to help, it'll make EVERYONE'S heads spin!"

Following off of the young girl's boundless enthusiasm, the senior police officer much more calmly told the Heroes: "We ran Hatsume-san's ID through the system; she's a fellow Yuuei student like all of your interns. With your blessings, of course; we could take her to one of the local Support offices here in town for her to work in while you all focus on letting your injuries heal as much as you can. In the meantime, we can also mobilize our more specialized officers to at least set up a blockade around the Gagaringrad territory so we can keep this Pietro Granin or any of his followers from coming out to try and attack anyone else again."

With the potential boon of Mei's assistance now being an option, the Yuuei interns all looked to their respective mentors. Knightfall by this point looked fairly convinced in the usefulness of her potential gadgets; but Whiteout, De-Condenser and High Noon all looked fairly skeptical.

However, if the police had already confirmed who she was, and she was really as willing to help them, and confident that she could do so in a way that would make a difference, then it would have been foolish of them to turn down such an offer in a time like this; especially when seeing the pleading looks in their interns' eyes. That was just as powerful a vote of confidence in Mei's favor as anything could've possibly been.

And so, with the Pros blessings, a positively beaming Mei was quickly escorted by the police to one of the local Support offices in Arakisu City, and ultimately leaving the four Pros and their interns to ruminate and pass the time to heal before the call to action would finally be able to be answered.

Of course, it was the reminder that they couldn't officially do anything until they were given proper leave by the doctors, and Mei would come back with whatever gadgets she had in mind, that left the young Heroes with a simmering sense of worry and frustration alike, only able to imagine what could've been happening in Gagaringrad at this very moment, and none of the possibilities being remotely good.

Nikolay knew he couldn't stand a number of hours simply dwelling on that, but there was no way he could possibly go about acting like what they were about to be charging into wasn't a real thing. That reminder was leaving his stomach in increasingly nervous knots.

His anxiety was already reaching such a fever pitch, his body was actually heading for the exit to the room on its own, momentarily blind to the concerned gazes from his schoolmates, before he suddenly stopped and looked back to Maja from over his shoulder.

"Maja-san…there's one more thing I have to ask you. That man in the dome helmet that attacked us, with the Water Quirk…what do you know about him?"

The turquoise-haired girl looked momentarily blindsided by such a random question in the grand scheme of things, but still at least answered him clearly: "Virtually nothing. We only ever knew him as Ocean Master, and that he'd apparently been at Pietro's side since the very beginning. Why?"

The rest of the Heroes could instinctively figure where Nikolay was going with this, but as Mina was about to once more try and tell Nikolay he didn't have to keep throwing himself down this particular rabbit hole, the young Slavic Hero answered Maja with surprising bluntness: "Because we actually managed to knock that helmet off him before he ended up escaping. I saw his eyes…and I recognized them like nobody else's. That man…he wasn't always this Ocean Master as you know him. He…he was once one of The New Bogatyrs: The River Hero, Volga. I just thought you deserved to know. If Pietro and his Quirk have something to do with him having turned into a Villain like this…he has to pay for that then."

Nikolay's sharp intake of breath to try and keep his emotions in check immediately preceded his hastily leaving the room, spurring the rest of his classmates to follow after him, while the Pros and the Class B interns could only remain inside and take in that disturbing reminder, while Maja looked utterly shell-shocked at the reveal of one of the most popular Heroes in all of the former Soviet Bloc being Pietro's second-in-command. The thought of someone who had reached such a level of admiration and success in Pro Heroics, actually freefalling to the way she now knew him to be, was nothing short of heartbreaking…and she could recognize that same heartbreak in Nikolay's closing words.

---

Nikolay had made a beeline for the roof of the hospital, nearly hunching over when he grabbed onto the fence lining the edge, riding out the trembling that was rocking his body from head to toe, his breathing ragged and his eyes stinging with tears of far too many emotions at once to name.

Even as he was trying to help this period of emotional vulnerability run its course, he could still just naturally feel the worried gazes of his classmates behind him. It was hardly surprising that this sudden downturn in his demeanor would drive them to try and speak to him, or at the very least be there for him. If these circumstances had been any different, he would've been infinitely grateful for their compassion.

"Kolya-kun…?" "Bezpalov-san…are you alright? I-I mean…what are you thinking right now?" Mina's instinctive outreach of concern was quickly followed up by Momo trying to do the same, albeit fumbling over her words when realizing it was so obvious that their Russian friend was far from truly alright.

With his shakes having finally seemed to have come to a stop, Nikolay tried to stand up straight once more as he finally looked back to his friends, not even trying to hide how wet his green eyes now looked. "I-I'm sorry. I know…I know this is hardly the time to be doing this. I just…even with everything we've found out, everything we've said and…well, everything I can tell we've all pretty much decided to do about this…I-I just can't stop thinking about how close we came today. And now knowing that in just a matter of hours, we're gonna be charging right back in against those same people…I know that so many people are now counting on us, but can you really blame me for feeling nervous?"

Even for as much of a consistently professional student as he was, Tenya was already shaking his head in confirmation as he looked to his hands, the scars on them beneath his gloves leaving him to think back to his confrontation against The Hero Killer Stain so many months ago. "Of course not. No matter the circumstances, facing certain death is a humbling and terrifying sensation…I know."

Momo, Kyouka and Mina were all clearly on the same page, but that still ultimately did little to assuage Nikolay's lingering worries, too countless to name, as he continued on: "And even if it isn't that, I just keep thinking about how powerful we knew those guys fighting for Pietro were to begin with…but now that they've got Giver-Sensei, I'm almost too scared to even imagine what their Quirks could be able to do then.

"And that, combined with Pietro having as much experience as a strategist as he does…I can't stop thinking about what could end up happening, not just to us, but to everyone if we don't go in there prepared enough, and he ends up getting the better of us. It's not even just the people around here or there who are at risk; it's so much more now, and it feels…that kind of responsibility just feels crushing already, but if we were to fail..."

Nobody dared to finish that train of thought out loud, it was simply too terrible to imagine. Even having at least expressed this fear of his did nothing for Nikolay's spirits, as he leaned back against the fence, staring forlornly at his own feet. "The fact is that we need to make a plan to defeat these guys…but no matter how much I try to improve, my mind for strategizing is still nothing compared to guys like Midoriya-san or Todoroki-san…it isn't even like yours, Iida-san, Yaoyorozu-san. I can't stop thinking about if I end up making the wrong decision once we're in there, and it's going to get us all killed, even if we've got all our teachers helping us. At least if those two were here, we'd have something much more thought-out to work with."

"But they aren't here, Kolya-san. We only have each other to work with, including you…and that's good enough for me." Kyouka suddenly stated with surprising intensity, even catching Momo and Tenya off guard as her eyes burned into those of the Russian boy before her.

Fortunately, just the sentiment behind the purple-haired girl's interruption was enough to inspire Mina to speak up finally as well, as she clenched her fists and met Nikolay's self-doubt with all the sincerity in the world: "Me too! Kolya-kun, we've all seen each other get stronger up till now, including you! You keep talking yourself down, but you've come up with your own plans that managed to get us the win before! Give yourself some credit, okay? It's because of you that not only were we able to get so high up the ranks in the Sports Festival, but we were able to beat that Vukodlak guy as well as we did at all, remember?"

"And it's because of you and your quick planning that we were able to pass the elimination round of the Provisional Exams at all after we got scattered, don't forget that." Kyouka immediately followed up.

With both girls' examples given, Tenya similarly stepped forward, an expression of understanding reflected behind his glasses. "It's true that you may not be on the same level, power or strategy-wise, as someone like Midoriya-san or Todoroki-san…but you don't have to be, Bezpalov-san. They're right, you've proven to be exceptionally strong among our class in a way that's entirely your own, and that's all you need to be. Even when the plans you make don't work out, I've witnessed your ability to rebound through improvisation firsthand at the fighting tournament. If anything, that may be one of your biggest strengths, is your ability to bounce right back, no matter how hard you get knocked down."

Finally, unable to keep her own remembrance to herself, Momo similarly stated with an almost nostalgic smile: "Not only your ability to re-strategize and plan on a moment's notice, but also your ability to quickly figure out ways to work alongside different Quirks from your own. It was because of your adaptability to that, that we were able to pass our final exams against Tunguska-sensei. Yes, there are fields in which you're not quite on the same level as some of our classmates, but the important thing to remember is that there are fields wherein you stand strong right alongside them, and others where you stand tall on your own, Bezpalov-san. That's the way it ultimately is for all of us; we just need to remind ourselves and each other of that."

Momo's vote of confidence seemed to visibly fire Mina and Kyouka right back up, as the former immediately echoed: "Yeah! We're all totally awesome Heroes in the making in our own ways already, Kolya-kun, and that means you too! So give yourself a break and let's figure this out together like we always do, okay? You shouldn't have to feel like you need to carry all the responsibility for us! We're all super besties here, so let's save the day like super besties; not with my plan or Yaomomo's plan or your plan, but our plan!"

To hear his classmates all express such heartfelt respect and companionship with him in such a situation as the one they now found themselves in was like the touch of grace itself, as Nikolay's teary eyes now stung with those of incomparable gratitude; nodding his head in increasingly enthusiastic agreement. This relieved his friends greatly, as they all found themselves smiling in their own gratitude at being able to come back together like this.

Sucking in a deep breath to recompose himself, Nikolay finally approached his four friends, meeting them all with shaking yet firm hands upon the first of their shoulders he could reach, looking them all in the eyes as he gave them all a trembling smile from the bottom of his heart. "Thank you…thank you all. I know this isn't the first time I've ended up like this…but I'm just as glad as I've ever been to have you all with me during this."

"Wouldn't have hesitated for a moment, Kolya-kun. Besties are bound forever, through thick and thin, you know?" Mina answered, her own voice starting to tremble with the emotion of this moment, while she and Kyouka both planted their own hands on his and each other's shoulders, with Momo and Tenya soon following suit, until they were all practically connected in a circle by their shoulders to one another; a real band of eternally united Heroes in the face of evil.

With their eyes all reflecting the same sentiment of unbreakable friendship in this moment, Nikolay could finally feel his fear disappearing as he said: "Well then…let's get back to our teachers and the Class B students…and let's figure out our plan together."

"YOU'RE ALL CRAZY!" The exclaiming voice of Monoma suddenly broke the atmosphere among the Class A students, breaking up their united circle as they looked back to find the blonde boy standing at the roof access doorway with the rest of his classmates at his sides; Tetsutetsu and Pony looking especially caught off guard by his outburst, as the wide-eyed girl spoke up: "Whoa, Monoma-kun, you okay?"

Monoma's head was nearly on a swivel as he kept turning back and forth to address his classmates and the Class A students one after the other: "Of course not, but I'm not the one you should be asking, Tsunotori-san; it's THEM! Even after everything we now know we're going up against, they're once again just cheering themselves on and going all gung-ho for it like it's no big deal! What clearer proof of Class A's sheer damn hubris and egotism can you all possibly ask for?! This is what all that ill-deserved success and praise does to their lot! They're all bloody certifiable!"

"This is very unlike you, Monoma. You seemed no less willing to face this issue and resolve it than the rest of us, Class A included." Reiko pointed out with an untraceable glimmer of judgment in her one visible eye, while Monoma continued standing his ground to make his case.

"Well obviously I still am; why do you think I'm still here, Yanagi-san?! But that doesn't change the fact that we're facing a danger unlike anything we've ever faced before already this soon into our Hero educations, and that's a very unsettling thing to think about, all things considered!

"Yes, it's true I've always resented you Class A brats for getting pretty much everything you'd want out of your educations handed to you on a silver platter while we Class B underdogs have to constantly work for it! I don't regret our circumstances, it just makes our inevitable victory over you that much sweeter! But now…now that the same kind of opportunity's been thrown into my lap…and now that I know just what lies in my hands the same as the rest of yours…I…I finally think I have an idea what drowning or sinking feels like…because it feels like I'm getting crushed from the inside out!"

As Monoma's snarky grin continued to falter and his knees began to shake before the rest of his schoolmates, Tetsutetsu's normally intense eyes surprisingly softened as he began to reach out to his normally cocky classmate. "Dude, Monoma…why wouldn't you…?'

The sharp-toothed boy was swiftly silenced when Monoma looked him right in the eye; his brow starting to form a frigid sweat. "What? Tell you that I'm just as scared as Bezpalov-baka is? Fine, if you wanna really hear it, Tetsutetsu-san, everyone, then there it is: I'm just as scared as he just admitted to being, alright?! I know I have the same responsibility as every one of us here, as a licensed Hero student, to help our teachers in beating these Villains and stopping their plans, but I'm still scared, dammit! At least unlike these Class A fools, I'm smart enough to actually acknowledge that feeling and not just cast it aside like it means nothing!"

"But what part about dem still facin' it says dey ain't feelin' scared like you, Monoma-kun?" Pony suddenly asked earnestly, singlehandedly shutting Monoma's rambling down, just for him to look and see Tetsutetsu reflecting the same kind of empathy for him and Class A alike.

"She's right, man. I mean, let's face it: we're all scared like you right now. Just us and our sensei's goin' up against a despotic brainwashing psychopath with a possible army of gun-toting folks with Quirks and nuclear weapons at his disposal? How could anyone not be scared shitless right now? I'll bet even our teachers are probably shakin' like leaves deep inside, they just don't want us to see it, cause they're trying to stay strong.

"That's what Heroes do for people more than anything else; Tunguska-sensei and All Might-sensei told us that much, remember? Hell, Bezpalov-san was just sayin' it himself: Heroes are supposed to give hope to others, and that's what they were doing for us, and what Class A is doing for each other right now…and right now, we all gotta be doing that for each other all around, no matter what class we're in, dude."

Monoma, understandably, looked deeply shocked that any one of his classmates was actually expressing this kind of all-accepting sentiment, even despite how overwhelming their circumstances were. Seeing this, Reiko quietly cleared her throat, drawing her classmates and the Class A students' attention to her.

"You often have expressed the point, Monoma-san, about Class A skyrocketing to nationwide fame while our class is left in their shadow. While that may still be true, what's also true is that our class has similarly been climbing up into the awareness of the general public and proving ourselves, albeit slowly but surely. Ever since Setsuna-san fought with Class A against that Villain during Field Training, even you surely must have noticed how our class has been similarly rising to the challenge whenever danger has presented itself."

Monoma thankfully looked to be thinking back at Reiko's urging; spurring Tetsutetsu to eagerly step back in: "Yeah, dude; don't forget a lot of us held our own just as well as Class A did when the camp got attacked! Plus, come on, how do you think the lot of us are out here right now? By kicking ass all over the place and earning our licenses by the skin of our teeth, the way real Heroes always win! How can you take all that into account and suddenly act like this isn't the kind of thing we were all preparing ourselves for; you included? If anything, take this as the chance for Class B to finally cement itself as at least Class A's equal in the eyes of everybody!"

By now, that all-too familiar driven light had returned in the depths of Monoma's dark blue eyes, which left Tetsutetsu and Pony both grinning brightly with relief; the blonde girl eagerly answering in kind: "Yeah, dat's da spirit, Monoma-kun; yer always goin' on about how da real Heroes come up from behind da scenes when nobody's lookin, don't'cha? Dat's da kinda Hero yer best at bein'! C'mon, show us dat smile, and let's help Class A beat dese bad guys and save da day like a Hero dream team, huh?!"

With that, she and Tetsutetsu both extended a helping hand to their shaken classmate, and with that razor sharp grin finally returning to his face, Monoma gladly accepted both, and with a resounding shake of unspoken yet unbreakable comradery, he was reignited with his own style of Heroic spirit, just before he and his classmates found themselves being approached by an especially touched-looking Class A; Nikolay actually stepping at the forefront and offering the normally arrogant young Hero before him a solitary handshake.

"It's hard for anyone to accept it, especially people like us who're trying to become Heroes…but time and again, we're reminded by our friends about how it's okay to admit when we're scared. What matters is not trying to force it down, but likewise not letting it consume us; rather, it's all about finding that balance between the two. Heroes accept their feelings, because that fear of what can happen, I've learned, can help drive us to find the courage to face danger every day so as to keep those fears from coming true.

"I know our classes don't exactly get along all across the board…but even if we're all scared, I know we've all seen that deep down, we all still want to do the right thing, Monoma-san. And as long as we all work together, don't try to deny what we feel in the moment, and keep our hearts focused on what we need to do, we can still find a way to come out the other side of this situation together all the same."

The way Monoma's eyes kept switching from the open and offering hand before him, and Nikolay's sincere gaze; the young Slav found himself silently expecting more and more for the cocky blonde boy to turn down the offer and simply boast his acceptance of their working together the way only he could.

However, before the emotionally revived blonde Hero could actually give his answer; the heartfelt emotions behind Nikolay's words had lit a spark once again in Mina beside him, as her eyes were positively aglow with inspiration by such universal restorations of all her friends' courage in what had once been such a dour moment between them all.

"Kolya-kun's right! I mean, how many times have we gotten caught up in really scary life-or-death situations, and by working together, come out on top so far?! Our classes are both totes awesome alone as it is! Together, we could be, like, unbeatable!"

However, while she, the rest of their Class A classmates, and soon even Tetsutetsu were getting in on recounting all of the attacks and situations with Villains they'd gotten caught up in over the course of the year just to emphasize her point; Nikolay was visibly not getting caught up in it, as his once empathetic eyes had started to once again sink, just as he himself was beginning to sink back into his less pleasant train of thought. "There's…something else I need to admit to you all, though."

This statement from him, in what was supposed to be such an inspiring moment, had brought about a much less pleasant silence among all the interns, as Nikolay began to slowly step out from their gathering, and approaching his previous spot at the rooftop fence.

With his hands once more clenching into anxious and emotionally conflicted fists, Nikolay was hesitant to meet his allies' gazes, but ultimately relented so they could see just how heavily his next words had been weighing on him over all this time:

"It's…not just the situation at hand and the danger we could end up in that I've been thinking about. It's…it's also…

"It's about Tunguska-sensei's old friend being on Pietro's side…isn't it?" Mina suddenly guessed with complete confidence in her own theory as she'd already come to recognize this particular expression on her dear friend's face right now, only cemented when Nikolay gave them all the slightest confirming nod.

"It's not even just that in the immediate sense, really. It's just…that man, Volga, he was one of Dad's closest friends for so long. He even told me once that he'd asked him to be my godfather right after I'd been born, for God's sake. He was right up there with him in being a beloved symbol of Heroism back in Russia…and now he's here, helping another former friend of my Dad mount a full-blown invasion of his own home country.

"Him and Pietro having gone down the same path, it's even gotten me thinking back to everything Vukodlak had told me when I'd been his prisoner; about being my Dad's sidekick pulled from the darkness of being a Villain, only to fall right back into it. It's just like what Monoma-san said earlier: three people once on the side of Heroics, all close friends of Tunguska, all one way or another turned into Villains. It's not even that crack he made about him possibly being cursed that's gotten me thinking…it's just this fear I have deep inside that…that I might end up going through the very same thing."

The entire roof had gone silent with a frigid cold of dread among the gathered students, as Nikolay clutched onto the chain-link fence tight with one trembling hand, looking back so he could look his friends in the eye. "Fearing I'd one day make a terrible decision that would get my friends killed was horrible enough, but now I've started imagining…what if I one day find myself in a situation where we similarly find ourselves turned against each other just like they did? What if there comes a time where I find myself having to fight against any one of you or the rest of our friends to the death for whatever reason? Even just thinking about it makes me feel like my heart is breaking, let alone actually having to say it out loud. I mean, I know now that the life of a Pro Hero is all about making hard decisions…but to even think of ever having to fight any one of you in such a way is just too terrible for me to handle…but I can't just ignore it after knowing what I do now."

Nikolay was far from the only one reeling from such a feeling, as even him just describing the very thought left Mina, Kyouka and Momo visibly emotionally distraught. Even Pony and Tetsutetsu couldn't help but feel that sting in their hearts just from imagining such a cruel turnaround happening to anyone at all.

Nikolay was so caught up in trying not to start breaking down into agonizing tears at the thought in that moment, he didn't even hear the sound of his allies all approaching him, before he saw Mina and Kyouka's feet standing just before him, prompting him to look up, only for both his friends to slowly pull him into a three-person group hug, rendering his choking sobs silent once more.

"Those horrible things may have happened to Tunguska-sensei in the past, Kolya-san…but that doesn't mean it has to happen to you, too. You're not him, remember?" As Kyouka pointed this otherwise obvious reminder out to Nikolay; he could feel Mina's hold on him specifically tighten that much more while speaking softly into his ear:

"Remember what I kept telling you back in the Sports Festival, Kolya-kun? No matter what happens, no matter where we are, we'll always be the best of besties, now and forever. I meant that from head to toe then, and I mean it from head to toe times infinity now. I would never turn on you…and deep down, I'm sure we both know that goes the same for everybody else here and in class too."

Indeed, despite their similar awkwardness at the prospect of stepping into such a personable display of friendship and affection, the smiles and compassionate gazes from Momo and Tenya reflected just as much sincerity as Mina and Kyouka's words, leaving Nikolay looking even more emotionally overwhelmed than before.

When his friends had finally thought to release him, the young Russian surprisingly found himself being approached by a much more personally grinning Tetsutetsu, as he placed a firm supportive hand on his shoulder in a manner almost identical to Eijirou in times before, which brought an instinctive smile of recollection to Nikolay and Mina specifically, as the sharp-toothed Class B boy stated: "It's like you said before, man: our classes may butt heads, but you guys; you're all cool in my book, and I'll gladly fight alongside you all no matter what, too. Hell, after you nearly bit the big one trying to save me and Kendo-san back at the camp, how could you not be, Bezpalov-san?"

While Nikolay was busy thanking Tetsutetsu, and ultimately the rest of his present classmates, for their own showing of support and comradery altogether; Mina was looking at the genuine relief on her dearest friend's face, and already found her mind rewinding to mere moments ago.

Just thinking back to the sheer emotion in the air between them all, how she'd expressed just how deeply she treasured and wanted to protect their friendship no matter what in the face of such a crippling fear like he'd just shared; was already starting to have her heart race. Seeing Nikolay's spirit and inspiration come back before her eyes, and knowing her undying support had even a little bit to do with that, even now had Mina all but bracing herself to finally step back in, close that distance, pull him into another loving hug, and finally tell him the penultimate reason she had, as to why he would never have to think of her one day turning against him, even in his wildest fears.

In fact, Mina didn't even realize that her body was actually starting to move forward on autopilot, her heart having officially taken the wheel and driving her to seize this moment for everything she knew in her core it was worth, no matter how many people would be here to unintentionally witness it as a result.

RRRRRRRRMMMMBBBLLLL!

The ground beneath all their feet suddenly beginning to shake with enough intensity to trigger nearly every car alarm in Arakisu City and bust nearly two dozen windows all across, was what stopped her from doing so, and sent all of the students' (and their teachers within the hospital) heart rates spiking, as they momentarily looked all around for the first sign of danger, with Nikolay, Mina and Kyouka even expecting, even if just for a moment, that it was Volga coming back to try and finish what he'd started mere hours ago.

"WHOA! HOLY SHIT, YOU GUYS! LOOK!"

Tetsutetsu's voice was positively ringing with shock and awe, before the rest of his fellows all turned to see what he meant, only to similarly find themselves stricken silent and dumbfounded at what they were seeing unfold before their eyes at this very moment:

In the distance, over a series of forested hills, was a colossal tower of pure whitewater erupting upwards from out of the ground in a single progressive direction from their right to their left, with the deafening yet unmistakable sound of bedrock and soil being torn up by the sheer force of it every step of the way.

After only a few minutes of watching this godlike spectacle unfold, it looked as though this ever-flowing wall of high-pressure whitewater had stopped progressing to the students' left, and had actually started to turn away from them towards where they knew the ocean to be. Not long after that, the ripping and tearing of the earth sounded to have finally stopped, and yet the wall continued to stand at a colossal height; likely around three-hundred feet by Momo's calculations, given how far away they were from the wall itself.

However, now that they'd had the time to really take in and process what they were really looking at, the students' shared sense of shock had given way to a far grimmer understanding of what this had to mean, given the timing; as Nikolay regretfully muttered: "It looks like we just got a look at what Giver-sensei can do for Volga's Quirk now. There's no way the police or the media can even get close to Gagaringrad now."

"Or us for that matter, at least for now." Kyouka noted as well, but still thankfully refusing to let this clear defensive tactic on their enemies' part dissuade her from what they had all sworn to themselves and each other they were going to do.

And that determination wasn't lost among anymore of them either, as while they still couldn't take their eyes off this incredible show of power, they weren't about to let it instill in them that same fear they'd felt before, either. They'd all managed to connect to one another on a fundamental level here today on why they had come here to begin with, and what responsibilities that gave them as a result.

Whatever dangers were going to be awaiting them when it was finally time to get their new equipment from Mei and move out; they weren't going to back down from it, and they all agreed deep in the pits of their chests that they and their teachers were going to face it all side-by-side until the very end.

And as he felt the warmth and support of Mina's hand as it instinctively grabbed onto his own while they all stared out at the wall on the horizon; Nikolay couldn't have been able to express his gratitude for that enough if he'd tried.

---

Early Morning, Saturday, September 13th

By the time the sun had finally started to rise upon Arakisu City again, with the distant-yet-towering whitewater wall still roaring sky high as it had many hours before; the gathering of intern and Pro Heroes alike had only just barely managed to ease their anxieties in the dead of night enough to try and get even an hours' worth of sleep, but any more than that was simply out of the question.

Especially since by now, their anxieties were quickly replaced with a wave of relief, as when they had woken up, the very first thing they'd heard from any of the police at the hospital was that their superior had returned with Mei Hatsume in tow, and reportedly with several large cases in tow.

At last, their unexpected Support developer in this situation had come through for them, and when the Heroes had all come to the empty cafeteria to see what she had in store, they were all quick to see the pronounced dark rings around the pink-haired girl's still-lively crosshair eyes as she was still grinning as excitedly and brightly as the sun. While they had barely managed an hour, she looked like she literally hadn't gotten a wink of sleep, by her own choice.

Of course, Mei was hardly the one for simple small talk, as the moment she knew the Heroes had all gathered, she was right back into showman-mode, as she was already opening all of the large metal cases set up side by side on the table, revealing the large assortment of fancy and makeshift-looking gadgets sitting inside, tossing one after another to the Heroes she intended them for specifically; the very first being a more compact-looking and self-proclaimed 'further improved' version of the attachable arm tailpipes she'd had Tenya use previously. Only this time, after the previous version had managed to help him as much as they had yesterday, he was much more willing to give her the benefit of the doubt for these ones.

The next on the display were a handful of small cylindrical grenade-looking objects she tossed to Nikolay and Mina. "I remembered seeing blueprints on Power Loader-sensei's computer for some multi-faceted grenades that can be used with any number of Quirks, that he took off your phone when you came for suit-upgrades, Pinky. I decided to copy 'em down when he wasn't looking, and voila!

"I kept both your Quirks in mind when making these, and even made some remote activation buttons for you to hold onto so you can activate 'em from a distance or on a timer; so yours can hold any strength of Acid you can make, and the others are like mini shock or sound absorbers with the same release mechanic as your Quirk, Russkie. You just fire off whatever amount of a kinetic blast as you want into one of them, and then with the push of that button, BOOM! These are some real unassuming but effective babies of mine, so use 'em well!"

The visible looks of immense impression on Mina and Nikolay's faces as they took these small throwing tools of hers had Mei chuckling heartily to herself with pride as the next gadgets she grabbed by the armful, she tossed to Momo, Pony, Reiko and Monoma. Looking them over once they grabbed them, the four students' new gadgets almost resembled flimsy-looking bracers, which they naturally affixed to both their forearms.

The moment they did, Mei suddenly reached into her back pocket, and with a flick of her wrist, flung a handful of marbles at the four. Their instinctive reactions of bringing their arms up to block the incoming tiny objects suddenly elicited a light electric beep from their new bracers, before they suddenly produced two small outwardly expanding disks of pure energy, which the marbles deflected harmlessly off of, to their visible amazement.

With another hearty chuckle, Mei had her hands affixed to her hips as she stood proudly. "Since your Quirks are either super versatile or rely on keeping distance from threats, my idea was to at least give you some immediate form of defense. Any danger that comes your way, you just bring your arms up, and these babies will immediately produce a momentary shield that can withstand virtually any form of offense. They take up a lot of energy when they do, though, so they won't last you guys forever; but they should at least last long enough for you to beat whoever's attacking you in the first place."

Before either Momo or Monoma could call her out on the contradictory meaning of that statement, considering there was no telling how long even a single fight against a Villain could last; Mei was already going right on to her next nifty new gadget, which looked like a pair of small metal-studded straps she immediately tossed to Tetsutetsu.

As the grey-haired boy looked these unassuming new accessories in his hands over, Mei was once again rapidly describing it with detail and pride: "Considering your Quirk revolves around having iron in your body in order to work, this was especially simple to come up with, but no less effective. You just strap my little babies here to your arms, and they can detect the iron content in your blood. If you get real low, one of those studs will automatically insert a microscopic injector from the other side into you, and inject a concentration of iron directly into your bloodstream, thus allowing you to maintain your full-strength iron skin for even longer than usual!"

That alone was enough to have Tetsutetsu's skepticism immediately turn into excitement as he strapped her unassuming-looking gadgets to his biceps. While he was doing that, Mei's observant eye unexpectedly returned to Nikolay specifically.

With no warning, he soon found himself being presented with what looked like a near identical pair of his costume's gloves; only these ones had an added line of studs running along the knuckles, almost like actual brass knuckles, with further tiny speakers mounted at the end of each one.

Of course, considering just who it was that was presenting these to him, Nikolay couldn't help but momentarily think back to their first meeting in the Support Lab back at Yuuei, and how Mei had nearly gotten his hand into another experimental glove that ran the risk of breaking every single bone in his hand. Of course, the nervous quiver in his chin went completely unnoticed as she was already excitedly pointing out every detail of these new gloves of his.

"Since you're all going into a real big fight before too long, I thought you'd want a way to use your Quirk in a fight that gives you more variety than just deflecting swings and vibrating slaps. With these new and improved Kinetic Gauntlet babies, you can channel your Vibrations out these knuckle speakers, so you can actually use your Quirk when punching your opponents for once. That's bound to help you out big time, you'll see!"

While Nikolay still couldn't entirely put aside his lingering nervousness, there was no denying that the rest of Mei's presented gadgets sounded especially promising, and if she was still expressing so much of her typical confidence in them when she knew the kind of danger they were about to go into, then the very least he could have done was to give them the honest try. Besides, the potential variety of danger awaiting them behind that whitewater wall all but demanded that they all take every last bit of assistance they could get.

As Nikolay slipped his hands into the (thankfully) just as familiar-feeling new gloves, Mei was now pulling out a much smaller case from under the table. "The police were nice enough to tell me about the equipment the Villains that attacked you were using; specifically this really cool-looking metallic reinforcing rig they said came off the really big guy. Unfortunately, the mechanics were just complex enough that the replica I've been making of it isn't quite ready.

"However, considering this guy you're all going after has this apparent Memory Rewrite Quirk with his voice, there's one other thing I was able to make for you all that may just be the piece de resistance in that regard." With that, Mei finally opened the smaller case, and before the curious eyes of all the young Heroes and their Pro teachers, she held up several pairs of what looked like…

"Earbuds? Forgive me, Hatsume-san, but those look just like the ones you'd made for me to keep my Shout from hurting my ears." Nikolay immediately answered, with Mina and the whole of Class B nodding in similar underwhelm.

However, Mei was as unperturbed as she'd ever been, as she kept handing one pair to each of them. "On the outside, yeah, but they're actually way more than that now. I decided to do a little bit of studying on the anatomy of the human brain in response to certain sound waves; in this case, the area centered around memory. Thinking about what that old man and the waxy girl said about what your Villain's voice sounded like when using his Quirk on them, I was able to find a sound frequency that could theoretically affect the memory center of the brain, and from there I made these little earplug babies for you all that are designed to block out that specific frequency. Even if he tries to use his Quirk on any of you; as long as you wear these, it ought to make you all totally immune!"

Mei was already laughing proudly to herself at the thought of such tiny and unassuming gadgets of hers potentially being the key to saving the day, while the Heroes were all visibly impressed with just how much she'd been able to make for them in just a matter of hours. Of course, the fact she was using words like 'ought to' in regards to whether her earbud gadgets would protect them from the affect of Pietro's Quirk, had them all feeling even just a touch unsettled.

Once she'd presented them all with easily the most straightforward of her gadgets afterward: a single-use EMP device for each one of them to use in the hopes of shorting out the electronics in the warheads inside Pietro's submarine; the Heroes all knew it was time for them to finally start putting their ultimate plan together and put a stop to whatever was going on in Gagaringrad at this very moment, starting with what they'd all agreed was the best first step: having Leonid list for them the known Quirks of every single citizen of the town.

However, as they'd begun to take their leave to get started, Kyouka was actually stopped by the soft hold of High Noon's hand upon her shoulder. "Forgive me, Jirou-chan. There was no time to tell you once you'd woken up with the others, but before we head out, Kazuki-ku—I mean, Blast Beat-san wanted to speak to you really quick."

Kyouka all but raced to the hospital room her teacher and Chiaroscuro were both being held in, and the moment the bedridden Jukebox Hero saw his intern returning loyally to his side, he momentarily looked like he was about to start shedding tears.

"You know…I'd actually been debating whether or not to actually do this with you in person, or if I should've had Asami-cha—er, High Noon-san act the middleman and give these to you for me. But considering just what it is you could all be finding yourselves up against out there, I knew that I'd never forgive myself if I didn't do this myself."

Without further ado, Blast Beat's tired eye glanced past the visibly worried Kyouka's shoulder, prompting her to look back as well, only to find sitting on the nearby nightstand, his belt of bullet-shaped gadgets, a pile of the different affect patches from his costume, and even his shoulder-strapped collapsible guitar tool.

Kyouka turned back to look her mentor in the eye so fast, she nearly gave herself whiplash, while her triangular eyes were wide with disbelief. "Sensei…you're…are you actually…?"

The singular nod he gave her in response had Kyouka almost start choking on the gasp that nearly hitched in her throat. "If I can't be out there to look after you in-person…then I can at least be there to help you through my Quirk, Earphone Jack-kun. I want you to take my gear with you. You've already got some practice with the belt, and you've seen my Quirk in use through those patches enough times by now to know how it works. They're what hold my power, not the guitar itself. You just grab the one you want to use, slap it on and strum away…and you're golden. You're a natural-born rock star Hero already; I know you, of all people, will be able to use it better than anyone else."

As Kyouka strapped the bullet belt around her waist, slipped the pile of affect patches into all the different pockets of her leather jacket, and finally swung the guitar strap over her shoulders, Blast Beat could clearly see her shoulders beginning to tremble; the silence of the room starting to be broken by the sound of deeply emotional sniffling coming from her as she kept her back to her teacher.

When she finally turned back to look him in the eye before finally charging off into the fray, he could clearly see the tears in her onyx eyes…but right along with them was a driven smile upon her face that filled him with a warmth the likes of which he never would have expected from anyone; even a reserved young Hero with such natural promise as he'd seen in her from the start.

"I won't let you down, Sensei. Thank you…so, so much!"

---

By this point in time, thankfully Leonid Viktorovich Briner had recovered from his injuries, exhaustion and dehydration enough so that when the Heroes had expressed their desire for him to give them an idea of what Quirks they could potentially be going up against among the townspeople; he was quick, concise and thorough in listing every single person in Gagaringrad; thus providing the whole bunch with a much greater advantage.

Of course, with the constant reminder that Pietro now had The Giver at his disposal, that left them all with the overlying realization that even the Quirks as Leonid had described to them had the potential to be even more dangerous than some of them already sounded.

In the end, however, they knew they were the only ones that stood a realistic chance of neutralizing the threat Pietro and his soldiers now posed to virtually everyone, and with the first stages of their plan having already been put together and agreed upon, they likewise knew they couldn't afford to waste much more time, and needed to finally start moving out.

But not before Leonid, sensing the urgency all around, had called to them with an urgent plea of his own; a single offering hand extended their way: "I may not be able to help you out there in the field in the sense of fighting…but if you want to be able to save everyone there as quickly as you can, then at least allow me to help you all so you can speak to them all and each other alike with no trouble."

As soon as Leonid had given all the Heroes his linguistic touch to aid in their mission, they were finally making their way down for the entrance and out into the field that awaited them…but before they did, just for the sake of closure, Nikolay and Mina had ultimately come to a stop as they'd reached the hall where Maja and the two soldiers were being held in; the police still standing attentively at both doors.

When Maja had momentarily awakened from the uneasy sleep she'd forced herself into, she'd immediately been met with the sight of nearly all the Heroes standing at the doorway, with Nikolay, Mina and De-Condenser all being the ones to step forward, as the Density Hero finally broke the silence: [[We've put a plan together, and we're finally ready, Maja-chan. One way or another, Pietro's plans are going to be put to an end before this day is out.]]

With his resolute declaration ringing true in all their hearts, Mina too held a clenched fist over her chest as she looked the Polish girl in the eye. [[We're gonna save your parents, your friends, their parents, and everybody else in that town from that Villain, Maja-chan! And then we're gonna come back here, and we'll finally all get to hang out together and be best buddies again! That's a promise!]]

Finally, Nikolay removed the mariner's cap from his head, holding it over his chest as well as he took a deep, steadying breath. [[No matter what happens to us out there, please don't blame yourself, Maja-san. What happened before and from now on, none of it is your fault. You're not a Villain; you're not even a bad person. You being able to help us just in the ways you have already…that makes you a really big Hero in my eyes already.]]

With Mina, De-Condenser and eventually the rest of the Hero interns and Pros echoing or at least nodding in agreement with Nikolay's heartfelt sentiments; Maja couldn't hope to keep her emotion down as her face soon began flowing with deeply thankful tears, barely managing to find the words to even wish them the best of luck.

Even in these throes of hers as the Heroes ultimately had to take their leave, however; there was still one thing that she continuously found herself going back to in her head: 'I wish I could be out there with you guys right now. If I could be able to help you…maybe then I could finally be able to start really atoning for what I've done to you all. Pietro was dead wrong; Heroes really are alive and well, even for people like us. You're all proof of that.'

At the next door over, Nikolay reluctantly came to a stop once more; his friends all knowing to give him a little space, as they just could feel how much more difficult this next part was going to be for him, all things considered, as he slowly stepped into the doorway of the room wherein Angel's Eye and Ilya were still lying cuffed to their beds; neither of the two soldiers having taken the risk of falling asleep even for a minute, hence they knew immediately when the Heroes were just outside their door.

[[We already gave you animals all the info you wanted, so what the hell do you want now?]] Ilya immediately asked when there was no immediate word from Nikolay or any of the Heroes behind him in the hall.

[[We don't want anything. I just wanted to tell you that we're going out there now to stop Pietro and his people, rescue your comrade and everyone else he's been holding prisoner, and save everyone, here and back in Russia alike. I just thought you should know that we're going to make this all right again, no matter what. Whatever you decide to think about us, or anyone else like us afterward…that's up to you.]]

With not another moment, Nikolay resolutely turned back to rejoin his friends and teachers as they finally continued on their way out the hospital and into the field of action; leaving Ilya and Angel's Eye in a deeply contemplative silence, neither of the men having been able to ignore the way the boy's sincerity managed to resonate to them even from so far, almost as though he'd been speaking purely from the depths of his own Hero's spirit to their hearts altogether.

---

Gagaringrad, Hospital Roof

Konstantin Khodamchuk had been kept enshrouded in the pitch blackness of his cell ever since he'd been forced to witness that unsettling rallying speech Pietro Granin had used to dig the hooks of his Quirk into the entire population of Gagaringrad, amassing a small invasion force in mere minutes. Since then, having been left with nothing but this darkened void for hours on end, the man had ultimately been reduced to hanging limply by his wrists in their shackles, lamenting his circumstances and just whatever else could have possibly been happening outside these four walls and a ceiling.

He wasn't even sure how or when it was his exhaustion had finally reached the point it couldn't be ignored any longer, or when he'd ultimately been driven to stop thinking because of it. All he knew was that he'd been in a complete daze when the door to his cell had finally been opened, only for someone whose details he couldn't make out to come in, undo the shackles, and nearly throw him into another patiently waiting wheelchair, fully restraining him before he could try to summon up the strength to struggle. This time, they even went the full measure of fastening a blindfold around him, although even he couldn't imagine the point for it. By this point, Pietro and his goons were undoubtedly just having fun toying with him like this.

At least, that was the thought before he felt the chill of the early morning ocean breeze against his face, along with the smell of the sea and the sound of the wind. After a few more prolonged seconds of being wheeled forward, Konstantin could finally feel his wheelchair coming to a stop, and his blindfold get hastily removed, nearly blinding him from the sudden inclusion of the morning sunlight.

Immediately he was able to see not only the blue expanse of the ocean stretching across to his right, but to his left he could also see the entirety of the town of Gagaringrad along the coastline in the little cove it had been comfortably nestled in…before finally see the colossal roaring wall of flowing whitewater that extended well over three-hundred feet in the air from what he could immediately estimate.

Then, after finally being able to tear his eyes from such a biblical-looking sight, Konstantin looked back down to the town, and this time could make out the distant moving specks of people in the streets, but it wasn't the random hustle and bustle of townspeople going about their daily business. No, he recognized the purposeful stride of soldiers like second nature. Even after having witnessed it all firsthand himself, this, of all things, was what finally drove the last nail of desperate naïve hope into the coffin in his heart.

He really had rewritten the memories of the entire town. They were Pietro's army now, and Konstantin was well and truly all alone and without a single other option to try and stop this.

Finally, his ears picked up the sound of the single pair of footsteps approaching him from behind; his natural sense of apprehension practically bracing Konstantin to get thrown off the hospital roof to his death. At this point, as he felt his heart sink into his gut, he all but welcomed it.

That curtain call, however, never came; as instead, Konstantin now found himself being joined by the man himself, as Pietro now stood tall and proud at his side, looking down upon the town and the water wall all around their little piece of land. [[Magnificent, isn't it? It's been a good number of hours since Comrade Ocean Master made it, and it still inspires shock and awe in me. Yes, getting that sidekick here to strengthen our Quirks is one of the best ideas I've ever had…and knowing my career, that ought to amaze you just as much, old friend.]]

[[What is the meaning of this, Pietro? Why did you suddenly bring me up here?]] Konstantin asked, reflecting no such patience for the approachable calm the scar-covered man at his side was speaking with.

Breathing the seaside air in deep, Pietro planted a tightening hand on his shoulder. [[We may not have had the time I would've liked to give this town the training it needed, but with the mentality and spirit you saw me give them, even the time we did have will prove sufficient. Besides, we have all the travelling time once we leave this place today to make up for it. That's right, we're officially mobilizing. I just wanted you to get a chance to really see all those years of hard work you've spent purging, fortifying and arming Mother Russia against this moment, against those that were always meant to protect it in your place, come crumbling down.]]

The scarred smile on Pietro's face alongside the childlike eagerness evident in his voice was a combination that truly struck a nerve deep within Konstantin, as he tried in vain to fight against his bonds, all the while glaring hate-filled daggers at the man towering over him. [[What the hell is your game with making me see all this, Pietro?! If you want to kill me so badly, why don't you just do it already?!]]

For a few moments, Pietro was completely silent, looking up to the sky with contemplation. This time, however, Konstantin felt no fear. At this point, he was altogether ready for it.

[[You know, I've often asked myself that since you and your comrades came here and gave me this new overall look of mine…and I still haven't come up with a consistent answer. Wanting to break your spirit before your body? That might be it. Or it could just as easily be nostalgia; that one remaining little modicum of respect I still have for you from the old days. That'd be a pleasant thought for you, wouldn't it?]]

Konstantin had to physically fight the urge to roll his eyes in response to the clear mockery Pietro was giving him right now. However, that still didn't stop the man himself from kneeling down at his old comrade's side, watching every little tic in his face, before laying a firm and serious hand upon his shoulder, leaning over so Konstantin had no choice but to look him dead-on.

[[But make no mistake either way, Konstantin Alexandrovich; you'll be getting what's coming to you, but only when the time is right. Same goes for every last one of them back home. Actions…or lack thereof, have consequences, and they all need to be reminded of that.]] With that, Pietro took a step back, leaving Konstantin to dwell on such a cryptic threat, while he himself approached the edge of the hospital roof, simply watching with pride as his numerous followers were all busily training their Quirks in the hospital courtyard, or getting whatever supplies and armaments they could in preparation to secure the town before it would finally be time to move out. All the preparations had officially been made, and Pietro could all but taste the sweetness of action, when they would finally set forth and do what he'd known for all these years needed to be done. There was only one or two minor little things he needed some of his closest remaining confidants to take care of before that time would come.

KA-CHINK!

The metallic snapping of the roof access door snapped Pietro to attention, looking back to find Volga, Eliška, Hristofor and Ljubomir joining his side; the sight of the dome-headed former Hero drawing another emboldened breath into Pietro's lungs; simply amazed that the man could maintain these colossal white water walls through the back of his mind, and still being able to act otherwise all the while. It truly was a testament, not only to the raw power of Volga's own Quirk, but just how indispensable The Giver's Quirk was already proving.

[[The gunboat crew has been properly divided between the gunboat and the submarine, and the rest of the people we need to fill in the rest of the latter's crew positions have been adapting to the training I've given them splendidly.]] Volga immediately informed their leader before Eliška and Hristofor similarly stepped forward:

[[Their actual field training has also been coming along splendidly, commander. It's as though your speech has given them all the willingness in the world to push themselves and become the best fighters they can be for you. It's as though you removed the single hardest part of training altogether.]] [[Yes, same goes for their firearm training as well. We've already made sure every single citizen is carrying at all times while they're busy fortifying the weaker spots of town, just in case.]]

[[Alyosha Stepanovich has also finished moving all of his lab equipment into the submarine alongside our stockpile of Quirk-Explosion bullets. He's already gotten it all back up and running, too. We already got Valera waiting in there for you when we set out as well.]] Ljubomir similarly reported. With each and every bit of news, Pietro was feeling his chest swell with well-earned pride in himself and his closest soldiers for how well they were managing everything under him.

WOOSH!

Before Pietro could congratulate or commend any of his soldiers, the shorter form of Tuule Koppel suddenly came warping in right in between them all, nearly catching the three soldiers by surprise as they all instinctively jumped back, while Pietro kept his hands folded behind his back; looking closely at the expression of clear surprise written all over her face. [[Status report, Gust?]]

Catching her breath, Tuule hurriedly straightened her posture and dutifully saluted the man. [[Apologies for the interruption, Commander! I had to take an especially high route to get across Comrade Ocean Master's wall. I've been keeping an eye on things on the outside, as you'd said, and I just found a large contingency of Heroes approaching the perimeter…including De-Condenser and High Noon of the Kapenta Agency and their interns; as well as both the Pros and respective interns Comrades Spitfire and Grenadier described yesterday.]]

Pietro instinctively turned with surprise to the roaring wall…but just as quickly did that momentary surprise wane, and his cold calm returned, especially when seeing the way Konstantin's eyes had widened when overhearing the news there were Heroes apparently coming here to stop Pietro from the sounds of it.

[[There's no need to panic; we all knew this moment was eventually going to come. Go down and inform everyone to get into the agreed upon positions in town. Assuming those Heroes can even find their own way through the wall without getting ripped apart by the water pressure, we're going to swallow the whole lot of them whole.]]

---

From the moment the whitewater wall had become a factor in enacting their rescue plan, the Heroes had all been exceptionally quick and precise in figuring out the best way to get through it. Even if the sheer power of it and the height hadn't been a factor, anyone would have been able to naturally assume they would try to ascend over the top of it. With the source having been hypothesized to be both ocean and ground water, that ended up making the very same underground missionary tunnels Leonid had mentioned completely useless.

Hence it was ultimately decided that their approach would have to be to simply punch right through the middle. It would only grant them a window of a few precious seconds, but with their hearts all beating as one for the same ultimate goal, they all knew those few seconds were all they would need.

With Reiko's Poltergeist Quirk throwing a single hand-sized rock toward the whitewater, Yui's Size Quirk quickly enlarged it to the size of a building before impact could be made. Doing so made it immediately too heavy for her classmate to keep lifting, but so too did it end up weighing it down against the water pushing from below, thus creating an immediate hole in the face of the perimeter.

The clock had now started ticking; and so, taking advantage of all the water vapor in the air, Whiteout quickly created a massive ramp of ice between where they were positioned in the woods and up and over the rock and into Gagaringrad itself. The moment they had their way in, the Heroes were all instantly racing down the ramp at full speed, side-by-side as Knightfall at the lead declared: "This is it, young Heroes! Stay true to yourselves and each other and we won't fail!"

"WE HAVE A TOWN AND A NATION TO SAVE!" De-Condenser bellowed with all the authority and power of a truly inspiring Pro Hero, as they all finally launched off the end of the ramp, flying through the air to the ground of the town entrance as one united force for justice.

And there you are, everyone: after the time needed for both sides to lick their wounds and fortify themselves, the time has finally come for the Heroes to act, and finally begin the climax to the Hokkaido Arc! There's no telling just what could happen to anyone from this point moving forward, but there's no going back now!

I hope you all enjoy what you read here today. Please leave a review if you want to, and I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your week, and I will see you all with the next chapter on 05/28!