Two chapters left of the "Heroes: Rising" Arc, and we'll be in what I hope is an awesome Season 5 adaptation! Welcome back to "Through the Rough", everyone! Our heroes are down to facing just Nine on Nabu Island's castle ruins! But he's proven to be more trouble than they can seemingly handle, threatening to bring down the whole island in order to get to Katsuma.
So let's see if our heroes can find a way to stop him! Enjoy!
THROUGH THE ROUGH
"Damn, that really doesn't look good…" an armored Weisz noted while carrying both Tenya and Shoto in his arms, looking up at the dark sky above.
"The lightning storms were bad enough, but now this?" Fumikage chimed in as he held onto Tsuyu in his own arms, while Dark Shadow carried Eijiro, "We can only hope the others facing that villain are alright…" he pointed out.
"Yeah…" the Machina Maker Quirk user agreed with a nod. Just then, he and his classmate heard a rustling from the bushes. Emerging was Mina, who had an unconscious Homura's left arm over her shoulders as she trudged out. "Homura!" Weisz exclaimed.
"Is she alright?!" Fumikage inquired immediately.
"Yeah, I think she'll be okay…" the Acid Quirk user assured in reply, looking over at her unconscious classmate, "That big robot was down on the ground in pieces, so she took care of him like she said she would…" she pointed out, remembering being awed by the sight of the defeated Brigandine. Another clap of thunder erupted, causing her and the others to flinch.
"We better find cover," Weisz advised, "If the sky breaks open again, we're not gonna be able to handle it…" he pointed out. His conscious classmates nodded in agreement, hurrying off with him. Elsewhere, Ochaco slowly started to stir as her eyes opened slightly. She looked to find herself in a small cavern with Hanta, Minoru, and Yuga.
'What… happened…?' she asked of herself, wincing with agony. Suddenly, a figure came down before the entrance. She looked over to see that it was Shiki, who was carrying an unconscious Momo in his arms. He blinked in surprise to see that the Zero Gravity Quirk user was awake.
"Ochaco!" he exclaimed, carefully jogging over and setting the Creation Quirk user down gently.
"Shiki…" Ochaco uttered, "Where…?" she tried to ask, wincing again.
"The entrance to the cave collapsed, so I had to bring you guys here," the Satan Gravity Quirk user answered as he crouched beside, "Witch told me to make sure that anyone who got hurt was brought back, but…" he continued, looking out at the stormy sky, "I think those guys are gonna need my help soon…" he realized, clenching his fists tightly.
"Then go…" the Zero Gravity Quirk user insisted to his surprise, letting out an agonized gasp afterward, "We'll be fine here…" she promised, "Help get Katsuma and Mahoro out of here…" she advised on. Shiki seemed reluctant at first, especially upon seeing the damage dealt to his classmates. But at the same time, he wanted to exact vengeance upon the man who hurt his friends.
"Right," he said after a moment, letting a green light shroud his body before he flew off out of the cavern. Back upon the plateau, flames smoldered about. Rebecca's eyes were shut as held onto Katsuma and Mahoro tightly. She slowly opened them, finding that they were uninjured. But then, she heard a thud behind her. She turned and gasped to find a groaning Mezo there, with cuts all along his back and patagia, along with a gash over his face.
"Mezo!" she screamed, while both children yelped with fright, "Hey!" the Cat Leaper Quirk user cried out, rolling her classmate onto his back, "Come on, get up!" she pleaded, nudging him repeatedly.
'That tornado was way too powerful, even for Izu at a hundred percent…' she noted inwardly, remembering how the debris from the vortex had nearly killed her and the two kids, 'But… are they…?' she started to wonder, only to look out and widen her eyes. Lying upon the ground in tatters were each of the three Shining Star Heroes. Sparks fizzled from their bodies, with Hermit having again lost her right arm, Sister being without a left leg, and Witch having a good chunk of her left hip cleaved away, with a fluid leaking out from it.
"N…No…" Rebecca stammered out in fright. The red, flaming tornado that towered over the island slowly started to die out. As it did, Izuku and Katsuki fell onto the ground. "Guys!" the Cat Leaper Quirk user screamed.
The two boys lied on their stomachs. Nine lowered himself down gently thanks to his vortex, placing himself atop a rock. He looked down at his weakened foes. Izuku's left arm was completely broken, now a bloody gross purple. The left upper half of his costume and his gas mask both had been torn away as well. He desperately tried to push himself up, even with all the pain surging through his body.
'It… wasn't enough…' he realized, managing to rise to his knees, 'Even at one hundred percent…' he added inwardly, weakly bringing his left foot up.
'Dammit…' Katsuki inwardly cursed, now on his knees as he clenched his teeth. The upper right half of his costume and his neck brace were gone. 'I bit the bullet and fought alongside everyone…' he noted to himself while slowly rising to his feet, 'and I still failed…!' he exclaimed inwardly out of frustration.
"It's no use," Nine remarked, starting to walk toward his foes with glowing cracks all around his body, "You simply don't have the strength to defeat me," he pointed out bluntly, seemingly no longer bothered by the destruction of his cellular tissue, "You will not survive the new world I will create," he stated to his foes.
"Ergh…" Izuku grunted out as he stood up, closing his right hand into a fist, "What new world…?" he asked, only for lasers to suddenly slice by him in an instant as he stumbled back in pain.
"One ruled by power…" Nine answered with his left hand raised, moving it to fire more lasers towards Katsuki as they sliced by and made him stumble as well, "The strong… will rule over the weak in my utopia," he declared, lifting his right hand before firing more beams that raced by his foes.
"Same old crap…!" Katsuki growled. All of a sudden, he saw a blue, dragon-shaped entity lunge out and snatch Izuku in its teeth, followed by him getting grasped by another.
"Labels like hero and villain won't be necessary," Nine noted to his foes, "Power… will be the only factor that matters!" he stated, envisioning his world in which lightning rained over all parts of the globe, "That's how a true superhuman society… should be structured!" he exclaimed in declaration. In the meantime, Izuku widened his eyes at the thought of such a world. He gritted his teeth angrily.
"Sounds like something a power-hungry madman would dream of!" he shouted down to the villain, being hung from the dragon's mouth with just his broken left arm and head free of its grasp.
"That's never gonna work, moron!" Katsuki roared in addition, having his head and right arm freed from his dragon's grip. His response was to have his summoned entities suddenly raze through the ground with them up the mountainside. They lifted the two student heroes as the villain looked up at them.
"If you attempt to get in my way…" he continued, readying his arms, "then you'll all have to be eliminated," he stated, closing his hands into fists. The dragons squeezed tightly on the student heroes in their respective grips. Izuku grimaced.
'Gotta think!' he immediately realized, 'What would All Might do?!' he asked himself. Ochaco, Hanta and Minoru were still down, as the former winced again.
'I'm not letting some lunatic beat me…!' Katsuki roared inwardly in declaration, letting off weak explosions from his palm to try and loosen the grasp of the dragon holding him. Momo and Yuga were down as well, with the former trying to stand up, only to fall back to the ground.
'Come on…!' Izuku pleaded desperately to himself. Shoto, Tenya, Tsuyu, Homura and Eijiro were knocked out, still being carried away by Weisz, Mina, and Fumikage.
'I WON'T LOSE!' Katsuki declared fiercely through his thoughts.
'THINK…!' Izuku demanded of himself. But he had nothing. He was frustrated that whatever other plan he thought of would be fruitless. The student heroes had exhausted themselves completely, so whatever they would try wouldn't work…
"TAKE…" a familiar voice bellowed out, causing his eyes to jolt open. He looked down to see his girlfriend charging towards the villain, assuming her Overdrive form with a fierce expression upon her face. Weakly, Witch glanced over to see her.
"Rebecca…" she uttered out.
"THISSSS!" the Cat Leaper Quirk user roared out, unleashing a powerful straight punch with her right fist onto Nine. However, he immediately blocked it with another energy barrier he conjured over his right hand in front of himself, stopping her as a rush of wind blew about. He narrowed his eyes.
"Your strength is impressive, much like that boy's…" he commented, "But unlike him, it seems you only have limited access to it…" he pointed out, blowing her back in an instant as she tumbled along the ground.
"REBECCA!" Izuku screamed.
"No!" Katsuki yelled. Both of the Shimano children watched in fright. The Cat Leaper Quirk user lied upon the ground, slowly pushing herself up. Cracks formed along her right arm as she breathed heavily with exhaustion.
"Give up," Nine advised as he drew nearer, getting her attention, "You won't be able to stop me…" he proclaimed. Growling, Rebecca got to her feet.
"Who cares… if I'm too weak…?" she questioned aloud, "Whether or not I'm strong enough to face you…" she continued, "That doesn't matter…" she affirmed, clenching her fists as her cracks spread, "All that matters is making sure you don't get to those kids!" she bellowed, lunging forward again.
"How pointless…" the villain muttered, holding his right hand out before conjuring yet another yellow energy barrier. This time, Rebecca struck with her left fist, as a rush of wind rang out from the impact. She gritted her teeth, pushing it back as hard as she could, even as her cracks were spreading.
"Rebecca…!" Izuku whimpered out, frustrated that he couldn't do anything to save her or the children.
'We gotta do something!' Katsuki yelled inwardly. They watched as the Cat Leaper Quirk user was blown away again, tumbling bodily along the ground before coming to a stop upon her back, breathing heavily with exhaustion. The One For All inheritor teared up. It seemed like all of this was for nothing… The battle was over…
"MISTER DEKU!" Katsuma's voice suddenly cried out. Both teen boys hoisted jolted their eyes open. "MISS REBECCA!" the little boy screamed, causing the Cat Leaper Quirk user to also widen her eyes in surprise as she opened them. They all looked over to see the Shimano children on the ground below, with tears in their eyes. But even so…
"BAKUGO! REBECCA!" Mahoro exclaimed.
"WE BELIEVE IN YOU!" Katsuma loudly assured. The two of them were with Mezo, who had a deep cut on the left side of his face. The little girl cradled his head protectively in her arms, while her brother held his right hand, having a greenish light expel onto it.
"PLEASE DON'T GIVE UPPPP!" they screamed together. Izuku's eyes lit up. Even after all their efforts ended up failing, the Shimano children still believed that they could win. And the freckled teen realized it. They would win.
"There you are…" Nine noted with a grin upon spotting Katsuma, starting to walk towards him. Both he and his sister gasped. Katsuki grimaced as he noticed.
"Kacchan…" Izuku said, catching his rival's attention, "I've got a crazy idea…" he admitted, causing him to arch an eyebrow weakly out of bewilderment, "There's only one way we can stop him…" he stated. And at that… Katsuki slowly widened his eyes upon realizing what the only way was. The only thing they could try.
X
Down below, Mahoro protectively held Mezo's head close as her brother continued to heal him. Nine was drawing closer. However, he widened his eyes to see Rebecca standing back up, even with the spreading cracks along her arms.
'I wasn't born with this power; it's a sacred torch passed on to me from someone else,' All Might's words echoed in Izuku's head, 'I can transfer my Quirk to another,' he had told him the day he said the once-Quirkless boy could become a hero. There was a reluctance in Katsuki's eyes as he gritted his teeth, and a guilt as he lowered his head. But he rescinded, lifting his head up to look his rival dead in the eye.
"Please… Kacchan…!" he pleaded, stretching his bloodied and broken arm as far as it could go. The fact he was willing to do this said a lot about his resilience. His dedication. Much like the day All Might fought All For One in Camino…
'You're right…' the former pro had said to his multi-Quirk foe, 'A hero has so much to protect in this world!' he pointed out, smiling despite being in his disheveled form as his eyes flashed a bright blue, 'Which is why… I will defeat you!' he had declared fiercely, having channeled the remnants of his power into his right arm as he closed his hand into a clenched fist.
"Deku…!" Katsuki grunted out as he extended his right hand out, with a cut apparent on his index finger. He was willing to do this. He wanted to defeat the villain, even at any cost. Much like how All Might had risked his body to defeat the Nomu at the USJ…
'A real hero… will always find a way for justice to be served!' he had roared when fiercely punching at the modified human monster as rapidly as he could. They were prepared to do this, no matter what. Izuku clenched his teeth as he strained to try and reach his rival.
'A way… to protect them!' he exclaimed inwardly, noticing the frightened, yet stoic looks on Katsuma and Mahoro's faces as Nine approached them. Katsuki grimaced as he reached out as far as he could to his rival.
'A way to victory…!' he yelled through his thoughts as he and Izuku tried to grasp hands, only to miss by a few inches.
'There's no other choice!' they both concluded inwardly, reaching as far as they could. They waved their hands toward each other, with their fingertips touching. They gripped each other's hands, feeling the energy surge through their bodies.
You're… not alone…
All of a sudden, the bodies of the dragons holding them shattered apart.
"Ah!" Rebecca gasped as she saw.
There's no doubt…
"Hm?" Nine uttered in confusion upon noticing, quickly raising his right hand to project a set of layered energy barriers to defend himself from the falling rocks collapsing onto him in clouds of dust. One of the remaining dragon-shaped entities let out a roar before shattering into pieces like glass. The villain quickly brushed the dust cloud aside afterwards with a swing of his left hand to see what had happened. "What…?" he questioned, surprised to see the two student heroes now on the ground ahead of him in front of Rebecca, starting to stand up as they had freed themselves.
"You guys…" she uttered, wondering what had just happened.
Your gift…
"After this…" Katsuki began, getting to his feet slowly, "will you still be able to use your power?" he asked his rival.
...isn't futile… to be…
"I don't know…" he responded honestly as he stood up, "But…" he continued, "All Might was able to protect us with its embers…" he remembered, "even after he passed the Quirk onto me…" he recalled, closing his gloved right hand into a fist over his chest.
"Wait…" Rebecca uttered as her eyes shook, "what did you just do?!" she questioned frantically of her boyfriend. He didn't say anything, clenching his fists tightly.
If we'll be united…
"What did you do?!" Nine bellowed angrily in question as lightning crackled in between his hands.
"With Double… One For All…!" the four student heroes exclaimed together with red glowing lines appearing along their bodies before sparks of electricity appeared around them, all in different colors.
We're stronger… together!
"We'll save everyone!" Izuku declared as his eyes brimmed with energy as his irises and pupils distorted, right before his messy green hair spiked up and green electricity crackled mightily around him.
We always have the high hope…
"We'll beat you and win!" Katsuki roared, having his eyes glow and distort like his rival's, with orange sparks appearing over his body as his ash blonde hair spiked back as well.
"No way…" Rebecca uttered in realization.
"I'm sorry, Rebecca…" her boyfriend apologized, "This was… all I could think of…" he admitted to her. She trembled for a moment, but then steeled herself, stepping forward.
"Save it, please…" she insisted in plea, standing alongside him and his rival as they looked to her in surprise, "At least until after this is over…" she added while letting blue bio-electricity crackle around her body, while her eyes glowed and distorted blue.
The three student heroes glared out at their lone foe, taking ready stances with the sparks surrounding them crackling wildly. Nine gritted his teeth angrily. He had enough of their interferences.
Not all for one… but one… for all!
"WHY WON'T YOU WEAKLINGS DIE ALREADY?!" he bellowed angrily in question, flying up into the air thanks to a small tornado at his feet before forming the giant, flaming tornado again as lightning rained down and wind howled mightily, breaking apart more of the peninsula. Katsuma and Mahoro braced themselves by the gust's force, holding onto the unconscious Mezo tightly. All of a sudden, a figure landed down in front of them, causing them to look up in surprise.
The three remaining heroes stared up at the giant tornado. It was the same one that defeated them before… But they stood firm.
Don't… worry 'bout a thing…
"This is the end of your dream, Deku…" Katsuki pointed out to his rival, taking a step to position himself, "You're gonna be Quirkless again…" he noted, almost sounding upset.
We'll reach out to you…
"But that's fine," Izuku responded to his rival, "I had to do this…" he stated firmly.
Even if it's… a harder way…
The growing storm was creating several vortexes that spanned across the main island, tearing through buildings and breaking off land while lifting debris into the air.
It's plain to see… the reason why…
"I'm sure that All Might would agree…" Izuku began to his comrades, getting their attentions, "since you're the one I gave it to…" he continued referring to the power he passed on, "You all knew about our secret and promised to keep it to yourself," he recalled, "We've always tried to be the best hero we can be!" he pointed out in exclamation, "So if it's you…!" he kept going. Katsuki thought back to his childhood, remembering when he saw his idol on the screen of a TV in the window of a store.
Oh… that's all because… of the mighty… heart!
'All Might's awesome!' he recalled himself saying excitedly, 'He's crazy strong!' he had added, punching and kicking at the air around himself. He balled his gloved left hand into a clenched fist, letting it surge within an orange energy.
Remember it's just…
'Even when things seem impossible…' Izuku remembered himself saying as a little boy after he was once told he wouldn't get a Quirk, 'he never gives up…' he had noted all while crying. The freckled teen closed his right hand into a fist, also surging with a greenish energy.
…natural that…
'If All Might's your hero, then he's mine, too!' Rebecca recalled once telling a little Izuku when they were kids, 'We'll be great heroes, even if we don't have Quirks!' she had added, 'And just like him, we'll save tons of people!' she once vowed. She balled her right fist tightly as the cracks upon it spread, with a blue aura shrouding it.
we'll be there… if you need help…!
'No matter what bad guy he faces, in the end…' Katsuki recalled himself saying. He reeled back his left arm, tearing off his glove.
"HE ALWAYS WIIIIINNNNNNSSSS!" he roared fiercely as the ground beneath his feet broke apart.
Far across…!
'No matter what trouble's in his way, he always…' Izuku remembered once starting to say. He swung his right arm back, causing his glove to completely tear away from it.
"SAVES EVERYONE WITH A SMIIIILLLE!" he bellowed, giving off a big grin of confidence.
The distance…!
Rest assured that…
'And even if he's ever backed into a corner by anyone…' Rebecca remembered once saying. The blue energy billowing over her arm erupted mightily as she swung it back.
"HE ALWAYS STANDS TALL AND STRONNNNGGG!" she roared fiercely.
…our faith… just won't die!
Nine growled angrily at his persistent opponents. He raised his hands up to the stormy sky, prepared to finish this battle with one final attack as the storm overhead crackled entirely with lightning.
"YOU'LL NEVER… DEFEAT ME!" he bellowed in declaration. The three student heroes stepped forward, digging their feet into the ground to plant themselves firmly.
You… know that…
"DETRRRRRROOOOOOOOOIIIIIITTTTTTT…" they began to echo together as they all swung their respective fists upwards, "SMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" they bellowed, unleashing a powerful blast of pressurized air together, swirling in colors of orange, green, and blue to create a bright white beam of light that blasted through the thunderclouds instantaneously, striking the eye of the storm.
…we apt to sacrifice… ourselves!
Whatever… they may say…!
"GRRK!" the trio of student heroes grunted out as blood spurted from the arms they were using. But even so, they pushed through the pain. "ERRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" they roared together, making their pressurized tornado build up and swirl the dark storm. Bright lights emitted from the clouds.
It's plain to see… the reason why…!
In a powerful, multicolored explosion of light, the dark, thunderous clouds broke apart instantaneously.
Oh… that's all because of the… mighty heart!
The sky broke open as sunlight beamed down through the opening of the clouds. Katsuma and Mahoro looked on in amazement, as did Shiki, who was standing by them. The Shining Star Heroes were also stunned upon paying witness to the attack.
"That… power…" Witch uttered in disbelief. From other areas of the island, members of Class A were stunned upon seeing the clouds get torn apart. Hopeful beams of sunlight were peeking through the darkness. Meanwhile, Nine glanced up in absolute disbelief. His most powerful attack… was just thwarted by a trio of punches?!
Remember, it's just… natural that… we'll be there, if you need help!
"No…" he uttered out, "They cut it…" he realized, grimacing as he glared at his opponents, "What is this power?!" he exclaimed demandingly.
Far across…! The distance…!
The trio of student heroes each had a newly broken arm as a result of their combined attack, wincing in pain. They then opened their eyes, glaring fiercely back at the lone villain as sparks flew along their bodies.
"I won't let you block my path…" Nine growled out as the purple cracks at his face grew massively, "Never!" he affirmed, opening his eyes to reveal that they were now a naked white. His foes lowered their arms.
Rest assured that…
"Ergh!" Katsuki grunted out, bending over slightly in pain from his broken arm, while Rebecca winced because of her.
"Ow…!" she yelped out with tears of pain pricking her eyes. But she steeled herself, ready to keep going.
"Guys…" Izuku uttered, catching their attentions, "let's go!" he advised.
"Huh?!" Katsuki exclaimed, standing upright, "I thought I told you not to give me orders!" he shouted to his rival.
"Rebecca?" Izuku said in a worried tone to his girlfriend, wondering if she was all right.
"Yeah, I'm good…" she assured, letting off a wide grin as she took a lunging stance with her classmates, "LET'S GO BEYOND!" she roared in declaration before they blasted themselves forward in their own respective ways, breaking the ground behind them upon their launch.
…our faith… just won't… die!
"DON'T GET IN MY WAY!" Nine bellowed fiercely, swinging his arms down. Several dragon-shaped entities shot out from his back, zooming towards Katsuki and Rebecca. The former quickly blasted himself up with explosions to evade them, while the latter leapt around those that came her way. The ones that remained pursued Katsuki into the sky, enticing him to blast them apart with his explosions, also breaking his right hand in the process.
As more came his way, Rebecca jumped in and struck it fiercely with an axe kick, shattering it along with several others from the impact. Cracks began forming along her legs as she grimaced. Noticing, Katsuki lured the rest his way before blasting them to pieces with another strong explosion, ignoring the pain in his broken arms.
Meanwhile, Izuku lunged through the smoke, attempting to land a flying kick to Nine's face, only for him to quickly dodge thanks to the tornado formed at his feet. He then fired off multiple lasers from his fingertips that zigzagged towards the freckled hero. Propelling himself in midair with kicks, he was able to dodge them. But he was quickly getting overwhelmed as they continued to pursue him.
All of a sudden, Rebecca dashed out in front of him and shot forward, slamming her unbroken left fist into her foe's stomach, causing him to spit out a wad of blood. He widened his naked eyes to see Izuku leap in. This time, he wasn't able to dodge his flying kick as it struck him right in his chest.
He spat out a wad of blood, but steeled himself as he quickly threw up a barrier to toss the couple aside. However, before he could take a moment to recover, Katsuki flew towards him from behind. The former made his broken right hand glow before setting off a powerful blast from it that enveloped the whole ledge a fiery explosion. Flying out from the smoke afterwards, Nine grimaced as he held his now bleeding right arm. But at the same time, Katsuki had fallen into one of the deep craters, sliding down it.
Izuku was practically floating above the ground thanks to the momentum he was building in his feet as electricity crackled all around him like lightning. In the meantime, Rebecca zoomed out towards her lone foe with a bluish energy expelling from her bare. The second he landed down on the ground, she struck him fiercely again with her unbroken fist, sending him flying back. Afterwards, she sped behind him and struck him in the back with her right leg, making him cry out in agony.
He gritted his teeth, swinging his arms to fire off several bolts of lightning down at her. She narrowly evaded getting struck, ending up blown back by the bolts' force. However, her efforts wouldn't go in vain…
Within the crater he had fallen into, Katsuki pressed his broken right hand onto the side of it, melting it down in a fiery blast. He then started to push against it as hard as he could, gritting his teeth as his feet dug into the earth. As he finally pushed through, he fired the enflamed mass of rock towards Nine, having it burn through anything in its path like a meteor. However, the villain threw up a large barrier to block it as it broke apart in a massive explosion that shattered a good chunk of the peninsula ground. Katsuki was sent flying back from the force of his attack, falling through the smoke. Rebecca sped after him…
And then Izuku jolted out of the smoke, immersed entirely in electricity. He was like a man made of lightning as he zipped through the pathway his rival had created for him. He leapt into the air, spinning around rapidly as he looked similar to a multicolored drill. Nine readied his left hand, projecting six layered energy barriers of different colors and sizes. That didn't seem to stop his foe as he slammed his spinning legs into them fiercely, pressing them against each other as electricity flew about randomly. The force of their collision caused more of the mountainside to shatter apart.
Nine could feel his body giving out as he ended up blown back by the force of his opponent's kick and was affected by the electricity sparking all around him. What followed was Rebecca rushing in and grasping him by his neck and slamming him fiercely against a slab of broken land, enveloping him in a sudden burst of blue energy that sent him flying back. He barely managed to catch himself upon another small tornado he formed as debris fell all around him.
Izuku, Katsuki and Rebecca all joined together, running down a falling rock slab before leaping off of it towards their foe below. Lightning crackled around him as he shot himself up at them. They readied themselves for one last attack. The weak flame of One For All still burning in Izuku flared up wildly.
'This is it…' he realized, reeling his left leg back, 'The last one…' he uttered inwardly as Katsuki stuck out both of his hands, while Rebecca readied her left leg, 'It's over now…' he concluded through his thoughts, clenching his broken fists the energy surging through him and his friends had peaked, 'This is my final… SMMMMMAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSHHHHHHHH!' he roared, swinging his leg out at Nine, who attempted to fire off lasers from the fingertips of his right hand.
However, Izuku struck him upside the head, while Rebecca slammed her left leg into his torso. Both of their attacks sent their foe flying downwards in an instant. And with that, Katsuki finished things with an explosive spew of flames from his hands onto him and the ocean water below. In the aftermath of the blast, more rays of sunlight started to peek through the darkened sky. The glow in Izuku's eyes vanished as his eyes started to droop shut. He could feel the embers of that final flame slowly fade… and die out.
'Goodbye… One For All…' he remarked in farewell, falling helplessly with Katsuki towards the earth as they both were losing consciousness, being hit by the gracious rays of sunlight, 'Thank you…' he said inwardly out gratitude. All of a sudden, Rebecca grabbed him despite the pain she was feeling in her arms. She also managed to get a hold of Katsuki, as they all crashed into one of the craters in a flurry of dust.
As it settled, it revealed the Cat Leaper Quirk user having transformed back to normal, breathing heavily. Cracks were all along her body, and both of her arms were a gross, bloody purple. Though as bad as her pain was, she knew someone was feeling much worse. She looked over to her boyfriend, who lied beside her.
"I'm… sorry…" he apologized weakly, losing consciousness. Tears pricked Rebecca's eyes again. Though this time, she just let them flow.
"You dummy…" she said sadly, while the sunlight beamed down onto her, Izuku, and Katsuki. The battle was finally over.
END
And thus ends the penultimate chapter to the "Heroes: Rising" Arc. It's been a lot of fun getting back into this adaptation, especially with the new additions here and there. Though next time, there'll be a bit more to close this arc out. Stay tuned, everyone!
