Chapter 55 : Exegol Aftermath
Enji felt the metal alloy around him, before he saw a green light. As per his duty now, he let out another flare of energy out of his body, letting the nuclear energy that was circulating through him.
Another flare for the hour, letting his energy power this old Nuclear Fusion Reactor. After all, he was now the solution to the old problem "How do we maintain a star active".
He was the star and his sorrow was the fuel for Japan's energy.
It was fitting. It was his punishment. His duty, now that All For One was gone.
No one needed him or was waiting for him, after all.
—--
Nedzu and the Todoroki's family had a live-stream about Enji's situation. Thanks to All-Might pleading with the military and the fact that Enji didn't move from Exegol, it reassured enough the governments across the world to not simply use some positronics orbital cannon to destroy part of the Japanese peninsula to end the potential threat.
Enji's living quirk state had been televised after all, on a live-stream. There was no hope to contain the information and now that the genie was out of the bottle, there was no way to put it back
Instead, David Shield managed to point out that a benevolent Ashen King was an opportunity like no other. At this point, Endeavor was a small star, self-sufficient. Between studying how he existed and the fact he could be used (and more importantly, contained) in a fusion reactor calmed a lot of people.
The possibility for the government to cut down its dependency on foreign resources for the country's need of energy was also a net plus.
"...Is he even sentient?" Rei asked Nedzu, who sighed.
"He is. However, he is literally made of guilt of not being good enough. Apparently, he sees his situation as a good way for his eternal penance." Nedzu explained. He found the situation highly ironic and not in a pleasant way for once.
Right when his family was finally ready to give him a real chance to make-up… The same event that made them feel this way made Enji lose any hope he would even touch them again.
—--
Everything wasn't green either for the Sako household.
Especially as Atsuhiro and Izuku had been expressively summoned by the HPSC President in person. She even sent Hawks and his two acolytes: Lady Tnagan and Spot. Who was totally not Stain in a cybernetic suit to hide his body and a fake mustache on it.
"Dad? They are totally Lady Nagant and Stain, right?" Izuku said, not feeling good about being two highly known Hero Killers.
Compress nodded while Hawks hummed quietly in the car bringing them to the HPSC HQ.
"Yep. They are. I am actually surprised they… work for the HPSC. I mean, Stain. I still remember some of your rants."
"I don't work for the HPSC, Atsuhiro." Stain said, while drinking a pouch of tomato juice. At lease, Izuku hoped it was. "I work for the HPSC President."
For many, it would be a dumb distinction to do. However, between men like Compress and Stain, it meant a lot.
Stain was a man of conviction. To work under someone else, it meant their conviction actually aligned with him and even impressed him.
Mr. Compress, who spend around 20 years fucking up with the HPSC to expose corruption rotting the institution, was trying to wrap his head around the idea.
Stain thought the HPSC President worked to clean the Hero Industry.
It seemed almost as unlikely as Nedzu renouncing dominating the world, All-Might being bombastic, Gang Orca being the hero selling the most plushies or Stain having a girlfriend!
As a result, Compress looked at Stain as if he had grown three heads at the same time.
"I am serious. She is a good woman." Stain said and Compress was terrified to notice actual respect in his voice. "She is even more ruthless than me about what needs to be done."
Izuku finally understood Hawks' smile. It meant he was too tired for this and this mad man was actually praising the HPSC President.
"What, did she give you a list with all the corrupt people in the HPSC so you can have fun with them?"
Stain did the most frightening things he could have done. He smiled with all of the pleasure he had about his job.
Nagant looked at Izuku, sympathetically.
"... You are a good kid. Don't worry, as far as I know, the President doesn't plan anything bad about you. According to our schedule, we must join her at the Heliport. There, we will go to an Island. Don't worry, she is actually quite nice in person."
This reassured Izuku and his step-dad greatly.
—--
"SO YOU ARE THE TWO FUCKERS BECAUSE OF WHOM I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SLEEP FOR 3 FUCKING DAYS?!" Hinata Tobita yelled incredibly angry for a woman her age.
Both Sako were kneeling in apologies in front of her as the V-TOL was speeding up above the ocean.
"Sorry Ma'am… Herm… What do you mean by that?"
Hinata looked at them angrily a bit more… Before sitting and sighing. On her face a lot of worries showed for once.
"... I heard that Danjiro is alive and well. He is simply quirkless. However, the surgery took so long, it made me worry a lot." Hinata admitted. She knew her nephew and how this idiot was so full of life. Of course he was going to live.
She still worried about him as he was the son she never had.
Atsuhiro and Izuku didn't know what to say to her, so she continued her speech.
"Then. Instead of worrying quietly, I had to deal with the sudden disappearance of my #2 hero who became the new Ashen King. Helping the government convince the US to not nuke us had been a REALLY FUN MOMENT."
Both kneeling men in front of her could totally relate to her anger, when she finally smiled as if she was the demon queen and AfO would have approved her smile…
"And then, I had to explain that FUCKING GODZILLA WAS NOW A THING. GODZILLA."
Hinata didn't know about Optimus Prime being rebuilt in I-Island and if she knew, she would have probably thrown Izuku into the ocean to calm her nerves.
This time Izuku looked away. From what he gathered, once All For One died, there was a staring contest between All-Might, Godzilla and Enji… Which ended with a handshake between them.
Also, no one had wanted to try to fight Godzilla, even if Enji could have probably won… Because of the sheer collateral damage. Same for All Might who was dead tired once Izuku's magic card went down. After all, most of his energy went into his Godzilla.
Summoning All-Might in his prime state had been a huge bet and Izuku had been unable to move for two days.
"On a related note, kid, the United Nations officially designated you as a Class 6 quirk. Congratulations. You are now officially a National Human Asset." The HPSC President said as the V-TOL finally landed on an isolated island. "As a result, you can be commanded by the nation or the UN for various missions. You cannot refuse them. You will be compensated for your work. As of now, if the police arrest you, you simply have to call us and you will be immediately bailed."
The National Human Asset was a system actually shared across the world. It was a list of people with quirk and ability above everyone else and they were given various privileges and freedom in exchange for their service. Once someone was put on that list, he could be requisitioned for missions only them could accomplish. They were also often seasoned heroes, though some were indeed civilians.
All-Might, as an example, was Japan's only National Human Asset, but he was very often called on international missions through that system. Star and Stripe was another being on the list. The Old Man too.
As of now, Japan was the only country with three National Human Assets, though only two of them were active.
Izuku was officially the youngest person to ever achieve that title.
This actually scared the shit out of the kid and of Atsuhiro.
"Of course, considering your young age, you have been registered under the code name Joker. Your status isn't public. As a result, we will give you a liaison." Hinata said, before noticing something from the sea.
She gestured to one of her men in the V-Tol to bring her something. A mallet with one card, perfectly pristine. It had cost a lot of money but the sake of the world depended on it.
As Godzilla emerged from the ocean, he screamed at the Humans who dared to walk on HIS ISLAND while he was searching for his son.
Hinata gave Izuku 80 cards to sacrifice.
"Your first job is to appease Godzilla by summoning his son, definitively."
Some had thought about nuking Godzilla or using positronic weaponry. Then some otakus pointed out that trying to kill Godzilla with hyper weaponry was the best way to create a bigger and more dangerous kaiju. No one wanted a Destoroyah unleashed on the world.
Izuku swallowed his saliva and touched the cards. They burned so easily now, after his last gambit. He could feel the mana coursing throught his veins, the power of life running inside his body.
He vowed to be way more careful about what cards he would bring to live.
"Also, if we ever find out you summoned things like the Tyranids, Giratina or demons… I will gladly show you where Gentle picked up some of his fighting skills." Hinata said.
Actually she was bluffing. She had no combat skill whatsoever.
However, what was important was to establish dominance on Compress and Izuku so they would not become pain later on.
After all, she now had a good opportunity to reform the Hero Industry. Especially as she managed to put a warrant on THAT FUCKING BITCH.
In addition to that, Hinata was happy because she managed to fuck with Nedzu: in exchange of his help over certain matters, she would give him control over the members of the LoV, including the few who had their head messed with by Seijin.
She even managed to get them an actual pardon… In exchange of Izuku's first task as an Asset.
She loved when she could do good deeds without paying anything.
"You know, Hinata, you would have more allies if you stopped cackling like a mad woman."
"I am a mad woman, though."
Suddenly, Compress understood where Gentle's weirdness came from.
Izuku turned toward Godzilla and pulled the card given by Hinata. Godzilla Junior, MTG edition.
Joker summoned his internal strength, before unleashing it, blinding everyone around them.
When the humans could open their eyes again, all they could see was Godzilla and Junior hugging each other. They were together again. This… warmed both magicians' heart before Hinata smiled at them.
"Thank you. As a reward, I am officially granted the right to give an amnesty for the LoV for their past crimes… And to Mister Compress too. However, I would recommend him to get a hero license presto if he doesn't want me to send Hawk after his ass."
—--
Nedzu was looking at the formerly known League in front of him. For various but very good reasons, they seemed uncomfortable in front of the most powerful rodent in the world.
"So. What am I going to do with all of you?"
Loony was the first to raise her hand. She was probably the only one not scared by Nedzu as she recognized a fellow quirked animal. They tended to instinctively trust each other.
"Can I let my family have fun on the campus?"
"Yes you can, miss Tunes. So. Going back to my question. What am I going to do with you?"
Nedzu was sipping his tea as he enjoyed making the people in front of him squirm and wait for either his mercy or his punishment.
Then, one of them had their posture shifting. It was Tomura who stared at him with determination. Good, good.
"You don't want to kill us and you don't want them to go back to the HPSC." Tomura pointed out very wisely.
"And what about you? You are AfO's former heir, don't you remember? Would it be wise to neutralize you?" Nedzu was of course testing Tomura who sighed.
"No. Because you know I am Izuku's cousin and the grandson of All-Might's mentor. Killing me isn't cost effective." So, he did have a brain.
Nedzu stared at them a bit longer and then clapped his hands, happily. He found some new toys!
"I have decided! I am keeping all of you!"
"Un… Under what condition?" Toga asked meekly. Ever since the control command was given, her head hurt and she was going through something heavily like a withdrawal syndrome. Even blood didn't seem to calm her enough. As a result she was oscillating between extreme guilt, extreme sadness and fear.
"Miss Toga will have to join the General Course. I will plan a special education plan for her. Tenko, you will have special training under my supervision to join the Hero Course, third year."
"And what if I…" Tomura, on the pure principle of not liking to be strong armed, wanted to refuse.
"Nejire asked me to tell you that if you were to refuse, you would suffer consequences." Nedzu pulled his big guns.
"... What if I wanted to thank you for your kind and generous offer?"
"Whipped!/Nice survival instinct!"
"As for you, Twice, I know the perfect job for you and your quirk. You will never get hurt and you will get paid."
Twice perked his head at this idea, wondering what was Nedzu's plan for him.
—--
One week later.
Twice was being hugged for the fifth time today by a teacher, who thanked him. It turned out that having an administration guy who can duplicate themselves to handle all of the forms was a God given gift.
According to Toga, some people in the Support course were erecting shrines in his honor as he sped up tremendously the speed of every procedure.
Maybe it was that, pure happiness?
—--
Spinner, meanwhile, was fidgeting. He was nervous as he didn't expect to be taken to UA with the others. Initially his plan had been to potentially extract the LoV to one of the MLA compounds to recruit them and get them the help they needed.
Hey, he got attached to them too!
So when Nedzu looked at him, Spinner expected a lot… A job? Release him with surveillance? Be the prey in some kind of blood game.
"I have heard you have good driving skills and know how to use a sword. Also, according to Tomura, you are probably affiliated to some kind of crime network."
Spinner wisely decided to stay silent. As a result, Nedzu followed.
"Considering your appearance, I need to ask. Are you part of any supremacist organization in Japan?"
"No." Spinner answered immediately, with some disgust in his voice. "Fuck the ISP and the CRC. I mean it. All quirks are equal and those thinking otherwise are dumbass."
Nedzu sipped his tea, his eyes briefly clouded by nostalgia. Was it that? He needed to investigate Spinner's hometown. Deika.
Could it be… Could it be that some remnants of his friend's organization survived? He was incredibly curious.
Still, he wasn't going to let Spinner know he knew about the MLA first generation and their motto.
If they weren't MLA and corrupting his old friend's ideas; Nedzu would have a field day to purge them.
"As for me?" Loony asked, curious about her fate but not scared. Nedzu looked at her and said…
"How about traumatizing students by being a danger hazard during training?"
"You had me 'traumatizing'."
Nedzu made a new friend that day.
—--
Monoma was dejected.
I-Island's doctors confirmed what he knew all along: his quirk had fully disappeared and with it, his dream to be a hero.
Now, he was alone in a white room. What would he do, become a member of the Management course? Maybe he could still help as an analyst but…
Monoma smashed his clenched fist against the bed frame. HE LOST HIS DREAM!
"Hello boy!" A booming voice just entered the room and a man, larger than life and probably a bit more than All For One stood in front of him. "Do you know a thing I hate about hospitals? They forbid me to smoke a cigar."
The newcomer sat in front of him before crossing one of his leg over his knee.
"So, what are you going to do, boy. Cry about an unfair fate?"
"FUCK NO! I AM GOING TO BE A HERO, NO MATTER WHAT!"
The man smiled before adjusting his glasses. Apparently, his niece had been right about what she told him.
"When you come back to Japan to realize your dream to be a Hero, you will need to thank Pony. She asked me for a favor. A favor that will allow you to be a hero."
"... How?"
Armstrong smiled before turning his skin black.
"Nanomachine, son!"
—--
La Brava and Gentle were hugging each other. Gentle needed some reeducation before leaving UA's own hospital.
Still, they were happy and trending on the media. Apparently, part of his fight had been retransmitted live.
Gentle wasn't able to be a hero, a villain or even a vigilante but he was happy and alive.
No one knew that his destiny was still to unfold.
—--
Izuku was back at school and was happy to find Katsuki who was back too. The blond teen was extremely angry to have missed the fight of the century and clearly yelled about it.
Some teens tried to bully Shouto over his parentage, as Endeavor's link to the Ashen King was now public.
Tried was the operative word there because the 1-A did the equivalent of pulling out the shotgun but as a group to defend their classmate. The most important to defend him were Katsuki, Izuku and Maki. The last one knew the stigma of having a bad bloodline and he was there to help Shouto.
Tenko had been hunted by several women. Namely, Inko who wanted to see her nephew, Hana who wanted to hug and yell at him and finally Nejire for all of his Boss' shenanigan.
As a result, Nedzu had now another friend who was using the vents to move around UA. It was quite fun, honestly.
Toga was tutored by Tamaki to be sure she would be okay as a second year General. She cried when she heard she didn't have to fight anymore and might have stayed more than a few minutes against Tamaki who gave her a light hug.
Basically, everything kind of came back to normal, whatever it meant for everyone.
Then two important events decided to happen.
—--
Seijin cursed mentally her father. If only he had survived before using the goddamn control command! As a result, since only her, the President and K knew the commands, all of the suspicion fell on her!
As a result, she had to leave the HPSC in emergency before unleashing her attack dogs to cause enough mess to not get caught.
Now, she needed to plan for what she needed to do. But what could she do? She was a wanted woman and she had no one who knew her and could help her!
Maybe if she could join of her dad's disciple, like Purify and Terraformars, she could be hidden?
However, even that plan had issue.
-Where would she find them?
-She would have to choose between a psychopath bug mutant or a delusioned conspiracy theorist.
She was still under a bridge when suddenly, she heard a familiar voice and a dark cloud hand appeared in front of her.
"Ma'am? We have work to do. Your father gave me instruction in case he met an ultimately and not planned demise. Including what to do to ensure your safety."
Seijin looked at Kurogiri… And cried. Her dad didn't forget her. He had a plan. As always..
"What am I supposed to do?"
"An event, my dear. Your dad wanted to know if you could make a whole country mad."
The idea made Seijin smile like a child in a candy store.
—--
Ireland
Dublin
The Seventh Circle Bar
Balor's HQ.
The air was moist and the atmosphere was heavy. In the bar, everyone was a criminal of high caliber.
Except Miss MacGee. She was an old woman who was blind and didn't know they weren't in her tea salon where she used to meet. However, the old woman was just too kind and everyone in the bar let her have her spot to peacefully drink her tea and ask about how everyone was doing.
One time, a dumb idiot actually stole from her. The police refused to confirm the death because they had yet to find the head.
Anyway, everyone was on high alert. They had an intel about a big situation and they prepared for battle.
Suddenly, a spear pierced the roof with the power of a thousand lightning strikes. It killed with the sheer impact as most villains assumed battle positions. Then the voices rose.
"HERE IS CUCHULAIN, THE #1 HERO! WE ARE GIVING YOU A CHANCE TO SURRENDER! I BROUGHT WITH ME DON QUIXOTE, SANTA MARIA, CAPTAIN BAGUETTE, PANZERSTRIKE AND AJAX. YOU HAVE NO HOPE AND ARE SURROUNDED.
Basically, seven top 1 heroes from Europe had assembled to strike at Balor. Seven heroes who could handle their own against SS-villains and beat them. All of them were on their guard and ready to fight.
Then two red lasers emerged from the ruins, bending in angles that didn't make any sense. They pierced the cloud of dust and something exited it at full speed afterward.
Cuchulain had the time to yell: "INCOMING!" Before feeling a hand behind his skull.
Then he didn't feel anymore.
"So… 6 #1? Damn and I even hoped to get Star and Stripe today! Oh well."
Balor was there. Or rather, behind the enemy line, wearing the same suit as a Peaky Blinders. The man had an irritating smug smile when all of the heroes rushed at him. He opened his blue wide eyes and suddenly, they turned purple.
Suddenly, all heroes felt sluggish before Balor's eyes turned red again and his body would suddenly increase in mass. His costume barely contained him and his red hair was floating under his own power.
"NO ONE LOOKS IN HIS EYES!" Captain Baguette yelled. He was the least affected by the curse because he was already using his breadomancy to "see" through his bread. Using any kind of optic against Balor was a bad idea because he had an ability with his eyes to curse his enemy, bless himself or use energy attacks. All of them depended on his eye color during that time. Honestly, his quirk was highly bullshit and if the man had been a hero, Star and Stripe or All Might would have had an excellent challenger.
The fight would be hard.
—--
Balor lighted a cigar as he watched Santa Maria, Italy #1, kneeling in front of him. After decapitating Ajax, the villain had his mens getting back up again. In his bar, no one was weak. Michael, as an example, was a good fire user. He went to duel with his sword Captain Baguette.
Ajax, able to move his body even without his head, had to fight Hector, a Greek villain known for his strength.
Very quickly, the fight turned to his favor and the heroes knew it.
In the end, the Italian woman decided to sacrifice herself to allow the others to run to live another day.
Santa Maria was known for her powerful barriers who could even withstand some of All-Might's lighter attacks. So she was there, praying to keep Balor in a cage, with herself inside of another one.
So, even if she was trapped with him, Santa Maria knew all she had to do was to survive enough for a rescue mission to come and get her.
Balor knew, however, it would still take a toll on her and as a result, everyone was watching her. Or rather, he was watching her. His men wanted to see the match of rugby. They had their own priorities.
Suddenly, despite everyone watching the rugby match between Ireland and the United Kingdom, the program was interrupted. It was a report on a fight that happened in Japan.
"WE WANT THE…"
"Silence. We listen." Balor commanded as the news picked his interest. He recognized the people on screen..
In front of them, All For One, mostly healed, was fighting against Godzilla, All-Might and the Ashen King.
Then the end finally came.
Everyone stayed silent, wondering what Balor would say after learning his only equal died. It was notorious that despite their initial fight, both men respected each other and their strength.
To everyone's surprise, Balor shed tears before turning to everyone.
"TONIGHT WE HONOR ONE OF THE BEST OF US! TO COMMEMORATE ALL FOR ONE'S DEATH… I OFFER A GLASS OF WHISKY, THE BEST QUALITY, TO EVERYONE!"
Balor began to think quickly after that.
He had fun with the European Coalition but he couldn't afford to lose more time anymore. He was going to have to finish them or break a treaty.
It was time to go to Japan now. It was high time to reunite everything.
"Santa Maria?" He said to the Italian heroine and the religious woman could see on his face actual sorrow. "I am going to let you live. Warn everyone that I am going out of Europe for a while. As a bonus, I will tell you to watch Humarize. They bought a lot of chemicals to make Trigger which doesn't make much sense."
"Wh… Why would you tell me that?! Or let me live!?" She asked, not believing her ears. Or her eyes for that matter.
Balor, as he put back his glasses on to not tire himself, sighed.
"I am not in the mood. Not today. Also I am Catholic and killing a nun is… Y'know. Bad bad. Only my dad would do shit like that."
Santa Maria stayed silent… Before cutting her shield.
Balor gestured to her to go away… Which she did, prompto.
Balor then went to the bar and took a glass of whisky.
"Sayonara, old bastard." The Lord of Western crime said in perfect japanese before downing his drink. "Now, Hestia, my dear. Switch our localization to #34!"
The reason Balor was so hard to track despite having a well-known HQ? It was because of Hestia, the owner of the bar. Hestia could teleport her place to several fixed localizations. She could create a new one with some rituals but it took time.
She was forced into Balor's debt when the man saved her daughter. She had a quirk that made her fuse with the building when she stayed too long into one… With no safety part allowing her to defuse. Slowly, she would have grown dumb and dumber as she would become a barely sentient house.
Then Balor asked Hestia for her soul and loyalty in exchange for saving her daughter.
Hestia didn't say a word, before the Bar switched to Poland.
"Ok, boys. We are going to conclude our current works in Europe. Which include leading the police on Humarize, by precaution. Then we will begin to infiltrate Japan."
"YEAAAAAH!"
As everyone erupted in joy, Balor sighed.
Good bye, old bastard.