Heroes Never Die It's Hero Time, Anytime

by Guardian-Sigil

This is a side-story that is connected to my actual story "Heroes Never Die; It's Hero Time" where Izuku has the Omnitrix. So reading the main story is necessary to understand this collection of Omakes/OVAs. I aim to post an Omake/OVA every Friday when I am unable to post a chapter for the main story. Full summary, explanation, and guid lines for suggestions are inside.

13. OVA: My Zombie Academia

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! And here for you all is a special Halloween OVA! WOAH!

*This OVA is canon to Heroes Never Die; It's Hero Time.

*Takes place sometime between Ch.45 Encounters and Ch.48 Life on the Road.

*WARNING* This OVA is rated M for gore and violence. Reader discretion is advised.

*So yeah, this OVA was way longer than I ever intended it to be. But I really loved the premise and scenario I set up for this, especially since it is canon to the main story. I really enjoyed writing this OVA, especially since it was so different compared to many of the chapters I have written so far.

---

Run. Faster. Faster! FASTER!

Keep going! Going! Going!

He has to make it. No. They have to make it. NOW.

A red flash briefly lights up the entire hallway; illuminating the carnage and mess of the train station: its convenience stores, restaurants, and vendor stands abandoned and in shambles like a hurricane tore through the entire station and took all the people with it.

As the red flash vanishes a mop of green hair tumbles across the ground, rolling across the grim smeared floor before coming to a stop.

A pair of bodies roll alongside him, but they manage to roll themselves to their feet.

"Midoriya!" A wheezing Denki Kaminari scrambles to his feet, he rushes over and grabs Izuku by his hoodie to lift him up.

A just as panicked Eijiro Kirishima rushes over and grabs his other arm helping Denki to get him on his feet. "You okay, man?!"

"Run!" A heaving Izuku, having just timed out of his XLR8 form, shakes off their hands before turning, grabbing them by their arms, and then running. "Keep going!"

They nearly stumble but as soon as they gain their footing the panicked trio sprint at full speed through the station. They weave and crash through the station, tossing trash cans and signs out of their way as they hurry faster and faster towards the train.

Despite their hearts beating in their ears, they can hear it. The crashing and thumping of footsteps behind them, echoing through the station as echoes of growls and shrieks and clawing swarms towards them through the darkness.

"There!" Izuku shouts as they near the train that lies silent on the tracks. "Hurry! Hurry!"

The three practically crash through the open doors; Denki slides in so fast he slams into the opposite wall, but he doesn't care he's so panicked he just shoves himself off the wall before they all make a beeline for the train's controls.

With every step the echoes grow more and more crazed.

Kirishima charges forward and throws himself into the conductor's door: he crashes into it, throwing the door right off its hinges!

Izuku jumps over Kirishima and gets to the controls first. He panics grabbing, turning, and flipping every switch he sees. "It won't start!" He screams, tears pricking at his eyes.

"Out of the way!" Denki shoves Izuku out of the way before slamming his hands down onto the control panel just as his body lights up with electricity.

And that surge was exactly what the train needed to jump start as its headlights turn on and the interior lights begin to glow before a number of them burst from the surge of power.

Izuku almost breaks into a grin but as his ears catch the sound of the shrieks and claws just yards away, he thrusts his hands forward and closes the train!

The sliding doors shut just before the entire train car is shoved so hard that it begins to lean as nails, shrieks, and flesh claw at the doors and windows desperate to get in.

Denki jumps back as claws and nails scrape at the windshield. "Go! Go! Go!"

Izuku thrusts the train into forward drive and as if God was smiling down on them for a brief moment in this hell the train moves quickly gaining speed. The train bursts forward so quickly the claws and shrieks fall away as the train puts a great distance between itself and the station.

And only when the shrieks, growls, and cries disappear into the distance do the trio finally take a moment to breathe.

"Phew…" Izuku collapses to his knees before the console.

Denki slides down beside him, sweat clinging to his hair too as he tries and fails to catch his breath. "We made it…"

An out of breath Kirishima nods, leaning against the doorframe. He's so out of breath he can't even speak right now.

Denki grabs at his eyes, trying his best to hold back the weeps and tears. "This is insane."

Kirishima finally collapses, shaking his head. "No kidding. I always thought this kinda stuff only happened in movies."

"But it's real…" Izuku breaths, pressing his sweaty head against the cold console. He stares down at the Omnitrix as its red glowing dial stares right back. "It's so real…"

"Poor Mineta…" Denki sniffs, leaving his head back. "He never even stood a chance."

Kirishima grimaces, his eyes shaking. "They just…" He can't even bring himself to say it; he can still hear his screams.

Izuku doesn't even want to think about it but…he can still feel Mineta's hands gripping his as he desperately clung to him before he was ripped away.

He quivers, nearly vomiting and folding under the haunting memory but he manages to shake it off for now. Trying to distract himself he reaches for his phone; it's cracked but thankfully it's still working.

Opening it up Izuku is met by a barrage of news alerts and articles such as Catastrophe on a National Scale, Pandemic Surges Across Japan, Judgement Day has Arisen, etc.

Izuku X's out of each one as he scrolls for what he's actually looking for: the last message he received before the internet and cell services went down.

Denki notices Izuku on his phone. "Anything?"

"No, nothing new. It's just the same email." Izuku finds the message. "Sanctuary here." He shows Denki the message.

The message is an email sent by Thirteen, but it says nothing but "Sanctuary here" and has a screenshot of a pinned location.

Denki frowns at the message. "Does Thirteen really think U.A. is safe?"

Kirishima tries to stay positive. "It might be."

"We're not going to U.A." Izuku corrects. "We're going beyond it." Izuku scrolls down further showing the pinned GPS screenshot.

The location they're heading towards sits behind U.A.'s main campus within the woods south of the school.

Denki raises an eyebrow. "What do you think is there?"

Kirishima shrugs. "Well sanctuary, duh."

"I know but what?"

Izuku sits back quietly, but his mind is racing as he can only think of one thing, one place that would be safe: Japan's Plumber Base. But is it really a good idea to bring Denki and Kirishima there…? Wait, what's he thinking? That doesn't matter, not anymore. If it means they can all survive this then yes, yes, they have to make it to Plumber Base.

"We don't know but it's better than no plan at all." Izuku pulls himself to his feet, determined to make sure that they all get out of this in one piece. "I trust Thirteen and I'm sure they've got a plan. But it's on us to make it there."

Kirishima nods. "Right." Although it's not like they have any other options anyway.

Denki shakes his head, still unsure if this is right; if there's even a point. "Yeah, but how exactly? In case you haven't noticed it won't exactly be just a stroll through the park to get there."

Izuku knows, he knows it won't be easy, but they have to do it. "I know but I'm sure Thirteen will wait for us. Once we make it to Musutafu we'll ditch the train and hurry our way through town. And then we can go around U.A. to get to the safe place."

Denki pauses before pointing something out. "Well, going through U.A. would be faster."

"It would be, but…we don't know exactly what we're walking into either."

Kirishima, ever positive, tries to offer a middle ground. "Only one way to find out, right?"

"Yeah, and that's what worries me…" Izuku looks ahead towards the dawn of this new dark day as storm clouds keep the sun just out of sight and out of reach.

As Izuku gazes out towards the horizon the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end and a cold chill runs down his spine as the sensation of being watched creeps over him.

He spins around but there's no one there other than Denki and Kirishima. "Hey guys…we are alone, right?"

The two are about to answer with a confident yes but they falter, second guessing themselves. They all stare down the train cars and with the dark sky and with so many lights having blown out they are greeted with nothing but silence, the creaking of the speeding train, and the howling of the wind outside.

Denki smiles nervously as if trying to trick himself. "W-why wouldn't we be?"

They all continue to stare out into the train, silent, listening, and then they hear it. They can hear movement somewhere further down the train, it's faint but it's there. There's someone on this train with them.

Izuku glares back at the darkness, refusing to look away as he rolls back his right sleeve. Under his hoodie he reveals a metal brace. He raises his arm and as he does so the Omni-Shield unsheathes, coming forth.

Kirishima follows the greenette's lead, raising his arms that both Harden.

Denki pales watching them both get ready. "Guys…? What are you doing?"

Izuku doesn't take his eyes off the darkness. "There might be someone else here."

"Or something…!"

The two ignore him, refusing to ignore this potentially deadly problem, and they step forward into the darkness.

"Guys, wait…er, don't leave me behind!" Denki hurries after them, leaving the safety of the brightly illuminated conductor's car.

And so, the colorful trio make their way, slowly, through the abandoned speeding train. The train is empty, void of any passengers other than the trio with trash and grim littering the wrecked train cars like stampedes of people once flooded through it to escape some horrible terror. Lights flicker dimly above their heads or are totally blacked out altogether casting strange shadows and veils of darkness across the train.

Izuku leads the way, scanning for any signs of life or otherwise and as they enter the fifth car that's when he spots something rather alarming. "Guys…"

Kirishima and Denki turn to look.

The side of one of the large windows has been broken in, but it wasn't smashed in but instead it seems like it was melted away.

Denki gulps. "T-that c-could have been a-anything. Like a b-baseball."

They all look down at the floor where grime and dirt have been smeared and scraped away as some…one crawled away.

Kirishima gives his friend a questioning look. "A baseball?"

"Just lie to me okay!"

Now on high alert, Izuku puts his shield up in front and marches on, stepping carefully not wanting to give any intruders a warning of their presence.

Denki however isn't so brave, hanging back at the rear, watching as Izuku and Kirishima head further into the train car.

The hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, and it's not because of his electricity. Denki freezes in place and slowly begins to scan the train car but he can't see a thing especially with the flickering light hanging above him. But from the corner of his eye, he spots a hint of movement. He spins around and for a split second he spots a thin and lanky shadow claws at the window from the outside!

"Ah! Ah!" Denki freaks out, screaming, stumbling back and falling onto his rear just as the thin figure vanishes from sight.

The other two hastily spin around and run back for him.

Kirishima slides onto his knees, grabbing Kaminari by his shoulders. "Kaminari, are you okay?! "What's the matter?!"

"Shhhh!" The blonde grabs Kirishima by the mouth, silencing him. "T-there's s-something out there…" And with tears in his terrified eyes, he points towards the window.

Izuku throws himself in front, putting himself between his friends and the window. Kirishima shields Denki ready to fight if anything dares to show itself. But after an intense standoff with no threat in sight Izuku hesitantly stands down.

Kirishima stands down too as Denki eventually calms down, concluding that perhaps it was nothing but a trick of the light.

Izuku turns back around, nodding his head shakily as he offers Denki a hand back up. "Let's keep going."

With a shaky nod Denki takes his hand and pulls himself back up.

As he does so Kirishima steps around to continue through the train but what he sees forces him to a stop as his blood runs cold. "Hey fellas."

The two others pause, frowning.

Kirishima stares back at them with a terrified gaze and trembling lips. "We're not alone."

The two peer around him and their hearts stop beating for the briefest of moments as a shadowy figure stands just out of line of the flickering light above from across the train car.

The figure is thin, standing shakily on their feet, and swaying slowly from side to side like in a daze.

The trio step back out of fear neither making a sound as the figure lingers in the shadows.

Denki frowns, his eyes narrowing in on the figure's thin frame, leather jacket, purple hair, and the oddly familiar thin earlobes dangling from the person's ears.

"Wait." Denki gasps, breaking into a grin. "Jiro!"

Izuku and Kirishima frown in confusion. "Jiro…?"

A relieved Denki shoves past them. "Jiro! I'm so glad to see you. Were you hiding out here too? Hehe. What are the odds?" He laughs, shaking his head at the coincidence. "But seriously you have no idea how much of a relief it is to know that you're okay."

Even Izuku and Kirishima start to let their guard down, relieved that they found a friend.

However, Jiro doesn't step forward; she hands back in the light, swaying and lingering in the dark. "Greegh..."

"Hehe…" Denki's smile begins to falter. "Jiro? Say something? Please…"

Jiro's body twitches and wobbles forward into the flickering light. "Greegh!"

And as she steps forward it feels like the entire world shook as time itself scratches to a halt and their hearts plummet into pits of despair.

Jiro's mangled body shakily enters the flickering light. Her hair's dripping with oil-like black blood, her dead savage gaze flickers between the trio as her Earphone Jacks twist and bend like possessed snakes. Her hero costume is torn and shredded, stained with grim and blood. And her complexion is pale grayish green as her decaying flesh just barely clings to her bones, and a savage chunk of her neck has been chewed away by the very thing she's become.

"Wahh!" Denki screams, flailing backwards. "J-jiro?!"

"That's not Jiro!" Kirishima shouts, pulling Denki back. "Not anymore…"

"She-...that thing isn't human." Izuku steps in front of them, brandishing the Omni-Shield. "It's a Zombie."

"Greegh!" Zombie Jiro or Z-Jiro snarls a pained predatory-like howl. "Greegh!" She lurches forward with her mouth wide and ready to feast on their flesh.

"Aggghhh!" The trio scream as Izuku reflexively bats Z-Jiro away with his shield, knocking her back.

"What the FUCK!?" Denki screams. "What are you doing?! We have to save her.!"

Kirishima can't believe what he's hearing. "How?!"

Izuku doesn't take his eyes off their infected classmate as she…it drags itself back onto its feet. "Let's subdue her for now. And as long as she doesn't bite us, we'll be fine" If there's a chance to save her maybe…maybe they should. "Besides, it'll be easy; it's 3 versus 1."

The light above Izuku flickers to life and for a split second, from out of the corner of his eye, the dead gaze of another infected gazes back from outside the train.

"KREEEEGH!" A mangled zombie crashes through the window, its bone-thin hands clawing for his flesh.

"Wah!" Izuku panics throwing his shield in the way as the zombie slams into him, throwing him down to the ground as shattered glass showers around them.

Izuku's head slams against the floor as he struggles against the zombie's weight as it desperately grapples with his shield.

Izuku shakes and pushes back, glaring up at the creature.

"Asui?" He gasps in horror.

Like Z-Jiro her dead eyes bleed yellow in color, her flesh having already started to decay. Her hero costume too is torn and stained with dry blood, her goggles busted and hanging limply off her greasy mangled hair. Her right leg is twisted, clearly broken and having been crushed before something took a chunk out of her thigh.

"Kreegh!" Z-Tsuyu snarls back in a furious savage rage,

Opening her jaw, wide black blood drips out as her grey tongue snakes out like a serpent striking fast towards Izuku's head.

Izuku shoves the thing back and throws his head to the side just in the Knick of time.

Denki and Kirishima cry out in horror. "Midoriya!"

"Greegh!"

The two freeze as Z-Jiro lurches forward again.

"Wah! Wah!" The two scramble back as Z-Jiro falls forward.

But this creature is desperate for a meal, its Earphone Jacks swift snaking around Denki's leg before she scuttles backwards dragging him along.

"Ahhhhh!" Denki cries out, desperate to reach anything to anchor himself. "J-jiro! P-pl-please! Noooo!" He can do nothing but scream in terror as Z-Jiro drags him away further into the train.

"Kaminari!" Before Kirishima can even make a move to help either of them a few drops of slimy liquid drip down from above.

Kirishima frowns watching the drops of liquid fall and fall onto the train floor before steam arises and the liquid burns through the metal.

The redhead pales as he slowly peers up.

"Bleegh." Hanging on the ceiling, a twisted Z-Mina glares down at the red head.

Her complexion is much like the others, but her flesh has melted away from parts of her face and body, and costume, revealing the decayed flesh and bone underneath as slimy acid spurts forth from her wounds and orifices.

"Bleegh!" Z-Mina pounces and her maw wide with her twisted teeth bared.

She chomps down on his arm, but her teeth break and shatter away as his Quirk, Harden, saves him from the infection.

"Ahh!" Kirishima uses his Hardened arms to try and shove her away.

But she clings to his arms clawing and scratching at his Hardened flesh, desperately trying to get to his juicy fleshy center.

"Bleegh!" She wails in a pained fury, lunging forward, her jaws snapping at Kirishima's face as spurts of acid begin to drip off her body and onto his.

"Raaggh! Mina! Ah-ow!" Kirishima is forced backwards as he struggles against her weight and drips of acid begin to eat away at his skin.

"BLEEGH!"

Meanwhile, the others aren't holding up any better. All they can do is struggle against what used to be their friends as said friends try to claw and chew their faces off.

Izuku tries to kick and shove Z-Tsuyu away, but she clings to his shield like glue as her tongue lashes and whips around his head.

"Asui, please, don't!" He pleads, begging, praying she'll stand down.

But it's only response is to shriek and wail. "KREEEEGH!" She becomes frantic like an animal that's been starved for months, she lunges and flails against the shield; the only barrier between her and her meal.

"Asui! Asui!" Izuku calls hoping that somewhere in there his friend can hear him. "TSU!"

And then she stops, Z-Tsuyu hesitates for a moment, her eyes softening as if in recognition. But it was nothing but a fleeting moment as her savage fury returns in full force.

"KREEEEGH!" Its shriek shakes Izuku to his very core as the dark truth pierces his heart: there is no saving her…

"Raggh!" With a sudden burst of strength Izuku shoves himself up and using his momentum and all the strength he can muster he throws Z-Tsuyu back and away from him.

"Kreegh!" Z-Tsuyu stumbles back before squatting down on the ground, crawling along the ground like a broken growling predator. "Kreeeghh."

"Tsu…please" With tears pricking at his eyes, Izuku begs her to stand down as he shakily grips the now recharged Omnitrix. "Please don't make me do this…"

Z-Tsuyu leaps forward like the dead frog it is, shrieking as it goes for the kill! "KREEEEGH!"

"TSU!" Izuku cries out as the bright flash of Omnitrix envelopes him.

"Kreeg-Grah?!" Z-Tsuyu's attack is brought to a halt as a red muscular arm grabs her by the skull.

"Kreegh!" It flails in the air, swiping at the muscular arm but two other red arms grab its hands, squeezing them tight threatening to crush them with just one squeeze.

"Tsu…" Four Arms frowns in regret, he's almost unable to even look at it knowing his friend is no longer there. "Please…stop."

"Kreegh!" Z-Tsuyu's tongue flies out and lashes for his face.

But with one grab of his fourth hand, Four Arms doesn't even flinch as he brings it to a stop just inches from his face.

"Kreegh!" Z-Tsuyu growls furiously, struggling against his hold.

Four Arms lowers his head as he twists his hand and wraps more of the decaying tongue around it. "Tsu if you're in there…"

Z-Tsuyu frowns, her gaze softening.

Four Arms closes his eyes. "I-I'm sorry."

With one motion he swings his arm back and with a mighty pull on her tongue, he rips Z-Tsuyu's head right off its own body!

"Kr-blegh…?!" Z-Tsuyu's head is thrown across the train car, tumbling off the window and onto the floor before rolling to a stop with its greasy hair and tongue dripping onto the floor beside it.

Four Arms shakes as he drops its lifeless corpse onto the ground. "I-I'm sorry. I'm…so sorry…" He weeps, unable to forgive himself.

"Kreegh!" Z-Tsuyu's tongue lashes out and clings itself onto a railing.

It then swings Z-Tsuyu's head up, her eyes bleeding with rage with her jaws wide and ready to tear into his neck. "KREEEEGH!"

Four Arms spins around, and his fist collides into the bodiless Z-Tsuyu. His fist swings around slamming into its face and tangled greasy hair before smashing its skull against the wall: smashing it apart and crushing it in one hit!

Z-Tsuyu's skull shatters against the impact: black blood and decayed flesh splatter everywhere, tangled together with strands of greasy hair that latch onto bits of brains that burst out from its skull and a single eyeball flies out and bounces off the floor. Z-Tsuyu's head has been completely obliterated with much of it scattered onto the floor and walls, a black stain of blood and hair clinging to the wall where the skull was smashed in, and its long stretchy tongue lies limply around the railing like a weak rope.

And so, Z-Tsuyu having been put out of her misery Four Arms succumbs to his emotions, collapses against the wall as he trembles in grief and regret.

But a loud crash snaps him out of his daze. Four Arms peers up and scans the train until he spots Kirishima struggling against Z-Mina, another car down.

Shaken, Four Arms shakily rises to his feet and stumbles towards the next car to help, careful as to not step on anything that was once Z-Tsuyu.

At the same time Denki is desperately kicking and scraping against his attacker and the train floor. "Jiro! Quit it! Let go!"

"Greegh!" Z-Jiro growls as she scuttles backwards, dragging him further and further down the train and away from the sight and safety of his allies. "Greegh!" She leaps to her feet and swings her head back, her Earphone Jacks pulling Denki closer. "Greegh!" She lunges down aiming to bite off his neck.

"NO!" Denki catches her, stopping her by using his arm to hold her back by the neck and using his hands to grab her arms, stopping her from clawing at his skin.

"Greegh!" Z-Jiro continues to struggle but her Earphone Jacks slither down and wrap themselves around Denki's neck before squeezing around him tighter and tighter.

"J-jiro…" He chokes, trying to breathe. "J-Jiro… Jiro…!"

He begs and begs but she doesn't relent, the Earphone jacks only get tighter as his skin soon becomes bruised and blue.

"GREEEGHH!" She shrieks her mangle decayed face inching closer and closer to his.

Sparks begin to dance and light up around Denki as he desperately tries to push the zombie away but it's no use.

And so, with tears in his eyes and his lungs ready to explode he unleashes his Electrification. "Ahhh!"

"GREEEGHH!" Z-Jiro howls in pain as electricity surges through them both.

Her Earphone Jacks light up as the electricity surges through them and into her brain melting it away and cooking her from the inside. Her hair lights aflame, her eyes spew with electricity and fluid and her clothes melt against her flesh.

And as the Earphone Jacks wither away and he can breathe, does Denki stop the electricity. And he's left with nothing but the silent fried unrecognizable corpse of his friend.

A friend that he weeps and cries for as he curls up on the ground grieving as the burning smell of flesh offends his senses.

But there is no rest for everyone, this is survival and right now that means Kirishima.

"Woah! Ah-woah!"

Z-Mina claws and spits at the redhead, splashing Acid at him with every swipe forcing him to retreat further into the train.

"Ashido come on this isn't you! Aghh!" Kirishima hisses in pain as a splash of acid coats his Hardened arm.

"BLEEEGH!" With his defense weaken Z-Mina pounces forward ready to tear through and gorge herself on his bloody flesh.

But as she dives through the air a flying pole pierces through her midsection like a spear, impaling her. The thrown pole's momentum is so strong it carries her to the side before it stabs through the train's wall, pinning her against it.

Kirishima gasps in horror as he watches his friend begin to bleed black blood from the impalement.

"Kirishima!" Four Arm rushes in with another pole in hand that he ripped out of the train car. "That's not Ashido!"

Kirishima shakes his head in denial. "But it is!"

"No!" Four Arms grab him by the shoulders, shaking him, and looking him in the eye. "Man, up will ya. Ashido's…gone." It hurts to say but…it's the truth. "Ashido's dead and that thing is just controlling her body. Like if it was a shell."

"B-b-but…"

"BLEEEGH!" Z-Mina screeches in anger, swiping her hand down on the pole and melting it away before she unflinchingly drags her body off the pole leaving a gaping hole in her middle.

"BLEEEGH!" She charges at the two, but she doesn't make it far as Four Arms stabs the last pole right through her shoulder, pinning her against the wall again.

As Z-Mina growls and claws at Four Arms, but she is unable to reach him.

As she does, Four Arms stares back at her with sorrowful and regretful eyes. "Kirishima."

The redhead starts, trembling.

"This is the only way to save them. To save her." He glances back at his trembling friend. "You know what has to be done."

Kirishima shakes his head, but he knows the truth, he knows what has to be done. "You're…" He bows his head in defeat. "You're right…"

Four Arms nods, regretfully. "We have to do this. It'd be…cruel for us to leave her this way…"

And so, he lines up his fists for a punch wanting to end this quickly and as painlessly as possible.

However.

"Midoriya…I knew her the longest." Kirishima takes a shaky breath, summoning all the courage that he has left. "I-I should do it."

Four Arms' gaze softens. "Kirishima…"

With silent tears Kirishima shakily nods his head, silently telling him that he's gonna do this.

And so, Four Arms backs away allowing Kirishima to face down Z-Mina alone.

Z-Mina fails to realize the situation, going full feral and savage as she tries to reach for the duo.

Kirishima has silent tears dripping down his face as he steps forward and stops just out of Z-Mina's reach.

Without a word he raises his right arm that Hardens like an axe.

Kirishima sniffs, bowing his head in regret. "Goodbye…Mina."

"BLEE-..."

*CRUNCH!*

Z-Mina's silent body flops dead with only the pole impaling it keeping it upright. Her skull hangs limp having been split open allowing her brains to split out align with strands of decayed hair, black blood, and Acid. Speaking of without Z-Mina to control her Quirk, Acid spews and pours out from the corpse like a faucet melting away not just pole or the ground but the corpse as well leaving behind a gruesome puddle of Acid, flesh, bits of her costume, and organs.

"Waaaaaaahhh!" Kirishima collapses before the puddle, wailing in tears that there won't even be a body to cremate!

Upon hearing his screams Denki rushes into the train car but he screeches to a halt, spins around and hurls when he spots the grotesque puddle.

Four Arms grips Kirishima's shoulder, trying to be there with his friend, not wanting him to be alone. After all this might be their only chance to grieve, their only time to come to terms with their new reality. Because from here on out, they are no longer students nor heroes, they are survivors. It is them against the zombies of this new savage reality.

This is…MY ZOMBIE ACADEMIA.

---

The trio stealthily crouch and tiptoe their way through Musutafu, having ditched the train before reaching the station; not wanting to attract unwanted attention from the zombies undoubtedly hidden within the city's many hiding places.

Speaking of the usual bustling and happy atmosphere of Musutafu has all but vanished with no life in sight: no birds, no pets, and especially no people. Abandoned cars lie silent or on their sides either left behind or smashed into buildings of other cars. Houses have been looted, wrecked, and burned leaving them in shambles with very few left untouched if at all. Stores, restaurants, and pharmacies have been long ransacked with smashed windows, torn doors, and empty shelves. And finally bloody prints and grim smear and stain walls, cars, and roads as the pungent odor of death looms and stalks the air.

But the trio traverse it all, keeping their heads low and senses alert for any signs of danger.

At one point they even passed by a bar, called the Winchester, where survivors must have been held up. Held being the key word since the entire place was light aflame in fire and hordes of zombies were swarming the place too. Whoever were in there probably weren't too bright if they thought a pub was a good place to hide.

But with no signs of survivors the trio move on allowing the burning pub to attract the nearby zombies away from them allowing them to quickly slip past the empty streets and alleys.

"Eeek! Help! Someone! Anyone! Help me!"

The trio freeze before rushing down the path that leads out to an outlook atop a hill that overlooks rows of houses and buildings.

They quickly scan for the source of the screaming.

"There!" Kirishima shouts pointing down.

The trio spot a young woman fleeing for her life from several street blocks away. They are only able to make her out as she runs out into the open. She is of average height with white shoulder-length hair that's flecked with a few noticeable traces of a crimson-like color.

"We have to help her!" Kirishima and even Izuku are about to leap off the hill and make a dash for her, but they are stopped by a terrified Denki. "Wait!" Denki shouts before collapsing to his knees to hide. "Look." He whispers back in fright.

The two pause and look only for them to realize just how useless the situation is.

And thus, the trio watch uselessly as a massive zombie towers over the buildings and with one motion plucks the poor white-haired woman right off the ground.

It's Mt. Lady or rather Z-Lady. Her entire body sways and stumbles forward almost awkwardly as her decayed flesh and yellow eyes burn with death. Her hair has been torn and smeared with muck, blood, and even tangled with zombies that hang in her hair like flies in a web. Her rows of sharp crooked teeth can be seen as her lips have been torn away giving her the appearance of a Titan.

And like a Titan, Z-Lady chomps down on the poor woman who screams and wails in terror and agony.

"WAAAAAAaaaahhhh!"

Z-Lady chews away at her lower half before pulling and ripping the still living woman in half. Her entrails and blood spill out dangling down like spaghetti on a fork before Z-Lady slurps up the entrails and intensities and swallows the poor soul whole.

The trio nearly vomit at the sight not just because of the gruesomeness of it all but because of the fact that they were too late to do anything. And even if they tried…they only would have given themselves away to not just Z-Lady but undoubtedly more zombies lurking about the city.

And so, with their heads hung low they march on towards U.A.

The rest of the trip towards their possible sanctuary was a blur especially for Izuku: hiding, staying silent, sneaking away, it all just blended together like when one wakes from a nightmare and tries their best to forget the details.

But at some point, as they sneak through a suburban road Izuku pauses as a sense of recognition and a small sense of safety and familiarity tug in his mind. Peering up, Izuku realizes why this road seemed so familiar; it is his home. Standing just across the street lies his family's apartment complex.

It's still standing and looks almost untouched by death and chaos. Lying still as if time itself is trying to preserve this last relic of the past.

It takes a minute for Kirishima to realize that one of them hasn't been following along. He turns worried but frowns when he spots Izuku just standing there, staring at a random building. "Midoriya?"

Izuku pauses, contemplating, before giving into temptation. "I…I have to check something…"

"Like what? Hey wait!"

But it's too late. Izuku's already ran off towards the apartment building.

Denki scratches his head in confusion. "Where's he going?"

Kirishima shrugs in response but not wanting to leave one of their own behind they follow after and catch up to him just as Izuku starts making his way up the stairs towards upper floors.

"Midoriya, what are you doing?"

Izuku doesn't stop climbing, he keeps going, almost gliding up the stairs, moving as quickly as he can. "I have to check. I have to check my home!"

The two pause their hearts, stopping and filling with worry of not just what they may find but how their friend will take to it…

Izuku makes it to the fourth floor where he makes a beeline down the hall passing by and ignoring the bloody handprints smearing the walls and busted in apartment doors until he slides to a halt before his home.

The door is untouched and still standing without a drop of blood or death defiling it. Izuku shoots down and rips away the doormat where he finds the spare house key. And not wasting a second, he unlocks the door and bursts his way in, running inside.

"Mom?! Mom?! Mom, are you here?!" He shouts running to each room hoping to find her hiding in a closet or small corner.

But there's no sign of her. In fact, there's no sign of anyone being here, there's no mess, no signs of a struggle which gives Izuku a little hope but also dread as she might be out there: alone and helpless.

Denki and Kirishima quickly catch up. They wait at the door, however, waiting for Izuku to return.

Denki scans the apartment noting how cozy and normal looking it is to belong to Midoriya. Or at least it would be given different circumstances. "Midoriya? Is this your home?"

"Yeah…" Izuku breathes as he returns but continues to scan the apartment in case there was something he missed. "I live here with my Mom…and Dad."

Kirishima looks down and doesn't see any shoes sitting by the door. "Looks like no one's home. Do you think they got out?"

"They might have." Maybe…maybe his Dad, Hisashi, was able to get Mom and himself to Plumber Base along with Thirteen. Yeah, yes! That had to be it, it just has to. "It's no use searching anymore…" It crushes him to say it, but he prays that she's safe and that soon he reunites with her. "We…we have to keep going."

Kirishima places a gentle hand on the greenette's shoulder. "You sure man? We can stay a little longer."

He shakes his head as he leads them back out into the balcony hallway. "No. It's not worth putting us all at risk. The best thing I can do for her is get somewhere safe and then I can properly search for her." But if he's right he'll be making his way to her real soon.

Denki however begins to succumb to his own dread and sadness, holding himself, mumbling. "I hope my Mom's okay…"

Just barely able to hear him, Kirishima offers him his sympathies too. "Hey, she's a pro, I'm sure she's fine."

Denki nods shakily, clinging to Kirishima's theory with hope.

Izuku bites his tongue not wanting to dash Denki's hope by telling him that the majority of pros have already been turned.

As the three silently pray for their families the neighboring apartment's door creaks as it's slowly pushed open.

Izuku's heart plummets. "Mr. Baumann…"

The two freeze. "Who?"

Izuku gulps. "My neighbor…" He gestures towards the door while he slowly begins to back away.

The others follow his lead, moving slowly as an infected Mr. Baumann shambles into view. "Graagghh…" Z-Baumann moans, his head just barely dangling off his neck, clearly having been broken.

His dead yellow eyes instantly lock onto the greenette and almost instinctually he waves his mop like a giant flyswatter at Izuku. "Izeeegh!"

Startled by his sudden appearance the trio take off running down the hall back towards the stairs.

"Graagghh!" Z-Baumann chases after them swinging his mop widely.

"Go! Go! Go!" Kirishima and Denki make it to the steps first and they race down, Izuku is about to follow when Z-Baumann grabs him and throws him down.

"Graghh!"

"Ahhh!" A downed Izuku uses his momentum as he falls back to kick and shove the zombie up and over himself!

"Gragh!" Z-Baumann's head hits the ledge of the stairs as he's thrown up and over it. "Graaaaggh!"

*CRASH!*

*BEEEP! BEEEP! BEEEP!*

Izuku pulls himself onto his feet just as he and the other two peer over the ledge.

"Graaaghhh…" Z-Baumann groans his body smashed into the roof of his own muscle car.

The zombie peers up, his yellow angry eyes locking onto the mop of green hair above. "Iz-...Izu-grah! IZU-GRAAGH!" He shrieks shouting over the blaring car alarm.

Denki frowns, confused. "Dude… Is he shouting your name?"

Izuku sweatdrops. "Yes. Yes, he is…"

Kirishima tugs on Izuku's arm. "Guys…" He points towards the distance.

They look and gasp; in the distance they can spot a giant Z-Lady wobbling her way towards them, attracted by Mr. Baumann's car alarm.

"We should leave." states Izuku, hurriedly trying to shove the two to make their way down. "Now!"

And they move, hopping and skipping over almost entire flights before they crash into the complex's parking lot.

Kirishima scratches to a halt, unsure of where to go. "Now what?!"

Denki spots Mr. Baumann's car. "The car!"

The three rush over to the car.

A stuck Z-Baumann groans trying to pry himself up, reaching for Izuku and only him. "Izu-grah…!"

Izuku slips in and reaches into the zombie's pocket and sure enough his keys are there. He tosses the key over to Denki who unlocks the car and jumps into the driver seat as Kirishima hops into the back.

"Izu-grah…!"

Izuku grimaces as he grabs the zombie's hand and pries him off the roof and onto the floor. "I'm really sorry Mr. Baumann but we need to borrow your car!" And he hops in as said zombie weakly claws at the bottom of the door.

Kirishima frowns. "Shouldn't you apologize for throwing him off a building?"

Izuku shakes his head. "Believe me he's gonna kill me for just getting into his car."

As Izuku hops in and puts on his seat belt he finds Denki just starting up the car. "You can drive?"

Denki shrugs, grinning excited at the prospect of driving a muscle car. "I have a permit."

"That doesn't answer my question."

Kirishima pokes his head up towards the front. "I think the police have other concerns right now." He points forward towards the opposite end of the street.

There hobbling into view are a group of zombified police officers, two of which the boys recognize as what used to be Detective Tsukauchi and Officer Sansa.

Kirishima repeatedly taps the back of the driver's seat. "Drive. Drive! Kaminari!"

"Right, sorry!" Denki sets the car into drive and slams onto the gas pedal.

The car screeches forward out of the parking lot.

A crawling Z-Baumann claws onto the car as it zooms away. "Izzuu-grah!"

Izuku shouts back through the window. "I'll bring it back Mr. Baumann I promise!"

And the car zooms away, its engine roaring out like a lion.

The zombie police jerk and spot the car racing away. They growl and snarl as they start to hobble after it slowly gaining speed until they're full on running after it.

Z-Lady starts at the sound of the roaring engine; she scans the horizon and quickly marks onto the speeding muscle car. "Bleeegh!" She stumbles forward taking long strides over or rather through houses and fences, quickly gaining ground between her and the fleeing car.

Izuku panics as he spots her through the back window. "Drive faster!"

Denki waves him off. "Relax! There's no way they'll catch up to us!"

"BLEGH!" A zombie Kamui Woods drops down and latches himself onto the hood of their ride. "Graaagh!"

"Aaaahhhhhhh!" The teens scream in terror as the zombie glares back at them hungerly.

Denki spins the wheel turning into a side street and the momentum throws Zombie Woods right off and into the side of another car.

The car screeches away as Zombie Woods rises to his feet and using his Timber tendrils he latches onto a light pole and swings after them. A moment after Z-Lady's legs crash through a nearby house as she too gives chase, and shortly after them the zombie police and several other zombies sprint after them.

But they won't have an easy time catching up as the trio race through Musutafu at full speed.

Izuku clings to the door for dear life. "Did we lose them?!"

Kirishima peers back. "I don't know!"

As Denki swerves past abandoned cars and other wreckage he scans his mirrors trying to spot the zombies.

At the same time Izuku turns back towards the front. "Look out!"

Denki and Kirishima spin around and all three of them scream as a zombified Manual charges at them from the front!

CRASH! They crash into Manual, his body smashed apart in an instant as his skull smashes into the windshield just in front of Izuku.

"Aaaaaahhhh!" The trio let out horrified screams.

Z-Manual's jaws continue to move and chomp as his dead eyes lock onto the boys.

Panicked, Izuku grips his Omni-Shield and swings it into the zombie's head, detaching it from the window and allowing it to whiz away right off the car.

Freaking out Denki puts the pedal to the metal, zipping through the streets like he was in Fast N' the Furious.

Izuku scans the street signs as they race by. "You're gonna make a right on Romero Rd.!"

Denki shakes his head. "Romero Rd? No way! Sang Ho St. is way faster!"

"No way!" Izuku shouts, questioning Denki's logic. "There's train tracks on Sang Ho St.! What about Boyle Lane?!"

"No!" Kirishima shouts out from the back. "Boyle Lane's been under construction for the last 28 days!"

As they approach Romero Rd. Denki suddenly jerks the steering wheel and the car ends up racing through an alleyway.

"No!" Izuku screams in frustration. "Romero Rd. was just up ahead!"

Denki shakes his head, keeping his eyes on the road. "Nicotero Alley's a shortcut, trust me!"

It is as in a few short moments they burst back onto the main road that'll lead them right to U.A. in a matter of minutes.

But not seconds before the car ejects itself from the alleyway, the massive, decayed foot of Z-Lady kicks them from the side, sending them spiraling out of control.

The car spins until it crashes headfirst into a fire hydrant and with such force and momentum that Denki accidentally slams his head against the steering wheel while Kirishima's thrown right through the windshield, smashing it to pieces before he slams onto the sidewalk.

Izuku, having braced himself, gasps in horror. "Kirishima!"

"I'm…fine!" Kirishima groans, giving Izuku a thumbs up. "I used my Quirk at the last second." Thank goodness.

Izuku notices Denki's unmoving form, fearing the worst. But before he can check his pulse Denki wakes up and peels his bleeding forehead off the wheel.

"Hang on!" Izuku jumps out of the car and hurries around the back. "I got you Kaminari!"

He throws the driver side door open and he's about to grab Denki and lift him out, but a massive hand snatches the greenette right off the ground. "Waaaahhh!"

"GRAAAGGHH!" Z-Lady howls raising Izuku up, dangling him over her gigantic jaws like a grape.

Denki And Kirishima cry out in horror. "MIDORIYA!"

Z-Lady drops Izuku right towards her mouth.

"WAAAAHHHH!"

And CHOMP she eats him up one gulp, swallowing him whole.

"Oh, god…" Denki cups his mouth in horror as he stumbles out of the wreckage. "S-she a-ate him! She ate him WHOLE!"

Kirishima rushes behind him, latching onto his arm, never taking his eyes off Z-Lady who's savoring the taste of her latest victim.

They back away when a Zombie Woods swings down atop the wrecked car with a loud clang. "Bleeegh!"

Denki and Kirishima quickly hurry away but then they both fall backwards before a Z-Tsukauchi can bite their faces off. They scurry away quickly as Z-Tsukauchi and Z-Sansa wobble closer.

As they retreat their situation only worsens as more and more zombies crawl and shamble into view. From infected civilians, police officers, firemen, and pro heroes; like a zombified Death Arms who stumbles over without either of his arms, both having been torn away. A zombified Native also crawls into view, alongside a zombie Burnin who's hair is no longer light and instead a plume of rising black smoke, a zombified Backdraft who has a strange, polluted water dripping from out of his hose as a zombified Air Jet shakily hovers from above.

The duo back away but they soon realize the horrible truth of the situation: they are surrounded. The zombies are coming in from all sides moving slowly as if allowing their prey to stew in fear as if it'll give their flesh a better flavor.

A fearful Denki's body begins to spark as Kirishima's entire body Hardens. Both of them are ready to fight for as long as they can but considering they lost their best chance at survival they doubt it'll be for long.

The zombies close in as Z-Lady bends down to scoop them up. "Gragh?" She stops, wheezing as if in pain. "Gragh… Graph…! Graph! Graaaghh! GRAAAGH!"

She bellows out in pain; her ear-splitting shriek stops the advancing zombies who all confusingly turn to face her and to see what's happening.

"GRAAAGH!" She wails and wails as her midsection begins to churn and stretch before bursting open in a brilliant display of black blood, flesh, and grim.

"RAAAWWR!" Like a Xenomorph Chestburster, a large orange figure claws and tears his way through Z-Lady's stomach! "Lemme tell ya somethin, Yu Takeyama also known as the pro hero Mt. Lady who is currently a disgusting putrid zombie! No one, and I mean no one eats RATH!"

Denki and Kirishima tear up, smiling in joy the moment they spot the Omnitrix's symbol on the bipedal tiger's person "Midoriya!"

Rath pries himself free of her entrails before clawing and leaping up towards the zombie's Giant head. "Rath is not some cheap jerky!" He leaps up, reeling his fist back. "Rath is a knuckle sandwich!" He throws his fist forward and WHAM the impact alone sends her head reeling back, her decayed neck snapping as a result, while black blood and brains spew out from the stab wound caused by Rath's ferocious claw.

Z-Lady collapses backwards, her weight crushing an oblivious Z-Death Arms, squashing him into a bloody paste.

As Z-Lady collapses Rath leaps away landing beside Mr. Baumann's wrecked car.

"Midoriya!" Denki and Kirishima rush over to him.

"You alright?!"

"Lemme tell you something Eijiro Kirishima, the Sturdy Hero Red Riot, who is a delight and too good for this world. Rath is not fine, Rath is angry!"

"And smelly." Denki gags.

Ignoring him, Rath faces the other zombies.

"Lemme tell you something you Walking Dead wannabes who want to devour our flesh like it was candy, Rath is about to serve you all a three-course meal! Starting with taunts, then an entry of fists with a side of humiliation, and for dessert INDESCRIBABLE PAIN!"

Denki pales realizing Midoriya's plan for escape: there isn't one. "Are you insane?!"

"No! I'm Rath!"

"So, cool." Kirishima grins, his body Hardening as they prepare to fight. "Save some for us will ya?"

"Rath makes no such promises!"

"What?" Denki gasps, horrified. "You're both crazy!"

The zombies glare as if wary of the humanoid tiger.

Rath turns to address Denki. "Hurry up Denki Kaminari, A.K.A. Chargebolt, and Class 1-A's resident idiot. Grab a weapon, now! Before Rath feeds you to the zombies himself!'

"Y-yes, sir!" Denki yelps before scrambling towards the wrecked car.

He quickly spots that the trunk's been busted open: he throws the trunk up to find a bag of golf clubs inside.

"This will have to do." He states nervously as he snatches one up and brandishes it like it was a sword.

The zombie stares back, glaring up feral at the tiger and his comrades.

Rath brandishes his claws, daring them to face them. "Now who's ready to be served a can of whoopass?!"

"GRAAAGH!" The zombies howl and shriek as they charge forward!

"RAWR!" Rath lunges forth swinging his fists down onto a pair of zombies' heads, smashing their heads right into their sternums!

"Bleeegh!" Z-Sansa lunges in forward, his maw wide for a bite.

"YAH!" Kirishima's fist swings up and Z-Sansa chomps down on his Hardened fist, his fangs snapping away. "RAHH!" Kirishima swings his free hand forward so hard that his fist smashes through the zombie cat's skull!

"Waaaahhh!" Denki scurries away, terrified tears gushing from his eyes as Z-Backdraft chases after him. "Waaaahh! Go away! Leave me alone! Eat Kirishima, I bet he's nice and tender!"

"Hey!"

"Sorry, dude!"

"Bleeegh!" Z-Backdraft lunges after Denki's turned backside.

"Waahah!" Denki tries throwing himself to the side and out of the way!

Z-Backdraft clumsily falls to the ground.

Panicking, Denki swings away at the downed zombie, batting him repeatedly over and over again with the golf club; black blood and bile splattering everywhere from the ground, his clothes, and his face as he hits away.

Meanwhile, Rath is taking on most of the other zombies using his sheer strength and willpower to knock them away. "You wanna piece of me?! Come on, there's enough of Rath for everybody!"

"Bleegh!" Z-Tsukauchi lunges forth.

Rath supercuts the zombie's chin, his claw piercing through the zombie's jaw and forehead like a shish kabob.

"GRAAGH!" A small pack of zombies charge in.

Rath growls. "You want seconds?! Here have some more!" He swings his arm that has its claw still impaled into Z-Tsukauchi and he uses the dead corpse as a weapon to bat the zombies away.

The force of the hit is so strong that not only are the zombies smashed into the pavement but Z-Tsukauchi's corpse shatters and spills away.

"RAAAWR!" Meanwhile, Rath lets out an animalistic roar as he swings his claw forward decapitating three zombies with one slice. "Don't lose your head!" He laughs as their heads roll off their bodies.

"Greegh!" Z-Burnin lunges forward, her jaws wide and ready to bite.

Rath catches her but Z-Burnin struggles against his arm, lunging her head forward trying to bite into Rath's neck.

"No biting!" Rath squeezes before using Z-Burnin to swat away more incoming zombies. "It's rude! RAAWR!"

As Rath handles them Kirishima struggles against Z-Air Jet who's chewing and swiping away at Kirishima's Hardened hide.

"You think you can break me?!" Kirishima roars, holding his ground. "Come on! I can take it!"

"Kirishima!" Denki rushes in from behind, swinging the club into Z-Air Jet's jetpack!

The jetpack sputters and malfunctions, shooting Z-Air Jet up and around in the air like a popped balloon.

Denki breathes watching Z-Air Jet splatters into a wall like a bug on a windshield. "You, okay?"

Kirishima nods, lowering his guard. "Where's Midoriya?"

They both turn to look and what they see is absolutely astounding.

Rath is going absolutely berserk on the zombies tearing them like they were paper mache.

He's on a rampage as he slices and crushes the zombies. He even knocks a zombie down and then uses his foot to crush his skull against the pavement.

Another zombie swipes at Rath but the Appoplexian grabs its arm and slices it off. He then bats the zombie and its comrades away with the same severed limb!

As Rath bats another zombie away, the zombie is spun around by the impact. As it turns Rath reaches out, his immensely strong fingers piercing the zombie's back before he grips and yanks out its spine! Rath spins and stabs not one but two zombies' skulls with the spine before thrusting them aside.

"Graaagh!" This time Zombie Woods swings in from above, a tendril lashing downward aiming to kill.

Rath growls, catching the vine and reeling Zombie Woods in, then catching him by his head. "RAAWR!" He then rips Zombie Woods skull and spine right off his body, raising his bloody prize in the air as its sine dangles down. "FATALITY!"

Rath drops the skull and turns to see Kirishima and Denki finishing off Z-Native along with the last of the stragglers.

The two breath heavily, both covered in black blood and guts as they scan the corpses lining the street.

Kirishima takes a shaky breath. "Is that all of them?"

Just as he asks this more and more zombies stumble into view from the nearby streets.

Denki gasps. "There's even more of them than last time!"

"No there isn't!" shouts Rath. "We outnumber them! Watch! One! Two! Six! Thirteen! Um, Twenty-Seven…! Forty-Three… Um…" Rath pauses to reconsider their option. "Okay there's a lot of them but they'll need a hundred more to beat Rath!"

Denki gulps. "Yeah, but it'll only take one to beat Denki!"

"Rath will protect you! Rath is gonna tear them all to pieces!"

"You can't!" This time Kirishima's the one to stand up to the alien. "Midoriya, remember your time limit! We can't stay here! We should go! Now!"

"Grrr." Rath growls in frustration as more zombies pour in. "Fine!" he then turns towards the incoming zombies. "Just so you zombies know Rath isn't running away! Rath is just…strategically retreating!"

Kirishima leads the way towards the only nearby street that doesn't have zombies. "Let's go."

"Finally!" Denki cheers running ahead. "The sooner we leave the better!"

The trio are about to run across a manhole cover when CLANG the manhole cover bursts into the air from underneath!

"AYEEEEE!" Denki screams, falling backwards as a zombie crawls out.

"Graagh. Graagh!" A zombie mermaid of all things crawls out of the sewer; bile and sludge stain their grayish-green skin as the putrid stench of dead fish wafts into the air.

Rath gasps when he spots the zombie mermaid. "Tekka Maki?!"

"Graaagh…" Z-Tekka Maki dead fisheyes glare up at Rath, her head twisting unnaturally to the side and sludge and bubbles foam out from her gaping mouth.

The trio back away as even more familiar zombie skulk into view.

"Bleegh…" A zombified Kaizou slugs towards them, missing a tusk, and with a massive gaping hole in his stomach: his insides having been torn out.

Following him a zombified Ikkaku and Devilfish shamble along behind him. A dead eyed zombie Fuka crawls along his legs missing making him a landshark without legs forcing him to pull himself forward with his decayed arms. And finally, a bodiless Dholak crawls atop a nearby rooftop using his long crablike legs to allow his head and neck to move around.

Kirishima pales as the fish reeking zombies lurk closer. "Midoriya? You know-knew these guys?!"

Rath nods. "Rath did his internship with them." Specifically, they were all sidekicks under Gang Orca at the Ushimitsudoki Aquarium.

Denki shudders as they skulk closer. "You hang out with some fishy characters, Midoriya."

"Graaaghh!" The Aquarium zombies lung forward at once, ready to tear the teens to shreds for their meat.

Z-Tekka Maki slithers forward like a snake but Denki bats her away with his golfclub before stumbling back, avoiding being impaled by Z-Dholak's pincer.

Kirishima endures a swipe from the large Z-Kaizou before Rath shoves the big guy away forcing him to tumble into the rest of his undead comrades.

But Z-Devilfish manages to slip past and rush the group, his tentacles poised to tear and strangle them to their deaths.

Rath thrusts his fists forward and his two claws stab right through the zombie's chest. "RAAAAAWWWR!" Rath unleashed an unholy roar as he swings his arms away, pulling and tearing Z-Devilfish in half just with his bare strength!

With a grunt he tosses the slithering slimy top half of Z-Devilish fish away with disgust.

Z-Devilfish squirms and wheezes as he props himself atop his torn midsection, he falls over as Rath growls as the zombie backs away. "We can take them! RAWR!" He charges headfirst without a second thought."

Kirishima calls after him. "No! Midoriya, wait!"

But Rath doesn't listen as he rushes the undead creatures. "Lemme tell ya somethin fellow sidekicks who Rath will always respect and enjoy seeing, Rath is gonna put you out of your misery! RAAWWRR!" He pounces like a predator upon a pack of deer.

But suddenly the hunter finds himself as the hunted, as a black decayed mass appears before the tiger, its dead intense gaze rattling the tiger's very soul.

*SKREEEE!*

"RAHHHH!" Rath screams as a high frequency soundwave launches him backwards! "GAH!" he crash lands onto the pavement, sliding across the road before stopping at his friends' feet.

Kirishima and Denki gasp, bending down to check on their friend.

Rath groans as they prop his head up. He glares at the new zombie only to gasp in shock and horror. "B-boss…?"

An infected Gang Orca stands tall before the trio, his shredded cape billowing in the wind. Part of his skull is exposed from under his decayed flesh and his fin has a bite taken out of it. His claws are bone thin but even sharper, covered in grim and dried blood of his victims.

Denki gasps. "Is that Gang Orca?!"

"It is." Rath growls as he tries to move his body, but no matter how much he wills himself his body doesn't even react. "Fudge cakes! He paralyzed me!"

The color disappears from Denki's face. "WHAT!? HOW!?"

"Gang Orca's echolocation is super strong, it's even louder than me!" Rath explains. "So much so he can attack people's nerves: paralyzing them!"

"But that means-..."

Not even Kirishima's able to keep his hope up. "This might be game over for us buddy…"

"No!" Rath shouts, trying to will himself to his feet but he's barely even able to move his fingers. "Not yet!" But no matter how hard he tries he can't get up. "Okay, new plan! You guys need to run away!"

"What?!" They both shout. "Are you crazy?!"

"Yes! Now get going, you idiots!"

Kirishima shakes his head "We can't leave you!"

"Yes, you can! Now go or I'll make sure to come after you myself when I turn!"

The teens hesitate, remaining silent and still, unsure of what to do.

But due to their hesitation, a choice is made for them.

"GRAAAGH!" The zombies charge in and attack the teens!

"NO!" Rath roars as the zombies swarm Denki and Kirishima.

"Hey, get back!" Kirishima's entire body Hardens as he bats away Z-Tekka Maki. "Stay away!"

"Let go of me!" Denki screams as Z-Devilfish's tentacles grab at his arms and legs. "Let GO!"

He discharges all of his electricity and Z-Devilfish shrieks in pain, letting him go before his body is burned to a crisp.

Denki however is too much in a panic to notice the zombies backing away from his discharge but soon his batteries run dry, and he's left as a bumbling idiot.

"He…he…" A brain-fried Denki grins stupidly, unaware of the danger.

"Kaminari!" Rath screams, watching useless as Z-Kaizou lunges at the boy.

Z-Kaizou brings all his weight down on the teen and with a heavy slam he crashes down atop the boy, flattering him like a pancake.

"NOOOO!"

"AHHHHHH!"

Rath looks over and spots a Kirishima screaming at the top of his lungs as Z-Gang Orca's jaws crush his Hardened arms.

The beast's jaws are far too strong and with the primal need to feast on flesh, Z-Gang Orca breaks through Kirishima's rock hard skin.

"AHhhhhhhhh!" Kirishima wails as his arms are ripped away in a single bite. "Waaaahhhhhh!" He cries, stumbling backwards.

"GRAAAGH!" Z-Gang Orca roars, leaping forward and thrusting his sharp claws forward.

His claws pierce right through Kirishima's gut, digging inside his hard shell before ripping out his intestines!

"BLEH!" Blood spews from Kirishima's mouth before he collapses, his Hardening Quirk washing away allowing the zombies free access to his juicy center.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Rath cries out in anguish as the zombies feast on his friends' remains.

Z-Gang Orca peers up from his meal, blood dripping down his jaws, his gaze locking onto the still paralyzed tiger man.

"Grrrr." Z-Gang Orca emits a low growl and even in death it appears he still holds command over his horde, who all interrupt their own meals to gather around their leader.

The pack line together, their full attention now on the tiger.

Rath snarls, not willing to give them the satisfaction of hearing him beg for mercy. "I think I can't take you?! I'll kill you all! I'll avenge Denki Kaminari and Eijirou Kirishima if it's the last thing I do!"

With a wave of his claw Z-Gang Orca signals for an attack. On que the aquarium zombies rush forward, leading the rest of the zombies flooding into the street forward.

"RAAAWWWRRR!" Rath unleashes a mighty roar in response.

The zombies descend upon him in seconds but as if time itself slows down a sudden wall of ice swallows up the horde in a blink of an eye, freezing them in place like meat in a freezer!

Rath blink as do the remaining zombies.

Z-Tekka Maki sniffs the air. "Graagh!" She spins round, glaring at the intruders when she and other nearby zombies are obliterated by a speeding shadow!

The shadow then snakes around slamming and clawing into the remaining zombies.

More of the zombies spin around, including Z-Kaizou. But as he wobbles around Z-Devilfish lunges up and latches his tentacles around the walrus by his neck, his tentacles squeezing tightly around his neck. Z-Kaizou wheezes, his flippers flailing and failing to reach the squid whose dead eyes are dead and faded as if he fell under a bewitchment.

As Rath watches on in shock-and-awe several pairs of strong arms grab him from behind, lifting him up and pulling him away to safety.

Z-Gang Orca stares, his dead eyed gaze is actually shocked by the development.

"Hey."

The zombie's yellow gaze darts to the source of the disturbance.

Shoto Todoroki, with his left arm stretched forward, coldly stares back at the zombie hero. "Burn in hell, monster."

And thus, a veil of flames erupts out of Shoto, consuming Z-Gang Orca whole. The intense flames burn and burn, the smell of burning flesh and smoke invading their noses before Shoto cuts away his flames.

A pile of burning ash is all that remains of Z-Gang Orca, and nothing else.

Rath is gently lowered to the ground, and he is stunned to find the entire horde killed off in a matter of seconds by his rescuers.

"No way…" Rath breathes, stunned, tears pricking at his eyes.

Shoto frowns as Fumikage Tokoyami, Hitoshi Shinso, and Mezo Shoji all take a stance beside him. All of them standing tall before the newly added corpses and helpless friend.

Shoto stares down at Rath, recognizing him as his friend and classmate, Izuku Midoriya.

Shoto calmly stretches his hand out to help them. "Come with me if you want to live."

---

Izuku hurries along behind the others, his eyes hastily scanning the nearby houses and buildings for any signs of danger. But there is nothing and good thing as the Omnitrix is still recharging.

He speeds up matching the others' pace. "Seriously, thanks guys…I didn't think I was gonna make it back there."

Shinso pats his shoulder. "Hey, man don't worry about it." But he frowns, his eyes glazing over in regret. "I just wish we had gotten there sooner."

Izuku nods, wishing the same…

But that's not what happened. And he can only hope that they all do better next time. In any case after being rescued and recovering from his paralysis, Izuku and the others continued their trek towards U.A. Sneaking quietly through Musutafu as Izuku explains his team's or rather his plan for survival.

Shoto leads from the front, he scans the street before following along a fence line. "Do you really think Thirteen has access to a safe place?"

"Yes." Izuku whispers back as they all press their backs to the fence and follow behind Shoto. "I'm sure of it."

"I sure hope so."

"Didn't you guys get the message though? I mean why else are you here?""

Tokoyami answers. "We've been wandering trying to stay hidden as much as possible. Although we were already planning on making our way to U.A."

"How come?"

Shoji, while scanning and listening for zombies, explains. "Well, we figured that it might be safe since Principal Nezu has all his security protocols and installments."

"Oh, I see!" Izuku gasps, grinning. "U.A. might be the sanctuary. With all its security measures

it's like a fortress!"

Shinso grins, throwing Izuku a finger gun as the group reaches the end of the street. "Exactly. We're thinking the same thing."

They both nearly bump into Shoto who's stopped dead in his tracks.

Shoto is staring upward with a betrayed grimace. "I'm afraid that won't be the case."

The group peer up and their hopes die away.

Standing before them is U.A. But instead of the usual sense of awe and pride the school usually projects it is that of fear and hopelessness. The once mighty school is in shambles, its walls crumbled and fallen, its windows smashed and broken in, as the entire building reeks of death and despair.

The entire group crowd around, watching as their last hope slips away before their very eyes.

Shinso grabs at his head in frustration. "Now what?"

Shoto turns to Izuku. "Where's Thirteen's location?"

"On the other side." Izuku answers.

Shoto then turns to the tallest member of the group. "Shoji?"

Shoji's arms rise up as his ears and eyes survey the area for danger. "There's hordes of zombies towards the east and west of us."

Shinso frowns. "How many?"

"Too many to count."

The group grimace in response especially as their friend's torn and eaten corpses cross their minds.

Izuku considers their options. "So, either we take our chances going around or we go through."

Tokoyami frowns. "Neither is ideal. Any choice we make now will either lead to our salvation…or our demise."

Shoto contemplates as he eyes the fallen U.A. "We're running out of time. The sooner we make it to Thirteen the sooner we can end this." He turns and addresses the team. "We have to cut through U.A. in order to make it."

Nobody responds, all of them hesitate as they're not sure of what to do.

Izuku, after a moment of consideration, sighs gripping his Omnitrix as it finally glows green once again. "We've come this far already. I'd say we go for it."

Shoji and Tokoyami nod in agreement.

Shinso sighs, gripping his capture scarf. "This is gonna be one hell of a stealth mission."

---

And U.A. is certainly a hell in it of itself for those that are now cursed to forever roam its halls and classrooms. The hall floors are caked in dried blood, with bones scattered and kicked towards the sides and tattered pieces of U.A.'s once prestigious uniforms tumble about and wave as guests of wind enter through the broken glass.

As for U.A.'s inhabitants, zombified students have nothing to entice their ravines appetites and as such they've fallen into sluggish-standby states. They just wander the school aimlessly or loiter in one of the many trashed classrooms with nothing to do but watch the paint on the walls peel away.

But a few wander away from their packs, whether they're exploring or lost one cannot tell.

One of these wanderers is a zombified Monoma who even as an undead corpse still holds a hint of arrogance and smug superiority.

And that is exactly why he must die.

*WHAM!*

And with a rusted pipe lodged into the side of his skull, Z-Monoma collapses onto the blood-stained floor dead, for a second time.

Shinso sighs, almost having some sort of satisfaction.

Having just phased through a nearby wall, a phased out Big Chill hovers beside Shinso, giving the purple haired teen a very concerned look. "Was that really necessary?"

"To our goal no." Shinso replies with a coy smile. "But to my life, yes."

Not having much of an argument, Big Chill just shrugs in response. "Fair enough."

Meanwhile from the front of the pack, Shoji's Dupli Arms are hard at work, snaking around corners and other blind spots on the lookout for any signs of danger.

After scanning the hallway one of Shoji's arms weaves over towards Big Chill and whispers. "There's two more down the hallway."

"On it." Big Chill phases through the wall and disappears.

The others wait until a chilling breeze wafts towards them from the hallway.

They peer out and find the two zombies totally frozen in place within blocks of ice.

Big Chill phases into view, giving his friends the all clear.

And so, they keep moving with Shoji detecting dangers first and Big Chill eliminating them first.

And this strategy works allowing the group to transverse through the maze of hallways and classrooms with relative ease.

However, as they are passing by what was once their classroom, Tokoyami stops and peers in through the slightly cracked door. "Now this is a tragic sight."

The others stop, curious, they all take a quick peek inside.

Inside they find that three of their old classmates have been turned: Sero, Ojiro, and Aoyama.

All three are in their costumes or at least what's left of them. Z-Sero slouches his head back as he wobbles through the classroom ailed, a rope of Tape is attached to his shoulder where it stretches down and is glued onto his missing arm which is just being dragged behind him as he wobbles.

Z-Ojiro is in a similar state with a chunk of his tail missing having been eaten away all the way to the bone.

And as for Z-Aoyama…well even in death he still has an undeniable sparkle to him.

The group shiver, regretting their classmates' fates.

Shoto shakes off the feeling, turning his back towards the classroom. "There's nothing we can do for them."

And in a silent regretful silence the others follow knowing it to be true.

And after a minute they safely make it to U.A.'s cafeteria.

Shoto peers in as Shoji finishes his sweep. "Anything?"

Shoji shakes his head, but he doesn't retract his Dupli Arms. "No."

"Good." Shoto leads the way. "Let's hurry, once we're through it's just one hallway to the exit that's closest to the rear gate."

Shoji files in behind Shoto with Shino right behind him as a hooded Big Chill creeps behind them.

Finally bringing up the rear is Tokoyami who summons his Quirk forth. "Dark Shadow. Cover our rear."

Dark Shadow gives his master a thumbs up. "You got it." He spins around, and while on the lookout he weaves back and forth through the air.

And so, moving as one they quietly march straight through the cafeteria, past the still tables that are littered with broken utensils, blood, and long abandoned meals that have been left to rot.

Everyone holds their breath as they silently traverse through the large cafeteria, eyeing every shadow like a zombie's gonna emerge from thin air.

At the same time, Dark Shadow continues to weave back and forth through the air. But it gets careless and accidently brushes it's form against a stack of plates, knocking them off the table.

The group freeze in place, horror struck as the shattering of the plates echo throughout the empty cafeteria.

They all stay still holding their breaths while wildly scanning the cafeteria in case the accident had awoken a nearby zombie. But after a few intense moments of silence the group assume they are safe and take a moment to turn on Dark Shadow, throwing the black fiend annoyed glares.

Dark Shadow smiles sheepishly, lowering himself towards the ground like a dog begging for forgiveness. "S-sorry…"

From the depths of the kitchen a lanky shadow scurries away and out of sight.

Shoji halts, spotting the movement.

Shoto's immediately put on edge, his right side frosting over. "You see something?"

Shoji gestures towards the kitchen. "Yeah."

The others hesitate before they all get ready to defend themselves. They eye the kitchen like hawks waiting for the threat to emerge. And they see it, the lanky shadow scurrying and crawling along before standing up and lurking forward and into their sight.

The teens pale, horrorstruck.

Even Big Chill turns pale at the sight. "Oh, god. It's him…"

"No, it was him." Shoto corrects.

And from the depths of the dark kitchen a zombified Eraserhead lurks forth in complete shambles: his hair tangles and greasy as is his capture scarf that's tangled around his limbs and body making look more like a mummy than a zombie.

Z-Eraserhead snarls at the teens, squatting down like a predatory cat that's about to pounce.

Shoto cries out as he swings his right arm forward. "He'll give away our position!"

Z-Eraserhead's eyes glow completely blood red and Erasure completely cancels out Shoto's Quirk before he can produce any ice.

Big Chill glides forward. "I got this!"

Z-Eraserhead turns his red glowing gaze up towards the alien.

Big Chill smirks as he swoops in for the kill. 'That's not gonna work on me!'

As he swoops in, Shoji spots a tumor of sorts or rather a large fleshy ball dangle down from Z-Eraserhead's blood-stained scarf.

Shoji gasps when he gets a good look at the fleshy mass. "Midoriya, get away from them!"

Big Chill frowns. "Them?!"

When he's finally in range does Big Chill see…them.

Tangled within the capture scarf dangles the decapitated head of Z-Present Mic.

Z-Present Mic's eyes roll open as his jaws drop open. "REEEEEEEEE!"

Big Chill's able to stop in midair and phase himself out, hoping the sonic scream will pass on through.

"GAAAH!"

It doesn't.

The sonic frequency is so loud and disruptive it manages to make impact, sending the Necrofriggian flying back and crashing into a table.

"REEEEEEEEE!"

"REEEEEEEEE!"

"REEEEEEEEE!"

Z-Present Mic screams out his head flailing within the scarf widely, his screams going every which way, echoing through the school, to the streets, and into the city.

For all the teens were concerned, Z-Present Mic just rang the dinner bell, and they're all you can eat buffet.

"Bastards!" Shoto manages to throw out a jet of flames.

Z-Present Mic's screaming is cut off as Z-Eraserhead dives out of the way of the flames, before sneaking off and skulking away behind the tables and furnishings of the cafeteria.

With him out of sight and undoubtedly a massive horde coming their way, Shoto books it for the exit. "RUN!"

The others quickly follow as Big Chill pries himself off the ground and follows after them.

They sprint at full speed towards the doors, with Shoto far in the lead. As he approaches Shoto throws his body forward aiming to slam the doors open and allowing his friends to break through.

But instead, the doors burst open from within and a mass of black-putrid liquid gobbles Shoto up, binding him in the air.

Shoto gasps as he's met with the dead eyed glare of Z-Vlad King.

"Back off!" Shoto shouts, freezing Z-Vlad King completely.

Shoto kicks himself away, breaking himself free of the frozen black blood.

The frozen-Z-Vlad King falls backwards and hits the ground hard, his body completely shattering into glass-like pieces.

Shoji reaches out and grabs Shoto from behind, pulling him back to safety as more familiar looking zombies appear from the doorway.

From the depths of U.A. comes forth a turned Midnight who has a broken neck, withered hair, and black smog puffing out from bits of her decayed flesh.

Beside her stumbles forth Z-Snipe who only has one working arm as the other one has been stripped of its flesh all the way to the bone and in his hand, he grips a single pistol. And finally prowling behind them is a gruesomely feral Z-Hound Dog: his lips are gone so his fangs are constantly bared, his claws are bone thin, and foam bubbles at his mouth much like rabies.

The teens quickly hurry backwards and spin around to run the other way but they're only other escape is already blocked off as their zombified classmates Z-Sero, Z-Ojiro, and Z-Aoyama rush into the cafeteria leading a horde of zombified students behind them.

The teens hurry away as Z-Eraserhead jumps atop a nearby table beside his fellow co-workers or rather zo-zombies. "Graagh!" Z-Eraserhead shrieks initialing the horde to attack!

Their zombie classmates rush forward as the Z-students flood inside.

However only a portion of the horde makes it through before Big Chill swoops in and with a breath of cold air he freezes the horde over while encasing the entire entrance in ice.

Z-Aoyama growls up and aims his Naval laser right at the moth man.

Big Chill bats his wings away evading the laser.

However, Z-Ojiro leaps up from behind, his body spinning ready to deliver a powerful swing of his tail.

Big Chill spots him coming front the corner of his eye and so he becomes intangible out and Z-Ojiro harmlessly passes through his phased-out body. As he does his entire body freezes while he plummets back to the ground in a spin and upon impact, he shatters into oblivion much like Z-Vlad King did.

Upon witnessing his comrade's demise Z-Aoyama growls in anger before firing a barrage of Naval lasers at the blue moth.

Big Chill flies up as the lasers come flying up at him; he's never tried to phase through lasers before, but he doesn't want to find out the hard way that he might not be able to. And so, he backs away evading the lasers.

"Haha. Sorry pal but lasers aren't good for my complexion. Hahah-!"

*BEEP! BEEP!*

"Oh, no…"

*BEEP!*

"Ahhh!" Izuku screams as he free falls, thankfully he wasn't that high up but even, so he groans in pain as his side slams atop a table. "Uhhh."

Z-Snipe shoots up and spots the down teen. In response he immediately rips his pistol towards the target and fires!

Izuku's eyes widen in shock as he swings his right arm up and his Omni-Shield unfolds, blocking the bullet.

Z-Snipe fires and fires and Izuku just barely manages to block him as he throws himself off the side of the table.

"Graagh!" Z-Aoyama spots Izuku on the ground and fires at him as well.

Izuku gasps and throws himself out of the way. The laser passes by, burning into the tile floor behind him. The greenette scurries away, quickly taking cover inside the kitchen, pressing himself against the counter as Z-Aoyama and Z-Snipe fire away with a shower of lasers and bullets.

From the other side of the cafeteria, Shoji many arms bat and shove away the incoming Z-Students before one of his extra eyes spots an attack from behind. Shoji ducks as Z-Eraserhead leaps by aiming to tackle him, as he sweeps past Shoji Z-Present Mics head snaps and shrieks in outrage for not having a bite.

Shoji leaps back up only for Z-Hound Dog to charge forward, shoving his through the Z-Students before leaping up and letting out a ferocious blood curdling roar. "BRAAAGH!"

Z-Hound Dog slams into Shoji, knocking him prone.

"Grah! Ah!" Shoji grabs at Z-Hound Dog's head as the beastly zombie struggles over him, his jaws snapping widely at the teen's face.

"No!" Shoji's extra hands grab Z-Hound Dog by his fangs, prying his jaws open and away.

But the monster's too strong as his jaws inch closer and closer, breaking through Shoji's struggle.

"Ahhhh!"

"Hi-yah!" Dark Shadow swoops in, his claws slashing down into Z-Hound Dog's side before ripping him away and swinging him up. "Yah!" Dark Shadow Swings the beast around in the air before smashing him into the wall where the zombie goes splat against the wall staining it.

Seeing this happen Z-Eraserhead turns his attention towards Tokoyami and with a single gaze cancels out the boy's Quirk.

Tokoyami gasps as Dark Shadow is forced to retreat into his body, vanishing.

"Braagh!" Z-Eraserhead hurries forward ready to claw Tokoyami's flesh and feathers right off his body.

However, a trail of ice intercepts Z-Eraserhead's path, blocking him off, and protecting Tokoyami.

Z-Eraserhead hisses at Shoto before leaping away when the teen fires out another ice trail.

Meanwhile, Shinso kicks and scraps with the few zombie students that made it inside, using his capture scarf to bind them up and toss them away.

"Raagh!" Z-Midnight stumbles forward, her sharp nails swiping at the boy.

"Woah!" Shinso backs steps and back steps evading each swipe.

As Z-Midnight slashes at him one more time, he side steps and wraps his scarf around her arm before pulling it around and snapping her arm into two.

"Greeegh!" Z-Midnight shrieks in pain as her arm's twisted and broken.

Shinso spins around her and wraps his scarf around her already broken neck before he pulls down and back, throwing her backwards, headfirst into the ground.

"Greeegh…!" Z-Midnight groans in pain but falls silent as Shinso brings his foot down on her skull.

With his opponent down and out, Shinso hastily scans the cafeteria and sees that Izuku's been pinned down by Z-Aoyama and Z-Snipe who are relentless in their shooting.

Shinso calls out to Z-Aoyama. "Hey Aoyama!"

Z-Aoyama ceases his firing and turns his dead gaze to Shinso.

"You want a piece of me or what?!"

Z-Aoyama lurches forward, snarling in response. "Graa-..." And he falls silent somehow with the little brain he has left he can still fall under Shinso's Brainwashing.

Shinso turns his attention to Z-Snipe who is still firing at Izuku's position.

Shinso immediately takes command of his newest minion. "Aoyama, blast him!"

"Graaagh…" Aoyama turns on his comrade and fires a massive Naval Laser.

The laser beam blasts right through Z-Snipe leaving a gaping burning hole in his middle. Z-Snipe stumbles as he gazes down at the giant hole inside of him. And without his spine supporting him he collapses, unable to move, and totally crippled.

Shinso sighs as the hypnotized Z-Aoyama lingers back. "It's all clear! You can come out now."

A trembling Izuku pokes his head up from behind the counter, holding his Omni-Shield over his head like a hat. "Aare-are you sure?"

"Yeah, they're all gone."

Z-Eraserhead pops out from behind and grabs Shinso, pulling him down. "Graagh!"

"Ah!" Shinso struggles and kicks against his undead mentor who snaps and chomps down at him, Shinso props his arm against the zombie's neck forcing his head away. "Raahh!"

"Shinso!" Izuku rushes over swinging the Omni-Shield up and into Z-Eraserhead's face, batting him away.

"Graagh!" Z-Eraserhead reals back, dazed, and one of his eyes dangling out from the hit.

Shinso grips his arm and rolls around towards the still and hypnotized Z-Aoyama. "Blast him!"

Z-Aoyama jerks and slowly turns his gaze towards Z-Eraserhead. The zombie henchmen stumble forward, his body twinkling and preparing to charge.

Dangling down from Z-Eraserhead's capture scarf Z-Present Mic's head snarls at the traitor before unleashing a hellish scream. "REEEEEEEEE!"

The powerful scream tears Z-Aoyama apart, his bones crumbling and flesh shredding away under the intense frequency.

"Graagh." Z-Eraserhead growls in anger and Izuku stumbles back, keeping this Omni-Shield up and ready. "Graagh!" The zombie grabs Z-Present Mic's head by the stands of the scarf and like a chained flail he spins the severed head and thrusts it forward.

Izuku bat Z-Present Mic's head away but with his shield up and away he's left totally open to Z-Eraserhead's charge.

Z-Eraserhead's fingers are inches away from Izuku's face when suddenly a veil of flames engulf Z-Eraserhead whole!

"Graaaaaaaghhhh…!" Z-Eraserhead's wails go silent as his scorched body collapses to the ground.

Laying beside him, helpless, and useless is Z-Present Mic's head. "Reee! Reeeeee! REEEE!" Z-Present Mic wails and shrieks as the capture scarf ignites and the flames quickly make their way down the strands and into his hair, before burning away at his face until he goes quiet.

A trembling Izuku breathes and nearly collapses as Shoto cuts away his flames.

Shoto peers around, relieved to see that everyone's still very much alive. "Is everyone okay?"

Shoji nods, catching his breath. "Y-yeah. Yeah, I'm okay."

Tokoyami watches his step as he joins the group. "I am fine as well."

Shoto turns to Izuku who's still shaking as he catches his breath.

Izuku almost casually waves him off. "I'm good…I'm good."

Shoto finally moves on to their last member. "And you?"

Shinso winces, not meet Shoto's gaze as he rubs the back of his arm "I'm…-"

But he's cut off by the sound of ice breaking and crumbling away.

The group spins around towards the frozen doorway.

The frozen zombies and the ice wall sit still and frozen but the sound of metal pounding into the ice resonates from the other side growing louder and louder, and then boom the ice wall and frozen corpses crumble away as a pack of dangerous zombies break into the cafeteria.

Z-Tetsutetsu clears the way, his skin coated in Steel and rust as if his Quirk is also decaying along with his flesh. And rushing out behind him are his fellow classmates: Z-Kendo, Z-Setsuna, Z-Juzo, and Z-Ibara.

Izuku is visibly exasperated, throwing his arms down in exhaustion. "Seriously, isn't there any way to pause all this?"

Shoto frowns, glaring at the intruders. "Evidently not."

"Graaagh!" Starved for flesh and blood, the pack charges.

Tokoyami strikes back quickly. "Dark Shadow!"

"Raaaghh!" Dark Shadow appears, lunging forward.

It swings its massive claw down at Z-Juzo and Z-Setsuna but the two manage to dodge. Z-Juzo uses his Softening Quirk to sink himself into the ground while Z-Setsuna, who's missing her entire lower half as it was eaten away, floats upward and away.

"Dang it, I missed-Ah!" Dark Shadow yelps as withered thorny vines burst out from the ground, wrap around it, and pull it down.

Z-Ibara snarls as she directs her attention on pinning down the dark shadow mass.

Z-Tetsutetsu charges past Dark Shadow and instead aims right for his master.

However, Shoto steps in his way and unleashes a torrent of flames directly into the zombie aiming to melt him away in one blast.

However, Z-Tetsutetsu's Steel is far too strong even when rusted as the monster bursts out of the flames, his Steel skin burning red under the intense heat. Z-Tetsutetsu doesn't slow down as he plows right through Shoto, knocking him away.

"Gah!" Shoto goes down, tossed aside like he was nothing as Z-Tetsutetsu homes in on Tokoyami with a floating Z-Setsuna in tow.

Tokoyami gasps, throwing his arms up to brace himself but before Z-Tetsutetsu could reach him, Shoji swoops in and catches the Steel user by his arms. Summoning all his strength Shoji pulls Z-Tetsutetsu, swinging him up and around, before slamming him down towards the incoming Z-Setsuna.

"Blegh!" Z-Setsuna yelps as Z-Tetsutetsu is brought down on her, her entire being breaks away into decayed pieces as Z-Tetsutetsu's head is smashed right into the ground.

His skull must have been too rusted however as there's a sickening crunch echoes from the ground and black blood spews out.

Thinking he won Shoji turns to help Tokoyami but then the floating maw of Z-Setsuna zips by nearly taking a bite out of his shoulder!

The two turn and find that Z-Setsuna's Quirk, Lizard Tail Splitter, allows for her body to split apart on its own accord. And now those bits of decayed flesh and hungry jaws are circling all around them, swarming them. The bits of flesh zoom in on the two, but they bat away at the pieces, making sure to avoid her jaws out right.

Shoto gets up and sees his friends in trouble, so he hurries over to help but then a cold firm grip catches his ankle mid run.

Shoto trips and looks back to find Z-Juso rising from the Softened ground like a true-blue zombie.

"Braagh!" Z-Juzo snarls but instead of lunging forward and biting into his prey he drags Shoto back into the ground.

"No! Dammit!" Shoto growls, his fingers scraping the floor until he freezes a small chunk of ice to grab onto, as he desperately kicks at Z-Juzo's grip. "Get your hands off me!" Shoto shouts trying but failing to freeze the softening floor.

But help will have to wait as the others have their hands full, especially Izuku who has to deal with Z-Kendo's massive gray-greenish skinned Big Fists.

Her fists collide with the Omni-Shield with such force that Izuku swears she's gonna break his arms. She strikes and strikes, even leaping up and delivering a spin kick. The kick knocks the shield back and into Izuku's nose, busting it.

"Gah! Ah-" Izuku hisses in pain as his nose begins to bleed.

He doesn't even get a moment to try and wipe away the bit of blood in his eyes as Z-Kendo continues her attack. She delivers strike after strike, hammering away at his only defense.

"Graaagh!" She charges and swings her massive fist forward.

Izuku throws his Omnitrix forward to meet it.

But then the worst happens Z-Kendo's massive fingers instead grab around the circular shield and Izuku only a second to realize her intentions. But it's far too late as she rips the shield away with one pull before delivering a high kick right into Izuku's gut.

"Gah!" And Izuku stumbles back, losing his footing and falls backwards, reeling in pain.

Z-Kendo grips the shield, she then brings her massive hands together and with surprising strength she manages to bend the shield: making it useless. "Bleegh." She turns her attention back on the greenette, looking forward slowly before lunging at him! "Graagh!"

With nothing to defend himself Izuku scrambles backwards. He reaches for anything, anything that could help him but instead something finds him.

A clean Capture Scarf snakes around his arm and pulls him away in the nick of time, and Z-Kendo lands in a crouch upon the spot he once was.

Izuku slides across the filthy tile, sliding a stop beside Shinso who releases him and charges forward.

Before Z-Kendo could get up Shinso delivers a powerful kick into her jaw, snapping it right off her face!

"Bleegh…" Z-Kendo tries to snarl, her busted jaw hanging off the side of her face, as black blood spews out from her throat.

Shinso glares down at the monster, he then moves to kick her right in her maw! And wham her skull breaks right off her spine, flying up through the air like a soccer ball!

Izuku breathes a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Shinso."

"You're welcome-Ugh!" Shinso winces, gripping his arm in pain.

"Shinso?!" Izuku rushes to his friend's side.

But Shinso panics and instinctually shoves Izuku back out of fear.

Izuku feels betrayed by the gesture, but his worry overpowers that feeling. Izuku silently examines the teen from head to toe until he spots the infected bite mark on Shinso's arm.

Izuku gasps, recalling how close Shinso was wrestling with Z-Eraserhead. "Did he-?!"

"Yeah." Shinso hisses in pain, before frowning in defeat. "No extra lives for me."

"Shinso…" Izuku reaches out but hesitates, fearful of Shinso turning at any moment.

"Don't worry about me." Shinso however smiles reassuringly. "But I'm gonna go, I better make sure you idiots have a chance before I'm gone."

Izuku has no words, nor does he get a chance to respond as Shinso hurries to their friends' defense now that he's on borrowed time.

"Setsuna!"

The swarming Z-Setsuna pauses, or at least her face that's reformed does.

Shinso shouts up at her. "Hey Setsuna! Who was your favorite character in One Piece?! Was it Buggy?!"

"Graagh-..." Z-Setsuna easily falls for Shinso's trap, her broken up parts halting their attack.

"Go!" Shinso points towards the bound Dark Shadow. "Attack those vines!"

The Brainwashed Z-Setsuna glides over towards Dark Shadow. Her split parts grab, tear, and chew at the vines, breaking them up.

"Yah! Haha!" Dark Shadow laughs, breaking free of Z-Ibara's vine.

Speaking of the thorn witch herself appears almost fearful as the dark demon tears her apart in its claws!

Meanwhile, having been freed of Z-Setsuna's attack Shoji rushes to aid Shoto who's lower half has already been swallowed up into the ground.

Shoji grabs Shoto and pulls him back and out of the ground. As he pulls Shoto free, his free arms dip into the Softened floor and grab onto the zombie underneath before ripping him right out of the ground like a weed.

Shoto acts fast, generating a thin icicle that pierces through Z-Juzo's open maw and right through his skull and brain, screwing him on a frozen stick.

And so, with the last of the zombies beaten for now, minus the still Brainwashed Z-Setsuna the team regroups, catching their breaths and to reassess their situation.

However, as Shoto examines each of them for injuries he quickly spots Shinso's infect arm which is now turning a shadow of sickly green; a clear sign that's already beginning to turn.

Shoto blinks at the infection, worrying for his classmate. "Shinso…"

Shinso averts his gaze downward, nodding his head to the inevitable.

Izuku frowns worriedly as the others turn to have a look: each of them gasping in horror.

Shoji stares at the wound, horrified. "When did you…?"

"It was…him." Shinso peers over to the burned corpse that was once their teacher. "He got me."

A sullen silence befalls the ground, each of them pondering the same thing. What do they do about Shinso now? Do they…should they…help him? Save him…? Or the worst option, do they end his play through right here and now?

However, before any of them could even utter the words, pained wails and shrikes echo from the busted frozen entrance leading into the depths of the school.

Shoto begins to move towards the exit in the other direction. "We need to leave."

Tokoyami, Shoji, and Izuku nod each of them following behind him. Except for Shinso who remains where he is and instead turns his attention towards the cafeteria's doorway.

Izuku, however, is quick to notice. "Shinso! What are you doing?!"

The others pause their escape, staring at Shinso worriedly.

"I'll hold them off, for as long as I can." Shinso eyes back at his peers. "Do any of you got a problem with that?"

Shoto does. "It's suicide-..." And like that he goes quiet falling under Shinso's Brainwashing.

"Escape now." Shinso orders

Shoto silently obeys turning away and heading towards the exit.

The others can only watch helplessly as Shinso offers himself up.

"Go." Shinso smirks back playfully. "Fly, you fools."

Not knowing what to say nor how to respond, the others soon leave after Shoto. Izuku takes a moment to hang back before offering Shinso a reassuring nod.

Shinso understands giving a small nod in response.

And so Izuku leaves catching up to the others as they grab Shoto, breaking him from the spell, and taking off at a full sprint.

Shinso sees them off with a smile as the infection takes over his arm and crawls up to his neck.

"Graagh. Graagh."

Shinso readies himself, gripping his capture scarf.

"Graagh. Bleegh!" From the depths of the school, stumbles forward just one zombie: a zombified Ectoplasm.

His body quivers and shakes as he lurks forward, grey smog pouring out from his mouth and pours like a broken fog machine.

Shinso sighs, accepting his fate as the smoke floods the entire cafeteria. "Fuck."

---

Shoto, Tokoyami, Shoji, and Izuku race through the never-ending hallway, they evade and shove past ambushing zombies out of the way, never losing speed as the echo of shrieks and howls increase from behind.

"Keep going!" Shoto shouts leaping over a crawling zombie!

Izuku, however, peers back and gasps.

Behind them, in the distance, a flood of Z-Ectoplasms crash over each other like a tidal wave of putrid flesh, smoke, and teeth.

"Waah!" Izuku screams, quickly hurrying forward and racing past Shoji. "They're gaining!"

The sprinting Shoji generates an eye to peer back, as his eyes widen in terror, and he too books it for his life. "Woooaaah!"

The group run with all they got, their hearts racing as fast as they're feet are but with every step the zombie flood only gets closer and closer.

But they can see it far in the distance, the exit, the doors' outlines shining like a halo as sunlight leaks through the cracks. They are so close but still so far like a horrible nightmare where the exit will always be out of reach no matter how fast you run!

And death is right on their tail and soon it'll be nipping at their heels and then their flesh.

"Graaagh!"

"Bleegh!"

"Kreeegh!"

The Z-Ectoplasms crash, tumble, and claw over each other, each one also generating more and more copies that only intensify the frenzy of starving zombies!

Without looking Izuku can feel the zombie's putrid breaths on the back of his neck. "They're right on top of us! They're gonna catch us!"

"Just run!" Shoto screams. "Keep running no matter what!"

Izuku hits his foot against a severed arm, tripping him up and he stumbles but he catches himself. He scrambles forward, feet kicking, and keeps running but as he does, he peers back only to be met with a set of yellow crooked teeth!

"AAAHHHH!"

"RAAHH!" Shoji's fist swoops in and knocks the Z-clone away with a single blow!

But before Izuku can even process what's happening, Shoji's arms multiply like crazy, lashing out in a mess of arms and hands that grab and clench onto the nearby walls. The arms tangle and weave together over and over until what's left is a messy muscular web of a wall. And Shoji stands at the center, holding off the zombies through his strength and sheer will alone!

The three others pale, horrorstruck. "SHOJI!"

"GO!" Shoji cries out, refusing to budge. "Leave me! Quickly-AGGGGHHH!"

A Z-Ectoplasm rips through one of Shoji's webbing with his teeth but its head is pushed back as Shoji generates another arm to do so.

"It's too late for me! Go-AGGGGHHH!" Shoji screams out in pain as the zombies tear and claw from behind his defense. "LEAVE ME!"

Izuku shakes his head but then Dark Shadow snakes around his waist and pulls him away while Tokoyami and Shoto book it for the exit.

Izuku reaches out, helpless, and screaming. "Shoji!"

Shoji however remains unflinching and instead spares one free hand to give Izuku a reassuring thumbs up.

And Izuku can only cry as the Z-Ectoplasms break through Shoji's wall; their heads and claws ripping his arms apart, spotting blood and flesh everywhere.

And with a slam the trio burst through the exit as the shrieks and hollows of the zombies grow louder as they finally break through Shoji's barricade.

"DARK SHADOW!"

"Raaahh!" Dark Shadow drops the greenette and spins around, its claws enlarge as it zooms right back into the hallway but instead of attacking it lashes its claws into the walls and reals itself back in. And Dark Shadow tears and shreds the walls and ceiling apart, ripping out chunks of concrete and rubble before bursting back through the doors as the hallway caves in on itself and the incoming zombies: trapping them inside.

And with the Z-Ectoplasms gone the trio collapse, exhaustion taking its firm hold on them, as they struggle to catch their breaths, totally winded and at a loss for words.

The school grounds fall silent as the cave-in settles. No shrieks or howls of zombies giving the trio a short reprieve amongst the abandoned campus.

Tokoyami rises to his feet, brushing himself off of dirt. "We must press forward." He breathes, shakily, almost hesitantly. "We must not allow their sacrifices to be in vain."

Izuku's not sure why but he snaps and before can even realize what he's doing he's already spun around and slugged Tokoyami in the face!

"Gah!" Tokoyami falls back as Izuku's fist whacks him in the beak.

"What are you doing?!" Shoto gasps, grabbing Izuku's arm and pulling him away. "Are you crazy?!"

"How could you?!" Izuku screams, struggling against Shoto's hold. "You left him!" He cries. "We left them! We left them both!" He's hyperventilating, panicking as an accursed guilt comes over him. "WE LEFT THEM TO DIE!"

"Midoriya!" Shoto grips Izuku by his shoulders, shaking him out of his panic. "We can't afford to panic! You need to calm down!"

"B-but-but-!"

"We need you!" Shoto screams. "We need you to focus. We left them, we all did, and I know it hurts but…Tokoyami's right."

Izuku gasps, the truth striking a horrible chord.

"There's nothing we can do for them. We need to press on, for their sakes and ours."

Izuku calms down as the harsh reality settles in. "You're…you're right." Izuku frowns, turning back towards Tokoyami, bowing his head. "I'm…sorry."

"No." Tokoyami shakes his head as he rubs his aching beak. "I'm sorry…" He bows back at Izuku. "I'm sorry I couldn't do more for them."

Izuku frowns, eyeing Tokoyami sorrowfully. And then he notices Tokoyami's clenched fist and how tightly it's clenched so much that his fist is shaking with regret and frustration.

"You did all you could, I just…I just lost myself for a moment." Izuku wipes at his broken nose, wincing in pain as he wipes away his blood. And the pain only makes him want to cry for his friends. But…the urge to survive is much greater and so with a heavy heart Izuku swallows his grief for now, telling himself that there will be a time for tears later.

After composing himself Izuku breathes and addresses the remaining members of their party. "We need to leave. We can't afford to waste a second. We may be safe for now but Present Mic's Voice no doubt got the attention of other zombies."

Shoto and Tokoyami nod, silently agreeing with Izuku's reasoning.

And so, they head off for the back gate. They sneak past U.A.'s many facilities, buildings, and field; steadily weaving their way through the ground until they can finally spot the back gate in the distance.

Just acres away lies the back gate, the only thing standing between them and their salvation. Unfortunately, it is sealed shut, closed and locked up with no signs of deterioration.

The trio however don't race over instead they crouch behind rows of tall hedges.

Izuku eyes the gate like it's the gate to heaven itself. "We're so close."

Tokoyami frowns. "And that's what's concerning."

"Why?"

"Fate is a cruel mistress," explains Tokoyami. "she often likes to toy with those that struggle to succeed."

Izuku gulps, knowing full well that Tokoyami's words couldn't be more right.

Shoto feels the same way.

Tokoyami eyes the gate warily. "Where there is a gate there is often a gatekeeper."

"Damn." Shoto sighs, reading to move on. "We haven't even made it to a checkpoint yet."

And so, the trio move on, sneaking their way towards the gate by crouching down behind a row of tall cypress hedges for cover.

One by one they move from cypress to cypress, moving quickly but quietly. Izuku especially watches his step, making sure not to step on any stray twigs or leaves. Leading the way, Izuku finds that the gate is still a distance away. But with a clear view they have a shot at making it, if they run for it.

And so Izuku gets up and rushes past the last few hedges hoping to make it in a full sprint.

But as he sprints forward, it feels like time itself has slowed down as the crushing gaze of death looms over him.

From the corner of his eye, hidden just on the other side of the cypress, a zombie lunges forth, its hand stretched forward and palm sparking with heat. "D-Dieeee-gh!"

*BOOM!*

An Explosion rips Izuku and the others right off their feet, blasting them backwards and onto the courtyard.

Izuku coughs up smoke, shaking his aching head, his ears ringing in pain. He peers up towards the zombie who lurches forth through the smoke from the burning cypress.

Izuku's eyes widen, his fists trembling as the horrific monster emerges from the smoke.

"D-d-Diiiee-gh!" Z-Bakugou shrieks a pained murderous howl, lurching forward with his bloodied costume and gauntlets, his maw wide and open and smeared with the dried blood of his prey.

Izuku can't believe his eyes. "It's Bakugou…"

Shoto grabs Izuku by his collar, hoisting him up. "I'm surprised he was turned."

Tokoyami gasps as he prepares to defend himself. "And he wasn't the only one."

They peer back into the smoke and beyond the haze they can see two more silhouettes of zombies stalking towards them. The zombie groan and hiss, one of them stumbles forward nearly tripping over their own feet while the other seemingly floats in the air, bouncing forward as if walking underwater.

Upon seeing them emerge from the smoke…Izuku's heart plummets. "Oh god, no… It can't be…"

But it is.

A zombified Iida stumbles forward in a slouch, his once shiny armor now covered in scrapes and black blood. His helmet is gone but his glasses remain albeit broken and crooked on his decayed face.

And finally hovering beside him is a zombified Ochaco. She twitches and shakes in the air, her eyes darting from one prey item to the next and back. Her hair tangled and messy, over her scared face. Her costume is torn and covered in grim, her helmet broken as something had punched their hand right through it, and she's missing a boot revealing her mangled leg that's been chewed away right to the bone.

The trio of zombies howl and shriek at the teens as if to declare that they will be the ones to feast on their flesh.

Tokoyami scowls as a nervous sweat drips from his brow. "Like the Cerberus of the underworld, they too guard against our safe passage."

"We have no choice then." Fire and ice rise from Shoto's sides. "Let's clear the way."

"We'll win." Izuku grips the Omnitrix as it completes its recharge cycle. He's about to dial up an alien but he hesitates taking a moment to accept what he'll have to do to survive. "We have to."

"GRAAAAGH!" The zombies let loose blood curdling shrieks as they charge forward like a pack of starving dogs.

And teens spring into action, with Dark Shadow leading the charge!

"Graagh!" Z-Iida speeds forward, his Engine Quirk gushing out smoke behind him as he races forward.

"Raagh!" Dark Shadow meets him, batting him away!

Meanwhile, Shoto unleashed a wall of flames up towards Z-Ochaco.

The female zombie however takes advantage of the flames by riding the burning wind it creates upward.

Z-Bakugou however blasts right past the flames, rocketing himself towards his ultimate target; Deku!

As Z-Bakugou homes in, Izuku panics and slams down on the Omnitrix!

*BOOM!*

Z-Bakugou unleashes one hell of an Explosion into Izuku, blasting him in a blaze of heat and smoke!

Z-Bakugou lunges towards the smoke, ready to chomp down on Deku but instead he gets a mouth full of fist!

A crystallized fist swings out and smashes into Bakugou's open jaw!

WHAM! Z-Bakugou reels back in pain, his jaw busted and broken, barely hanging off the side of his face with only a few strings of flesh holding onto it.

Diamondhead arises from the smoke, geared and ready to throw down. "Hm, who knew you had a glass jaw?" He chuckles at the irony.

However, after evading Shoto's flames a Z-Ochaco spots Diamondhead overpowering her comrade.

"Graaaagh!" She screeches, charging past their opponent and for the alien, as if knowing that he's the greater threat.

"Woah!" Diamondhead throws his arms up and somehow, he catches Z-Ochaco.

"Graagh!" He holds her at arm's length but even so she struggles and flails against this hold.

The transformed Izuku takes a moment to examine her, frowning, his heart filling with sadness. "Uraraka…I'm so sorry this happened to you."

"Bleeeegh!" She claws at his crystal skin, but it's no use.

"I have to do this…" Diamondhead swings back one of his arms as his hand shifts into a large blade, but before he can finish her off, he hesitates, looking away, unable to kill off his best friend.

The zombified girl's eyes widen, as if sensing his hesitation, and so she presses her fingers against Diamondhead's arm, her fingertips glowing as a result.

Diamondhead snaps his head up just in time to watch helplessly as Z-Ochaco swings her glowing pink fist into him!

SMASH! With a single punch Diamondhead is flung backwards, while Z-Ochaco's own decayed arm explodes from the sheer power of One For All.

Diamondhead skids off the courtyard like a pebble skipping on water until he crashes into the side of one of U.A.'s warehouses.

"Grrraaagh!" Z-Ochaco howls into the air as if in pain, black blood spews from her exploded arm socket, splattering onto the grass and hedges.

Diamondhead pries himself from the wall, nearly losing his balance as he stumbles forward.

"Bleeegh!" Having gotten around Dark Shadow and Tokoyami, Z-Iida races in from the side. "Graaagh!" Z-Iida sprints forth and slams his claws into Diamondhead's head as he races by!

Diamondhead however remains unfazed as Z-Iida zooms past.

As for the zombie he slows to a stop, scowling at his shattered hand that now hangs limply off his arm. "Grrragh."

"That wasn't too smart now, was it?" mocks Diamondhead. "But then again, you are already brain dead."

Z-Iida growls in annoyance before he digs his own claws into his shattered hand. "Graaagh!" He shrieks and howls as he rips away his own hand, his arm even snapping away leaving behind a gaping wound with his broken radius and ulna sticking out.

Diamondhead metaphorically turns green at the sight. "Now that's hardcore."

"Graaagh!" Z-Iida snarls at the alien and is about to charge but instead he throws himself back just before he's impaled by an ice trail. "Grragh!" With a snarl Z-Iida races away before another ice trail could grab him.

"Don't let your guard down for a second!" shouts Shoto as he fires another icicle at Z-Iida. "Look for an opening and strike back!"

Diamondhead nods and is about to go help take down Z-Iida when a shaking Ryou Sphere is dropped onto him, blasting him in a ray of pink energy!

Diamondhead is flung back, his head spinning, but with a shake he shakes it off.

"Graagh!" Z-Ochaco hovers high above the ground, and with her remaining arm she throws a barrage of Ryou Spheres down at the alien.

Diamondhead raises up a diamond wall, protecting himself from the blasts, at least for now.

While his teammates fight their own battles, Tokoyami turns his attention towards Z-Bakugou who now has his sights locked on him.

Z-Bakugou spews black blood, his jaw swaying limply off his face as he sways and tumbles towards Tokoyami.

Tokoyami stands ready as Dark Shadow coils around his master. "Even in death, you are relentless."

"D-Dieeee-gh!" Z-Bakugou blasts himself forward.

"Raagh!" Dark Shadow lunges forth to meet him.

"Graagh!" Z-Bakugou blasts Dark Shadow away.

"Ahhh!" Dark Shadow howls in pain, its body shrinking under the intense light of the Explosion.

Tokoyami gasps. "Dark Shadow!"

"Don't worry!" Dark Shadow snakes upward. "I can take him. Yah!"

Dark Shadow swoops down, its claws slashing away at Z-Bakugou who counters every slash with an Explosion or dodge. But neither side is able to land a hit, both vying to overpower the other.

However, the battle does grab the attention of Z-Iida. As he races by, evading another ice trail, Z-Iida spots the two warring combatants.

*BOOM!*

Z-Bakugou blasts Dark Shadow, the light forcing the fiend to retreat leaving his master completely exposed.

"Dieeee-gh!" Z-Bakugou lunges at Tokoyami.

Tokoyami, however, manages to sidestep past the charging Z-Bakugou and as the zombie races past Dark Shadow pops out and slams into the zombie's back, knocking him away.

With Z-Bakugou temporarily out, Tokoyami breathes, catching his breath.

However, a roar of an Engine screeches towards him and before he knows it there's a sharp gouging pain pierces his side!

"AAAHhhh!" Tokoyami wails in pain.

"Graaagh." Z-Iida gruesome jaws open, as if in a grin.

Shoto gasps, his eyes wide with horror as Z-Iida pries his broken arm from Tokoyami's flesh. "TOKOYAMI!"

Upon hearing Shoto's cry Diamondhead spins around, his heart stopping as Tokoyami collapses into a pool of his own blood.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Dark Shadow swings around and slams into Z-Iida, shoving him away from his master.

"Graagh!" Z-Iida holds his footing, and he quickly moves to attack Tokoyami again, but he's instantly put to a halt.

He peers down to find his legs encased in ice. "Graagh!" Z-Iida moves to growl at Shoto but as he looks up, he finds a massive blade of crystal coming down on him.

And with a single slice Z-Iida's body splits apart, falling to the ground.

"Bleeegh…" Z-Iida moans, immobilized on the ground in a pool of his own black blood, he claws at the ground looking for leverage.

However, a heavy foot sets down on his skull and begins to press down hard. And with a splat Z-Iida's skull caves in under Diamondhead's weight.

With Z-Iida gone, Diamondhead and Shoto rush to their friend. "Hang on Tokoyami!"

However, as they run Z-Ochaco swoops in and scoops Diamondhead away.

"Ahh!"

Shoto screams. "Midoriya!"

"Don't worry about me!" Diamondhead slashes his blade at Z-Ochaco, but she lets him go before he can get her. He lands on the ground with a loud thud. "Help Tokoyami! Haa!" Diamondhead bats his blade into a swooping Z-Ochaco, knocking her away before she flies in for another go.

Telling himself that Midoriya will be fine, Shoto rushes to Tokoyami's side.

Tokoyami's breathing is labored, his chest rising and falling as he begins to hyperventilate. Pool gushes through his hand as he meekly tries to cover up his gaping wound that's already seeing the effects of infection.

"Just hang on." Shoto franticly moves to patch up the wound. "We're so close!"

Tokoyami coughs, spitting up blood while shaking his head. "I-it's too late for me…" He wheezes, his lungs already breaking down on him. "I am all but lost now."

Shoto shakes his head as he hurries to apply bandages. He pushes his hands down on the wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding, but the once red blood now turns black, leaking out of the wound and washing over Shoto's hands.

Shoto shakes his head, praying to himself that his efforts will save Tokoyami. But how can he deny it? The flesh around the wound is already green with infection and even his blood is beginning to turn black in color. And so, he struggles and struggles knowing of nothing else he can do for his friend.

"D-Dieee-gh!" With his guard down, Z-Bakugou returns in full force racing right for them both.

Shoto gasps but with his hands pressed into Tokoyami he is unable to react in time! They're both gonna die!

But then a firm yet weak hand shoves Shoto out of the way, and Tokoyami throws himself as Bakugou.

"Enough of you!" Tokoyami screams, throwing a punch right into Z-Bakugou's maw.

And from his fist Dark Shadow bursts forth and into Z-Bakugou's skull, busting it open like a firecracker!

Z-Bakugou's body stumbles, black blood spewing out from where his head once was before collapsing onto the ground, silent and dead.

Tokoyami smiles down at his work. "Gah!" He winces, collapsing, as a sharp pain burns from his wound.

"Fumikage!" Dark Shadow slithers into view, it pulls up its master's shirt and is horrified to find that his entire torso has already turned. "N-no…"

From the side, Shoto silently watches on in sorrow giving the familiar a moment with his master.

"Dark Shadow…" Tokoyami calls out, weakly, as he's already fading out of consciousness. "my most trusted ally. I have one last thing to ask of you."

"Whatever it is, I'll do it, Fumikage."

"Thank you…"

At the same time, Diamondhead struggles to finish off the floating zombie. He fires shards from his hands up at her, but she dodges, weaves or blasts the shards away with a Ryou Sphere, howling and shrieking all the while.

"Graagh!" She fires a Ryou Sphere down on Diamondhead.

Diamondhead shields himself with a crystal wall. As the blast resides, he pops out and fires more shards at her, but she dodges.

Diamondhead scowls, he didn't want to drag this out and the longer this goes on the sooner other zombies might appear. "Uraraka, enough! No more!"

"Graaagh!" She dives down with her remaining glowing brightly as she readies to fire another Ryou Sphere.

In response, Diamondhead unleashes a crystal wall of piercing diamonds.

But at the last second the zombie somehow manages to swerve around the crystals, evading them.

"Dammit!"

"Graagh!" She charges in from the air but then Dark Shadow's claw lashes out and swats her away.

Diamondhead gasps in surprise. "Tokoyami?!" No, not Tokoyami.

"Not anymore…" Dark Shadow regretfully responds as he reels in his claws. "But it was his wish that I fight by your side."

Dark Shadow has totally enveloped its zombified master. Dark Shadow has coiled itself around Tokoyami, binding his arms and maw shut.

"Dark Shadow? How?"

"I may be a Quirk but I'm of my own mind and body. Viruses don't work on me!" Dark Shadow snakes above his zombie master, he shoves and throws Z-Tokoyami off balance forcing the zombie forward.

Z-Tokoyami hisses and groans, fighting against his binds, but with unable to resist he stumbles forward allowing Dark Shadow to approach.

From in the air Z-Ochaco hisses down at Dark Shadow.

Dark Shadow waves at her to fight it. "Come and get some!"

"Graaagh!" Z-Ochaco howls and dives in, aiming to destroy Z-Tokoyami's body in an attempt to destroy Dark Shadow.

However, a wall of flames cuts her off.

"Graaagh!" The flames burn at her skin and hair, as she throws herself away from the flames.

"Midoriya, now!" Shoto screams as he unleashes his flames.

"Right!" Diamondhead squats down in a running position and then a trail of crystals burst forth from his back foot, propelling him forward.

Like a train ripping through a cornfield, crystals burst out in his wake as he speeds faster and faster towards the zombie.

Diamondhead swings his fist forth just as he reaches Z-Ochaco. "DIAMOND RUSH!"

And like a runaway train he crashes straight into the girl, her entire weakened body imploding like a bug on a windshield. All before Diamondhead rams straight through the sealed gate, breaking it down in one hit!

Diamondhead ends his crystal trail and slides to a halt against the dirt path. He stands up, catching his breath, while examining himself. His once pristine diamond physique is a gruesome sight. He's bathed in black blood, Z-Ochaco's blood, with chunks of putrid decayed flesh clinging to his spikes and joints, even bits of her hair and costume are plastered to him.

Diamondhead stumbles, falling into a panic as he hastily wipes at the blood trying in vain to clean it all away, tears stinging his eyes as the cruel reality sets in. All of his friends are dead.

Shoto gently approaches the Petrosapien. "Midoriya…" He reaches his hand out but hesitates. "I'm…I'm sorry."

With his hands trembling, Diamondhead shakes his head, gritting his teeth. "No talking… We're so close."

Shoto frowns. "What are we even looking for?"

Diamondhead breathes, steeling himself. "Salvation."

Determined to make it, Diamondhead marches forward, leading the way. They move quickly with Shoto following alongside the crystal being. Dark Shadow brings up the rear, struggling to force Z-Tokoyami to stumble after them.

They rush past the thick shrubs and trees, not caring for any scratches or whacks in the face as they race through the woods.

Shoto stumbles over a root at one point but Dark Shadow lashes out and grabs him, helping him up.

"Thanks, Toko-um, Dark Shadow." responds Shoto as they continue forward.

"Don't mention it." answers Dark Shadow. "It's the least I can do."

Shoto nods in response and they continue their race. As they leap over a fallen log Shoto tries to make small talk with the sentient Quirk. "What exactly do you think we're heading towards?"

"No idea. No matter what we find, we-…I'll make sure to defend it."

Shoto blinks. "Aren't you coming with us?"

"No." Dark Shadow responds firmly, tears pricking its eyes. "Fumikage's…already one of them, he's gone. And if I come with you, I'll…or rather he…" Dark Shadow gestures towards the stumbling bound up Z-Tokoyami. "Will be a danger to you both. All it will take for him to be free is for there to be a strong enough light source to get rid of me."

Shoto frowns, taking a moment to ponder. And Dark Shadow is right. Both it and Z-Tokoyami could potentially get them all killed. If there's too bright of a light, Dark Shadow will disappear leaving Z-Tokoyami with full range. But on the other hand, Dark Shadow itself isn't exactly the most stable being. On the other end of the spectrum if they were to ever lose power in their sanctuary there's a good chance Dark Shadow will lose control. At least that's how Tokoyami always put it...at least that's what he said when he was alive.

Basically, bringing them both into the Safe Place could only result in tragedy.

And Dark Shadow knows this. "I can be more of a help out here, wandering and guarding the place; especially as night falls." Might be able to take down some boss-level zombies. "And who knows maybe I'll find other survivors."

"Yeah, maybe…" Although it's not how Shoto would like it to be, this is probably the best option.

"Look!" Diamondhead shouts from the front, breaking his way through a wall of thorny shrubs. "There it is."

Shoto and Dark Shadow push their way through the shrubbery, their hopes riding high as they do so. They're not sure what to expect, perhaps a tank or even a helicopter, either would be cool. Or it could simply be a cabin or better yet a bunker of some sort.

They two find themselves in a clearing amongst the trees and under the stormy sky sits nothing, absolutely nothing, but a worn-down Outhouse.

"An outhouse?" Shoto shakes, his fists trembling as his insides begin to burn. "We ran all this way for a toilet?!" He screams, pissed.

They fought, ran, and lost so much to make it here. To achieve their survival and this…this is where it all led up to. A. Fucking. SHITTER!

"Midoriya, if this is some twisted-"

"It's not!" Diamondhead defends, pointing towards the Outhouse. "We're safe once we make it inside."

"How can you be so sure?!" Shoto barks, seething in anger.

Diamondhead's mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water. He briefly considers explaining what exactly the Outhouse is but…if he were to do so now there's no way Shoto would bother entering it. Shoto would think that he betrayed them, that he, Izuku, lost his mind and has led them and their friends on a wild goose chase all to dangle them before death's jaws.

"I'll…explain myself later but for now just…trust me on this. Okay?"

Shoto shakes in frustration, but he bites his lip and holds himself back. He knows Midoriya isn't the type to joke and lie, and he certainly wouldn't start now. "Okay." Besides, it's not like they have any other choice in the matter anymore.

"We made it guys!" Diamondhead cheers, rushing forward. "We made it!"

Shoto and Dark Shadow hurry after him.

A grinning Diamondhead sprints forward, racing through the clearing without a care; he's just ready to bring this nightmare to an end.

He lunges for the door, reaching for salvation, for the end, for the WIN!

But like any good video game, one does not simply reach the end without a fight.

*SMASH!*

Crashing in like a thunderbolt a huge figure seemingly blinks into existence; intercepting Diamondhead's path and delivering a mighty blow into his torso!

"GAHHHHH!" Diamondhead is rocketed backwards, by the sheer power of the impact.

His hide slashes across the dirt ground as he's rocketed right back towards Shoto at a dangerous speed!

Shoto gasps and tries to move out of the way but it's no good at this rate Diamondhead's gonna crash into him!

But then Dark Shadow shoves the boy out of the way, throwing itself and Z-Tokoyami in the way just before impact.

And BLAM! Like a speeding semi-truck Diamondhead's hide crashes into Z-Tokoyami. His spikes piercing through his decaying flesh, his bones shattering under the pressure.

"GRAAAGHHH!/GAAAHHH!" Z-Tokoyami and Dark Shadow shrike in pain as they and Diamondhead crash right through several trees.

Each strike results in more black blood and bits of Z-Tokoyami's body to tear and rip away, and Dark Shadow vanishes, his form falling apart before their eyes. And by the time they are stopped by a large oak, all that is left of Z-Tokoyami are splattered across the forest floor.

Shoto watches in horror as Dark Shadow fades away with his master. "NO!"

BOOM. A large hulking figure touches down before the boy, standing guard before their Salvation.

That power. That pressure. That…presence. It can only be one person…one monster.

All hope slips away as Shoto trembles before the creature. "Y-you're…you're here…"

A zombified All Might towers before the boy, his decayed muscles ripping under his strength. The skin on his face has been ripped away, leaving his skull exposed with his eyes still intact. His skull is fixed in a permanent twisted smile, like a serial killer smiling down on their next victim as black blood leaks out from between his ever-bared fangs. His hair stands tall, grey and black in color and his costume torn and stained with scores of fresh human blood.

"GRAAAAAGH!" Z-All Might or Skull Might lets out a blood curdling howl that shakes the teens to their very core as if the Earth itself is shaken by the zombies' terrifying power.

Acting on instinct, Shoto immediately produces an ice wall between him and the beast.

"GRAAAGH!" Skull Might smashes through the wall with a single blow!

Shoto's blood goes ice cold as Skull Might goes in for the kill, throwing another deadly punch.

But swapping in from out of nowhere is Diamondhead who throws himself in the way, turning his back towards the zombie as he grabs Shoto and pulls him close to his chest.

SMASH! Skull Might's fist rockets into the alien's back, shielding both him and Shoto crashing through the forest.

Diamondhead holds Shoto tight, shielding him as they smash through the trees. Diamondhead bounces off a large protruding boulder before coming to a stop.

Shoto lays on his chest, his head dazed and spinning. "Midoriya…are you okay?"

The alien groans, nodding in pain as he peers up at his friend.

"Gah!" Diamondhead gasps and tosses Shoto away!

"Midoriya?!"

And like a meteor crashing down to Earth, Skull Might comes crashing down, thrusting his feet down into Diamondhead.

BOOM! Dirt and rock fall apart, cratering under his power as dust and rubble are thrusted into the air.

"GRAAAGH!" All Might roars down at the alien, pressing his foot down and burying the alien further into the Earth.

"Grrrr." Diamondhead grabs at Skull Might's foot trying to pry it off of him but it's no use, even as a zombie Skull Might's strength is far superior to his.

Unable to stand on the sidelines and watch, Shoto challenges the monstrosity. "Get away from him you damned MONSTER!" He unleashes an inferno of flames that completely engulf both Skull Might and Diamondhead.

Diamondhead can take the flames fine while Skull Might can't, but the zombie takes on the flames, bracing himself against the inferno even as his flesh and costume burn away.

"GRAAAGH!" With a swing of his fist Skull Might blasts the flames away like they it was nothing more than a candle flame.

Watching from under his foot, Diamondhead grits his teeth and slaps his hand against the ground. A crystal column launches Diamondhead upward, breaking past Skull Might's hold, and swinging his head forward. WHAM! Diamondhead's diamond hard head slams into Skull Might's skull.

"Graaaghh!" Skull Might shrieks, stumbling back, and grabbing at his cracked skull.

Free of Skull Might's hold, Diamondhead and Shoto back away quickly, putting distance between them and the carnivorous abomination.

Shoto nearly stumbles back as they retreat. "This is insane! How?! How were they even able to turn All Might?!"

"I don't know!" Responds a just as freaked out Diamondhead. "But it doesn't matter. What matters is defeating the final boss and ending all this."

"You have a plan?"

"No."

That wasn't what Shoto was expecting to hear.

"I'm not gonna lie to you. But the only way I can see us making it out of here is by taking him down."

"Now I know you lost it. We can't take him!"

"GRAAAGH!"

"We have to!" Diamondhead roars. "What else is there to do?! Even if we make it to the Outhouse there's nothing to stop him from following us. We have to take care of him now. We have to."

Shoto shakes his head, he can't accept this. It's All Might, even as a zombie, he's shown to still hold over his immense power. How could they possibly stand up to him?

"Todoroki."

Shoto peers back up.

"We've made it this far. We're so close, we can't allow this opportunity to slip through our fingers. We have to do this."

Besides it's not like Skull Might would allow them to escape either way.

"GRAAAGH!" Speaking of Skull Might dashes across the forest like a runaway missile. "GRAAAGH!"

Diamondhead slams his hands on the ground and a pillar of diamonds bursts out of the ground, slamming into Skull Might.

"BLEEEEGH!"

Diamondhead rises, his steely glare locking in on Skull Might who matches his stance. "All Might…is dead." He raises his arms as they shift and become large hulking blades. "But we're not. We will succeed and save this world."

Shoto sighs, accepting the inevitable. "Or at least, we'll die trying." He states fully determined, taking Diamondhead's side as his body begins to burn and frost over.

"GRAAAGH!" Skull Might quickly charges the teens and in a blink of an eye he's upon them delivering mighty blows.

"Keep your distance!" Diamondhead roars and Shoto responds by dashing away.

Diamondhead meets the blows by producing a crystal shield. The shield takes the hits remarkably, but shards do break away and the force is so great that he finds his feet scraping against the ground as he's knocked further and further back.

"GRAAAGH!" Skull Might delivers a mighty uppercut right into the shield; the force thrusts Diamondhead's arm up, leaving him totally exposed. "BLEEEEGH!" And with his defense down Skull Might throws his fist forward.

Diamondhead reacts quickly, he throws himself backwards, rolling with the punch. The fist collides and his head is thrown back, his jaw aching, feeling crooked. But he survives, taking the blow before coming to a stop.

"Is that all you got?" Diamondhead taunts. "You're losing your touch, you old bag of bones."

Skull Might certainly doesn't appreciate the insults, hissing and growling in response.

"Come on, bring it!" Diamondhead roars, his arms shifting to form and shield and the other into a blade. "I can do this all day."

He might be able to, but the Omnitrix sure can't as it beeps, and Diamondhead vanishes within a flash of red.

"NO!" Izuku screams, his entire body shaking in fear and anger. Because with that flash of red not only did his transformation disappear but so did his hope. "No! Why?! Out of all the times, why now?! Stupid Omnitrix! Do you want me to die?!"

"BLEEEEGH!"

Izuku freezes, blood going cold, his heart stopping as Skull Might descends upon him. "WAAAAAAHHH!"

But then a trail of thin icicles burst forth and pierce through Skull Might's muscular flesh, impaling him and immobilizing him on the spot as if he were a pin cushion.

"BLEEEEGH!" Skull Might wails.

Izuku gasps before being shoved out of the way.

"Take cover!" Shoto screams as he fires off a massive glacier towards the wailing beast.

With a flex of his muscles, Skull Might breaks free of the icicles. And then with a single bound he leaps up and over the incoming glacier. "GRAAAGH!" With a well-timed kick Skull Might redirects himself towards the teens, flying in like a missile.

As Izuku slides behind an outcropping of boulders and earth Shoto unleashes the biggest inferno he's ever produced. The flames climb into the sky as if burning through an invisible tower, swirling and dancing, like a snaking dragon. This dragon of the flames roars, the wisps of the flames resign like fangs before the inferno preys down on the abomination, swallowing him whole. Upon impact the flames swirl together before BOOM they erupt forth like an exploding volcano!

Izuku watches in shock-and-awe as flames dance across the entire sky, illuminating the dark clouds above. Flames, ash, and embers rain upon them like a golden glowing snow upon a hellfire forest. Trees are set ablaze under the intense heat and raining embers, burning away as smoke pours up into the sky.

Izuku stumbles out of the outcrop to find Shoto standing tall before the blazing forest. He pushed himself too far, he's completely burned out, the left side of his costume is gone having burned away with his initial flames, the earth around him is scorched black due to the heat and he just looks exhausted; all it would take is for a strong enough of a breeze to knock him over.

Shoto turns and stares back at the stunned Izuku and with a heavy breath, he smiles, an exhausted yet victorious smile.

Izuku nearly cries, cries as grief and relief boil up all at once.

But as a guillotine had come down upon him, the moment is cut as a devil appears from within the smoke and hellfire.

"SHOTO, BEHIND YOU!'

Shoto turns to find Skull Might looming over him with a punch already in motion.

And then the strike hits but Shoto doesn't find himself imploding upon impact nor begging tossed across the forest to end up as stains across the burning trees. Nor is his heart…beating.

Shoto peers down to find Skull Might's arm buried in his chest. No, that's only his tricep, the rest of the zombie's arm managed to punch right through his ribs and spine and to the other side of his body. And so, with the last moments he has left Shoto stares up at the monster that was once his inspiration, a teacher, and hero… And all he sees are Skull Might's fangs coming forth before he sees nothing but darkness.

"SHOTO!" Izuku cries out, falling to his knees, watching in horror as Skull Might chomps down on Shoto's face, ripping his flesh and skin away with a single bite.

"No. No. No! No! No! NOOOOOO!" His cries pierce the heavens, tears gushing from his eyes mixing with the blood of his broken nose the smeared black blood staining his cheeks.

NO! They won! They beat him! How?! Why?! Why is this happening?! It's not fair! It's not right! Why did they all have to die?! Why?! WHY!?

"YAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Broken and lost, and with nothing left to go on, Izuku recklessly, stupidly, charges the feasting Skull Might. "I'll kill you!"

However, Skull Might doesn't even bother with him, continuing with his meal as he slurps up Shoto's intestines. He simply swats the boy away, tossing him into the air.

"GAAHH!" Izuku yelps, his back smacking into a burning tree.

And he goes down, he lies there with silent tears, ash sticking to his face as the forest burns all around him. He peers past Skull Might who continues to feast, through the burning forests, and there taunting him, lying just out of reach sits the unscathed Outhouse, his Salvation…Plumber Base.

Skull Might finishes his meal, tossing the remains aside like garbage, with fresh blood splattered across his maw and front. He peers around and finds Izuku still on the ground, helpless and weak. Knowing the boy can't possibly defeat him, Skull Might stomps forward, approaching slowly, allowing the boy to stew in his misery before he's consumed.

But despite everything this boy still has some fight left in him. Even if his spirit is nothing but embers he will continue to fight until the end.

He winces, his spine aching under his weight as he struggles to push himself off the ground. He can barely manage it as he's only able to prop himself up against the burning tree.

Skull Might begins to run, quickly closing the distance between him and the boy.

With his trembling hands Izuku grips the Omnitrix but it doesn't so much as buzz or flash green, instead it remains quiet under the accursed red color.

"GRAAAGH!" Skull Might lunges forth, jaws wide wanting to taste the boy's blood, not caring if he's still alive as he tears and rips his flesh apart.

"RAAAAAGH!" Izuku roars in protest, out of reflex, throwing his left arm up to block the incoming attack.

Skull Might chomps down right onto the Omnitrix.

The Omnitrix immediately reacts, glowing brilliantly even outshine the nearby flames as a green glow swallows the entire forest.

And as for Izuku he can feel a transformation already taking place. But it is odd and strange, and almost painful. His bones crack and stretch, becoming crooked and dislodged. His skin boils and tears away as even his skull bulges and shifts due to his brain swelling to painful proportions.

"BLEEEEGH!" Distraught by the blinding lights, Skull Might leaps back with the boy's arm still in his maw.

The flash vanishes and upon doing so the entire forest falls silent, the flames seemingly vanishing leaving behind nothing but ash, burned trees, and pillars of smoke.

"GRRR." Skull Might scan the terrain finding no sign of the boy other than the transformed arm stuck between his teeth.

Where the boy once laid, and a tree stood lies nothing but a large pile of ashes.

Skull Might seemingly scowls, he had hoped for a bigger meal and not the just scrapes of the boy's bone-thin arm.

Speaking of the bony arm rattles between his teeth.

Almost curiously Skull Might peers down at the transformed limb. It is long and thin and oddly enough it appears to be made of bone; no, it is bone with just barely enough purple mutated skin to cover it. The fingers are more like bone thin claws, long and sharp to the touch.

"GRR." Skull Might bites down on the limb but is angered to find foul tasting flesh and blood insulting his hunger. "BLEEEEGH!"

The bony arm rattles in his teeth once again, twitching and moving on its own.

Skull Might eyes the arm, unsure of what he saw but then the clawed arm swings up and slashes the zombie in the face!

"GRAAAGH!" Skull Might howls as the claws scratch out one of his eyes, leaving him half blind.

The limb falls to the ground but then like a spider the arm shoots up, its fingers dancing across the burned ground, trailing the rest of the arm behind it.

The limb approaches the large pile of ash before clawing its way inside.

Skull Might watches in anger and hesitation as the pile of ash moves from within. He watches as the claw rips through the top of the pile as if breaking free of a grave.

And then a twisted and mutated figure emerges from the ash, climbing itself out like a true undead.

Skull Might starts, startled and confused by the…zombie?

"Graaagh…" Groaning said zombie rises and takes in its own form.

It is humanoid with damaged purplish skin and yellowish bones protruding out of his skin. It has two eyes and one eye hole in its exposed upper swollen skull and sharp teeth. It has four fingers on its hands, and three fingers on its feet with exposed bones, bone spikes protruding out of its elbows, exposed bone pieces on the back of its lower legs and an exposed rib cage. It wears a green, black and white tattered outfit. With the Omnitrix symbol located on its left pectoral.

[Look up "5 Years Later: Rattle" by Ink Tank.]

The transformed Izuku is stunned to see his newest form. "What is I…?" He groans slowly, not picking up on his broken English. "I is zombie?" No, he's not. He has no cravings for flesh, he still has his mind, and his heart is still beating. He's alive! Somehow? Then this…this thing must be an alien.

"I needs name… Hm…" The zombie-alien shambles forth, his bones rattling against each other. "Me knows…! Me name Rattle…!" Yeah, call him Rattle.

Offended by Rattle's sentience, life, and horrid tasting flesh, Skull Might roars in anger. "GRAAAGH!"

Rattle's head snaps up at the zombie. "You is bad… Me stop you…"

"GRAAAGH!" Skull Might charges forth, swinging his arm and slamming his fist into Rattle.

Rattle's entire body rips apart, his limbs falling apart and thrown across the forest.

Skull Might smirks, satisfied that he finished off the nuisance.

But then there's a sharp pain in his thigh.

Peering down he's shocked to find that one of the severed arms is clawing into his flesh! And that's not all as the other arm grabs him from behind, its claws piercing into his chest. One of the legs lunges up and stands him in the back and the other pins itself into his arm. And even the torso gets involved by hopping around and throwing itself into Skull Might's side.

"You has taste of medicine…!"

Skull Might peers around to spot the head of Rattle glaring at him from the ground, still very much alive and unharmed.

"GRAAAGH!" Skull Might shrieks, struggling against the limbs as he rips them out of his flesh.

The limbs and torso claw, drag, and slide their way back towards the head, reforming together into one being. "Me is liking me powers…" Rattle grins as he tests his powers by disconnecting a claw and putting it back on again. "It gross but me thinks it cool…"

Skull Might hisses, growling frustrated with this other undead being.

Having an idea, Rattle pulls off his arm and holds it by its end. The severed arm then rips off his own head. Rattle swings the severed arm back and swings it around, launching his head towards the zombie.

While his head flies through the air Rattle yells out! "SKULL BASH… !"

Shocked by watching the being rip its own head off Skull Might is unprepared to block as Rattle's skull smashes into his own! "BLEEEEGH!" He howls, his skull cracking even more and black blood begins to leak through the cracks.

"How you likes me now…?" Rattle grins, his head rolling on the ground back towards his body.

"GRAAAGH!" Skull Might lunges for the head.

But then the rest of Rattle's body flies and crashes into Skull Might. The two figures crash but the much limber Rattle or at least his body swings back onto its feet.

Skull Might rises to meet the body which even without its head, it stands at the ready, gesturing its claws for Skull Might to challenge it.

"GRAAAGH!" He accepts the challenge, throwing a punch its way.

The body ducks and weaves, side stepping around each punch. Backing away and rolling away before each strike, waiting for an opportunity to fight back itself.

Rattle's head sits off to the side, watching critically, his head jolting side to side as if he's controlling his own body through an invisible game controller. "This much like playing Dark Souls…!" Gotta keep your distance from the boss otherwise it'll kill ya in one strike.

"BLEEEGH!" In frustration, Skull Might turns and rips out a tree right out of the ground and swings it around like a bat!

However, the body leaps up and over the swing. It then swings its hands down, launching its claws at Skull Might.

"GRAAAGH!" Skull Might screams as the claws pierce through his flesh; they wiggle and claw at him from within before he reaches into his own wounds and rips them out.

But as he does so he gives the body the perfect opportunity of attack as it rushes in and slams its arm right into Skull Might's weakness: his longtime scar.

"GRAAAGH!" The monster squeals in pain and in response swings his fists down onto the body smashing it to bits.

The body falls apart as it does so Skull Might gives them a kick blowing them away in a sudden gust of wind!

The bones and parts rattle as they fall onto the rock outcropping from before.

"Me needs to pull me together…!" Rattle's head quickly rolls over to them, and the parts begin to come together until Rattle becomes whole once again.

"GRAAAGH!" Skull Might screams in a fury.

Rattle glares right back. "Me thinks time to put you in ground…"

He turns around and squats down beside the large boulder. His claws dig into the ground and claw at the rock before he pulls with all his might. And surprisingly despite his rather scrawny and boney physique Rattle manages to pry the car-sized rock right out of the ground and hold it over his head, albeit shakily.

"Me am so strong…!" Rattle grins, amazed at his feet.

His arms begin to shake as if they're losing their stretch and their hold to stay together. Perhaps it's just a sort of limit for Rattle's species.

"Me needs go gym more…"

"GRAAAGH!" In a blind fury Skull Might charges right for Rattle.

Rattle whoever doesn't move instead focusing on holding the boulder as high as he can.

"GRAAAGH!"

And SMASH Rattle's body breaks apart under the impact, falling away as All Might takes his spot.

But with Rattle gone there's nothing to hold the boulder that comes crashing down on All Might's leg!

"GRAAAAAAGH!" The zombie withers and wails, his leg crushed underneath the weight of the boulder.

Rattle, after pulling himself together, approaches.

Skull Might hisses and growls up at the alien, offended by its reluctance to die.

"Me am tired of this…" Rattle pounces into the air, his body and limbs splitting apart as they descend down on the pinned zombie.

"GRAAAAAAGH!" Skull Might wails, seething in pain, as Rattle claws, tears, and pulls at his flesh!

Black blood spews every which way, polling on the scorched earth as chunks of decayed flesh and bone are ripped right out of his body!

"GRAAAAAAGH!"

"No more…!" Rattle's head lunges towards Skull Might's face. "GRAAAGH!"

He bites down on Skull Might's skull, with his strength and the fact that it was already cracked and broken, the skull crumbles between his jaws. Black blood spews into his mouth as Skull Might's skull shattered and crumbles away, its brain being chomped down between his teeth like old gum. Despite the gruesomeness and disgust of it all, Skull Might's corpse falls silent, dead, unmoving, and beaten.

Rattle's limbs quietly pull away from the corpse as Rattle spits out the chunks of brain and skull in his mouth. His limbs come together and soon he is able to stand over the fallen zombie hero.

Rattle bows his head, paying respect not just to All Might but to all those he lost on the way: Denki, Kirishima, Shinso, Shoji, Tokoyami, Shoto. And to those that tragically fell to this infection, this plague.

He peers down at Skull Might, bowling his head in respect not just to the corpse but to this world. "Goodbye…"

The grief is overwhelming but his will to live is far superior and so Rattle turns away and shambles his way towards Plumber Base.

Every shaky step gets him closer, exhaustion and grief weighing him down like heavy chains, dragging him back. But he pushes forward, closer and closer.

But this reality is harsh and ripping away one's hope is its specialty as several figures emerge from the burned hillside.

Exhausted Rattle turns and finds a pack of zombified heroes emerging from the smoke and ash but not just any pro heroes but those in the top ten. Specifically, Z-Endeavor whose flames have completely consumed yet he still moves and lives even though his entire body is an inferno. Beside him crawls out Z-Jeanist, his body falling apart from under him but stitched together by his own Threads while a tangled web of Threads latch onto nearby trees for support, keeping him upright. And finally, a zombified bird man flies overhead, his wing broken and red feathers satin with blood as he shakily circles from above.

"You want piece…?" An exhausted Rattle jeers.

The zombies growl and hiss in response.

"Plenty me for yous all…!" Rattle barks, raising his claws at the ready.

But then from the smoke emerges more and more zombies, specifically those of other pro heroes and villains and even students.

"Yous want pieces too…?!" Rattle shouts, defiantly.

However, from amongst the horde several zombies manage to stand out.

"Graaagh…" Crawling along the ground, dragging his body is a zombified Shigaraki. He appears virtually the same minus the complexion and the fact that he's missing his lower half.

Striding past him Z-Stain shambles forth with blade in hand, grotesquely his remaining blades and knives are sticking out of him as if he decided that using his own flesh as holsters was a better idea: swords sticking out his back as knives are gouged into his ribs.

Rattle begins backing away towards the Outhouse, fighting the urge to run and turn his back on the zombies. "Y-yous want some…?"

More and more zombies pour in, many of them being people Rattle recognizes from a zombified Dr. Animo, Charmcaster, and even Road Crew. Even a zombified Zombozo slinks through the crowd with a permanent killer grin on his face.

Rattle's starting to shake in his metaphorical boots. "Y-you's t-too…?"

Rattle reaches for the door but then the Outhouse door bursts open.

"Ahh…!" Rattle leaps away as several figures pour out of the Plumber Base's secret entrance.

The sight makes his blood go cold and his heart plummet as a horde of zombified aliens pour out.

There's Z-Argit with his quills broken and snapped, and a missing tail. A swarm of zombified Megawatts buzz in the air, swirling together in a furious ball of carnivorous aliens. A worm slithers out, latched onto a metallic arm giving Rattle a clue that he's looking at Z-Bubble Helmet. And oh god, zipping around the other zombies' feet is a zombified ML-E with a bone thin tail, dead eyes, and exposed snarl.

Rattle backs away quickly just as another zombie touches down. From the sky a zombified SixSix lands before the boy. But he's different; his entire body and armor looks like it went through an explosion: broken, burned, and bled out. But somehow, he was pulled out of the wreckage and is now back to haunt him.

"GRAAAGH!"

Rattle spins around and bashing his way through the horde of civilian zombies comes a zombified Nue. The zombified monstrosity is far more grotesque with his mutation mixed in with the infection: smeared in black blood of the zombies he carelessly crushed to get here.

And finally bursting through the door of the outhouse, is Z-Thirteen. Their helmet busted in, and their lips chewed away, their costume torn. Z-Thirteen spots Rattle and aims their finger up towards him.

Rattle spins, his reality crashing down as the zombies surround him from all directions.

"Yous all wants me pieces…?!" He howls in defiance, readying himself to make his last stand. "PLENTY ME FOR YOUS ALL!"

"GRAAAAAAAAAAGGGHHHH!" The entire horde descends upon Rattle, their claws, Quirks, and teeth lashing out all at once, all to tear him limb from limb.

.

.

.

.

GAME OVER

.

.

.

.

---

Bright light blinds Izuku and fresh air invades his nostrils as he wakes up from such an unpleasant nightmare. And it doesn't help that his ears are being assaulted by a chorus of shouting and yelling.

"You were such a beast in there, Midoriya!"

"Most excellent work my friend."

"Ah, man! I thought for sure I'd last longer!"

"Tough luck, dude. Better luck next time I guess."

Izuku blinks open as he shoves open his high-tech pod. He finds himself in one of U.A.'s engineering laboratories. Lining the wall are a row of pods that are all connected to several large computers. The pods are large enough to fit even Shoji inside them. They're very sci-fi like someone could use it for hyper sleep or something. And finally, a large high-definition screen sits above the pods and on the screen one can see the words: GAME OVER.

Surrounding his pod are his friends: Denki, Kirishima, Shinso, Shoji, Tokoyami, Shoto, and Mineta too.

All of them discussing their experience and thoughts.

Denki is clinging to Shinso who stares down at him, totally bored and uninterested. "Man, couldn't you guys have made it there sooner?! I died because you were late!"

"We weren't late." A cold cruel grin dances across Shinso's lips. "We were there the whole time, but we decided to save Midoriya since he's actually useful."

Tears slip from Denki's eyes. "Dude…that hurts…"

"It's not fair!" Whines Mineta. "I didn't even have a chance in there!"

Shoji frowns, curious to hear how it ended for him. "How'd you die anyway?"

Mineta smirks up at the taller teen, feeling smug and suave. "I am a hero and a hero can never turn away damsels in distress."

Shoji turns to Kirishima for clarification.

Kirishima has no problem explaining. "They were zombies, but he didn't realize it until they already grabbed him."

"Ah, gotcha."

Shoto tugs at Shoji's arm, drawing his attention. Peering down Shoji finds Shinso and Tokoyami there as well.

Shoto turns to the three of them and bows his head in respect. "Hey, thanks for sacrificing yourselves back there. Sorry it was all for nothing though."

Shinso shrugs it off with a smile. "Meh, I knew I wasn't gonna make it anyway. Plus, my health bar was in the red so…you know."

Tokoyami nods in agreement. "Indeed. I know for a fact you would have done the same in our shoes."

Shoto smiles, confirming their notions as well. "Yeah."

With that all said, he turns his attention to Midoriya who still looks shaken up by the whole experience. "How are you holding up?"

Everyone, not just Izuku, falls silent. They all watched him struggle against the simulation. And they can all agree that he definitely had the roughest time in there.

They all wait with bated breath as Izuku averts his gaze downward, unable to look any of them in the eye. Their worry grows the longer he remains silent.

"Aw, man!" Izuku whines, startling them. "I was so close! Ah! The Safe House was right there! Right there! I should have won! The game cheated! AH!"

The others sigh in relief. Looks like there'll be no lasting negative effects other than nightmares for the next few nights.

"Hmhm!" Someone giggles, approaching the teen boys. "Sorry about that. The development team is still working out many of the bugs."

Izuku peers up to see Momo Yaoyorozu smiling down at him with a clipboard in hand.

"Yaoyorozu, what was that?" questions Shinso. "I thought we were going up against a virtual reality?"

"Yeah!" shouts Denki. "That was way too realistic!"

Mineta shivers. "I could still feel their teeth biting into me."

Shoji shivers too, holding himself. "Yeah…"

"You did take on a virtual reality." Yaoyorozu corrects. "Don't you all remember what we discussed before?"

They all shake their heads, no.

Seated by the computers, going unnoticed until now, Power Loader spins around in his chair. "Well temporary memory loss was warned to be a possible symptom."

Yaoyorozu nods, she ironically forgot about that. "That's right." She turns to the boys and explains the situation again for the second time today. "My father's company, the Yaoyorozu Conglomerate, has been developing groundbreaking technology for virtual reality simulations." She gestures to the rows of pods and processing computers. "These simulations will help with training for all sorts of disasters and situations whether that's for the military, police, or hero industries."

Izuku cups his chin in astonishment. "Sort of like an ultimate testing ground where you don't have to worry about actually dying or getting hurt."

"Precisely. These pods allow the user to access the simulation by putting them in a coma of sort and fully immerses one's mind into the virtual reality."
Denki brightens up and shouts. "Like SAO!"

Yaoyorozu frowns, not understanding the reference. "Um, I'm not sure what that is but if it helps you understand then sure."

"Okay, but why us?" questions Shoji. "Why'd you send us in there?"

Power Loader responds, turning back to his monitor and typing something up. "You all agreed to it."

The teen boys all shout out at once. "What?!"

Power Loader finds the recording, motioning for the teens together around at the monitor.

On The screen they watch themselves being explained what they're doing and why they are going in by past Yaoyorozu. ["This hasn't been tested as of yet. You all are essentially guinea pigs. Are you alright with that?"]

["Hell yeah!"]

["Sign me up."]

["I'm gonna slay those zombies!"]

And pause.

The teens back away all nodding as the memory sort-of begins to come back to them. "Ohhhh."

"That's why we brought it here." Yaoyorozu explains, gesturing to the device. "My father had it transported here for safekeeping and further research. In return, allow the school to test it and use it when it's complete."

Izuku's jaws drop at the news. "Amazing."

Kirishima frowns, a thought occurs to him. "I'm surprised Bakugou didn't want to kill zombies. Considering you asked all of us."

Yaoyorozu explains. "I offered it to him, but he declined." Via saying it was a waste of his time, albeit he said it in a way that was much cruder.

And besides, Yaoyorozu kinda knew he wouldn't agree to it. That's why she asked those that would be driven by curiosity or by the allure of trying a new "video game."

"But that was so realistic." says Izuku barely above a whisper, remembering the pain and the emotions he felt through it all "And the simulation knew things about us that we never shared to you." Like his house address or how it's laid out inside! Or that he knows Mr. Baumann or that he knows about the Outhouse! "Have you been spying on us?!"

"No! "Yaoyorozu shakes her head frantically, waving her arms. "Heavens, no! Another technology we've been developing allows the simulation to access the subconscious memories of whatever sentient beings inside. We even tested it on mice and insects with resounding and…disturbing results." A lot of the mice apparently had dreams of overthrowing humanity actually. "It's not perfect and it can't process a ton of specifics yet but with so many of you inside the simulation it had much to work with. That's why much of the environments, cities, and people you encountered seemed so accurate."

Denki becomes very nervous all of sudden. "But what about…private knowledge that we gave?"

"Don't worry this doesn't extract specific information. More like it uses visual cues and scenarios to open your mind and then it can extract the needed info to create the zombies and locations."

Izuku however stiffens, another concern in his mind.

Shoto also has the same concern. "Hang on, then."

They all pause to hear him out.

"If this simulation uses our knowledge and memories to shape its world and what happens in it…" He turns to Izuku and asks. "Then…where did that transformation come from?"

They all start, realizing that Izuku's new transformation, Rattle, came from out of nowhere.

Izuku especially hurries to check the Omnitrix. He rotates the dial again and again, checking each silhouette of each and every alien he has up till now. But there's no Rattle in sight. He's not there.

"There's…nothing." Izuku responds, still checking. "He's not here, Rattle's not here." Aw, man…he was so cool though.

Shoto frowns, his concern and suspicions growing. "But if you don't already have that transformation…"

Yaoyorozu frowns, just as perplexed. "Then where did it come from…?"

None of them seem to have an answer nor a clue as to why.

Izuku ponders the possibilities, recalling what Yaoyorozu said earlier. 'Access the subconscious memories of whatever sentient beings inside.' He jolts up, startled at a possible realization.

Izuku slowly, almost fearfully, peers down at the Omnitrix. 'Any sentient being…?' Did…did Rattle come from the Omnitrix's…subconscious? There's no way, it's just a watch, an alien watch but still… Right?

Izuku swallows, eyeing the group hoping none of them try to reason the same thing. "M-maybe…maybe it was just a glitch you know. Maybe the simulation got confused when All Migh-"

"-Skull Might!" Denki corrects.

"What?"

"Skull Might, that's his name." He explains as if it was obvious.

"Oh, um, er-Skull Might then. When Skull Might bite me, the simulation must have gotten confused, and I transformed between what my Quirk can do and what the simulation wanted to turn me into."

Yaoyorozu frowns. "Perhaps. We'll be sure to fix up any bugs to prevent this in the future." After jotting it down on her clipboard she addresses the group. "You're all free to go I have a lot to report back."

Kirishima grins excitedly as they make their way to the exit. "Can we test this out again later. I want a rematch against those cannibals."

"Later. I'd like to give the girls a shot at this as well."

Mineta, the sleazeball that he is, smirks. "Six beauties taking on hordes of zombies, I'd love to see that."

Yaoyorozu is quick to dash his hopes. "Well, you can't and besides the zombies were specifically programmed for you all."

Denki and Mineta cry out at the betrayal. "Harsh!"

Shinso, however, is curious. "Then what will you all be in?"

Yaoyorozu shrugs. "Not sure yet. Perhaps a fantasy world or something like Steampunk. Or maybe we'll just play Animal Crossing?"

The boys cry out at the unfairness of it all. "That sounds way less scary!"

But with nothing else to gain or do they all leave, making their way through U.A.'s many halls.

The group continue to talk and converse about the simulation saying what they'd do differently next time and such.

Meanwhile, Izuku strolls past them, his eyes locked on the Omnitrix as he's still hoping to find Rattle inside.

Shoto taps his shoulder from behind. "Hey, Midoriya."

Izuku blinks back at him. "What's up?"
"I was wondering…but what was with that Outhouse? And why were you so confident it was the Safe House?"

Izuku internally screams, panicking. He forgot all about that!

Tokoyami approaches as well. "I was wondering this myself."

"Yeah." Kirishima frowns, overhearing them. "How'd you know it was there? You never checked the map on your phone after getting through U.A." At least that's what they could tell from the screen.

Izuku panics quickly, coming up with a solid lie. "Oh, um, well it just made…sense?"

Shoto glowers. "Excuse me."

"Well, I, um, well you see, um, the simulation! Yeah, it was where the GPS said to go and because the simulation knew we saw U.A. as a safe place it would lead us there. And that outhouse, I saw once on a hike, and it was really…weird so it stood out to me. So, when the GPS said the forest, I knew exactly what to look for!" Oh, God, he prays that they buy it.

Shoto just stares at Izuku, not reacting or responding to his explanation. But after a moment of consideration, he turns away. "Oh…yeah, I guess that makes sense."

'Oh, thank god!' Izuku sighs before he bumps into someone from behind. "Oh, sorry!"

"Graagh…"

The teens freeze, staring up at the figure in horror.

A sunken-faced Aizawa turns to face them, his body slouched, clothes torn and stained with black blood. His scarf tattered and tangled around his torso and arm. "Graagh…"

"WAAAAHHHH!" The teens book it, sprinting in the opposite direction and away from the zombie!

"Huh…" Aizawa groans, raising an eyebrow, their screaming worsening his headache. "What's wrong with them?" He breathes, exhausted. "They look like they've seen a ghost."

And right now, dramatic teenagers are the last thing he wants to deal with. He's already had a rough day. He was up all night on patrol, tracking down some drug dealers well into the morning. And then after he found them, he led a strike unit inside and a fight broke out. Boy was it tough, especially since he's running on only two hours of sleep. And it definitely wasn't pleasant when one of the villains sprayed him with oil, talk about gross.

"Eh, whatever. Goodnight I guess, cause I'm going to bed…" And so, he shambles away, limping and groaning in exhaustion, his scarf trailing behind him, leaving behind a trail of smeared back oil.

---

*And that was the Halloween Special OVA! A.K.A "MY ZOMBIE ACADEMIA." It was an interesting journey to come up with this, at first when I considered doing a Halloween Special OVA, I considered doing the MHA's Training of the Dead OVA at first. But then I was like, no, that's boring, it would play out the same just with Izuku turning into aliens. And then I was watching Marvel's What If… series so the idea evolved from there and into this, and I am happy with the results.

*But like any OVA or MHA movie the status quo must be returned hence why this OVA most likely won't be mentioned again during the main story. And that is also why Rattle the Wrighter isn't carrying over to the main story. And yeah, I know I said no OC aliens but for OVAs I'd be willing to make exceptions if I can. Maybe.

Plus, after everyone expected the Anur Aliens (Ghostfreak, Blitzwolfer, etc.) to appear I decided to throw you guys a "bone" and give you Rattle. (HA! See what I did there?) Which I do have to admit I did greatly enjoy using him in this OVA, he was a lot of fun. And hey you never know but one day I might bring him over to the main story, I already have one OC/canon alien in mind that I am gonna add for sure down the line.

*Anyway, I hope this OVA was a blast for you all. I look forward to your reactions. And next time I post here I will respond to your comments/questions to the best of my abilities.

*CHAPTER UPDATE* There has been no progress on Ch.54 "More Than Meets the Eye" since the last update. Mainly because I was working on this OVA, which was totally worth it. Also, not to mention a friend of mine got me into Dark Souls while I was writing this OVA soooo you can blame them for my new addiction that's pulled me away from writing so much. But it's okay, it's all good now; I'm getting better, and now I can easily wield my Black Knight Sword… Oh, wait you guys wanted to hear about my writing, oops. But for real, no need to worry, I have no plans of walking away from this story. I plan to get right back to work on Ch.54 ASAP!