First of all, some apologies are in order- that was definitely more than a month, to say the least. Unfortunately, life and school got hellishly busy for a while on top of the other two stories I'm working on currently, but as of now things have slowed down again, and this story should be able to ease back into its semi-regular update schedule for the forseeable future. But what's important is that we're back now, with a big chapter to update you on both the villains and heroes!
On another note, I've been making heavy use of Spotify lately, and as someone who enjoys listening to music while they read/write, I thought that some of you guys might enjoy having a soundtrack of sorts. With that in mind, I've been noting a few songs that fit especially well for this story and its characters. In particular:
The theme of the story as a whole: The Perfect World, by Marty Friedman
Midoriya's theme: Melancholy Man, by the Moody Blues
Bakugo's theme: What's Up Danger, from the Into the Spiderverse Soundtrack
Kendo's theme: Still trying to decide this one, but maybe Barricades from the AoT soundtrack
Overhaul, Dabi, and Mustard's theme: Oh Mama by Run the Jewels
Yaoyorozu's theme: Blumenkranz (Ragyo Kiryuin's theme from Kill la Kill)
Gentle and La Brava's theme: The Last Waltz, by Engelbert Humperdinck (not joking, that's really the artist's stage name)
Hopefully at least some of you enjoy this type of thing, let me know if you have any suggestions or if you want to see more extra stuff like this in the future. One final note concerning the manga, for those who are up to date- I try my best to keep this story compliant with canon aside from the obvious divergances, and it's come to my attention over the course of this latest arc that I sort of messed up Giran's character and relationship with Twice during his brief appearance in Ch. 5, as we've now gotten more info about his personality and motivations. As such, I might be going back and editing a bit of that chapter in the near future, so that's something to look out for. Without further ado, on to the chapter!
Chapter 16: Once More unto the Breach
"It seems you were more perceptive than I gave you credit for, Kirishima. My dearest apologies for that." Seraph gave Red Riot the most disarming smile he could manage, given the situation- he was currently dangling in front of the hero by the collar of his shirt as the military SUV continued to hurtle down the road beneath them, staring down an expression that held nothing but righteous fury and contempt. "Do tell me, what gave us away? Your impression of a blithering, oblivious fool was so very convincing."
"Just do yourself a favor and stop talking," Eijiro growled, as he snapped back his arm and sent a lightning-fast, hardened first hurtling toward Midoriya's face. Izuku's sleek black metal exoskeleton only barely emerged in time for him to block the blow, and even then it packed more force than he expected, sending him skidding back to the edge of the roof and down onto one knee. "It'll make this easier for both of us."
His mouth twisted into a scowl now, Midoriya had to sink his armored fingers into the metal to keep from flying off the back of the car, and allowed himself a brief glance around the battlefield as he righted himself. If the continued sounds of struggle from within the vehicle were any indication, Toga and Melissa were still grappling with each other just beneath him, but the outcome of that clash was already assured; as always, he had complete confidence in Himiko's abilities, and the Shield girl had little to no combat training to speak of. The second car's situation, however, was another matter entirely: Suneater had already landed atop its roof, and was invading through every window and cranny with massive, spiked octopus tentacles emerging from hands; as Izuku watched, the car screeched to a violent halt and receded out of view behind a bend, with one of the two American Ospreys falling behind in turn. The other remained firmly on their six, however, and Seraph could feel the laser sight of its rotary cannon and guided missiles on his back as he launched himself towards Kirishima with one fist bared and a hidden blade clutched in the other, hoping to land a hit before his foe could harden his entire body.
They're only holding off on firing because they don't want to risk hitting the good doctor and his poor innocent daughter, Izuku knew, frowning as he sidestepped Eijiro's next blow, ducked nimbly under the followup, then brought his blade streaking into the young hero's eye, only for it to shatter in his grasp the moment it made contact. Damn. Too late on that front, it seems. He's hardened completely. I do despise resorting to brute force, but it seems I've no other choice. Diverting power to the exosuit's arms with a satisfying hum of electrical energy, Midoriya let the sleek ebony mask and holographic visor slide over his face, covering everything from his chin to his forehead as his hair continued to whip wildly in the wind, back to its natural green-and-black color now. Designed by Hatsume, the display that flashed into existence before his eyes quickly began to highlight Kirishima's weak points and forecast his potential next moves, based on a variety of subconscious cues including eye movements and shifts in body weight distribution. His own armor integrity and heart rate were visible as well, along with an estimate for his physical endurance and the battery capacity of the suit; everything was currently at peak performance, and Midoriya could feel the grin returning to his face as Kirishima charged him with a loud, fierce cry.
"This is for All Might, you son of a bitch!" Red Riot's strength was respectable, but his blows were still telegraphed and simple to avoid- rather than continuing to dodge, however, Seraph opted to meet the next one head on with his own armored fist at full power, producing a resounding clang and subsequent crack that sent both fighters reeling back in pain. Though the skin of his hand had the appearance of craggy rock, a slow trickle of blood still seeped out from between Eijiro's knuckles as he clutched it and grit his spiked teeth. Izuku was hardly better off: The carbon-fiber alloy over his own knuckles was slightly dinted, and his fingers were throbbing with dull pain despite the shock absorbers. So it's a battle of attrition, then. All that remains is to see whose defenses give out first. Unlike you, however, my armor can adapt. Stalling for time while he upped the power to his shock absorbers and fine-tuned the power output and defense matrix of his knuckles, Midoriya kept up his smile, and even managed a laugh.
"I do certainly hope you put up a better fight than that tragically frail excuse for a hero. Do you have any idea how easy it was to kill him, Kirishima?" His voice took on an eerie quality now that it was echoing through the mask's speakers, almost disembodied, as if it was coming from all around them at once.
"I said, shut it!" If the pain or the taunting phased Red Riot, he certainly didn't show it, leaning into a brutal kick that Seraph parried with one of his own before going on the offensive with a full barrage of enhancement-assisted punches to Eijiro's chest, face, and side. Forced to hold up his arms to try and block the blows, Kirishima broke his guard more than once to try and strike back, but with Mei's technology assisting him, Midoriya's reflexes were far too swift to allow for an opening. Red Riot, on the other hand, paid dearly for every lapse in his defense, taking brutal strikes to the face, stomach, and shoulder that clearly produced damage in spite of his quirk. If I can throw him off the car, Izuku mused, he won't be able to catch up without Tamaki here to carry him. His opponent had clearly realized the same, though, and as Seraph watched for his next opportunity, Kirishima lowered and centered his stance in order to increase his balance and stability, his mouth twisted in a grimace of discomfort.
"Just try it, asshole."
"I think I will! I do appreciate the invitation." His eyes gleaming with bloodlust, Midoriya prepared to charge forward again, only to nearly be thrown off himself when the car swerved wildly beneath him, hanging onto the frame by only a single hand as the rest of his body swung down and nearly crashed through one of the windows.
"Keep it steady!" He cried as he activated the thrusters in his boots and used them to swing himself back up to the roof, sparing a brief glance through the tinted glass in the moment before he landed back above. Though it would have been impossible to make anything out with his naked eye, he could toggle overlapping infrared and motion-detecting displays on the visor, and was able to make out the scene inside in perfect quality. Toga was still in the driver's seat, with one hand on the steering wheel and the other wrapped around Melissa Shield's neck in a chokehold, keeping the older girl pinned down on the divider between the two front seats with her body weight as she kicked and thrashed desperately in a series of increasingly vain and feeble attempts to free herself.
"I'm multitasking here babe, I'm trying my best!" The sound of her voice over his radio was heartening to say the least, though Midoriya forced himself to keep his focus on the enemy at hand as Melissa let out another muffled cry of defiance in the background, to which Toga merely responded by laughing and tightening her grip.
"Try your best not to kill her, darling- things will be easier if she's alive. Now if you'll excuse me, I do need to be wrapping this up."
"Make him bleed for me, Izu!" Then the channel closed, not a moment before Kirishima launched another attack, a feint followed by a savage uppercut. Eijiro's sudden burst of speed took even Izuku by surprise, and for a moment he was forced on the defensive, struggling to block one wild strike after another. It only took Seraph few seconds for him to right himself once more, though. The first moment a chance presented itself, grabbed hold of both of Red Riot's fists at once, diverted power to his hands, and twisted them outwards with enough force to crush a steel pipe like tinfoil. No matter how hard your skin is, joints are still joints. In the end, only one of Kirishima's wrists snapped, with a loud, satisfying sound not unlike a rock being split in two with a pickaxe.
Though he'd hoped to break both, his opponent's howl of pain was still more than opportunity enough for Seraph to swing both his fists into either side of the hero's face with all his strength, followed by a rocket-boosted knee to his stomach that doubled the U.A. third-year over and nearly sent him toppling into the open sunroof. A spurt of crimson blood dribbled out from between Red Riot's teeth, two of which had already been shattered by Seraph's fists, and Izuku could feel victory in his grasp as another swerve of the car nearly sent him flying off. Cracked and bloodsoaked, the young hero's hands were wrapped around the car's frame for dear life as Midoriya loomed above him, diverting power as needed to a set of electromagnets in his boots to prevent another near-fall.
"For an evil motherfucker, you've got some pretty solid moves." Kirishima gritted with a hint of a laugh, "Guess I should've known Katsuki was lying when he said you couldn't fight for shit." Wincing in pain and exhaustion, Eijiro slumped down in defeat, his limbs slackening as his forehead dropped to the black metal of the roof. Still a safe distance away, Izuku nearly took a step forward with the intent of finishing the job, then paused, and raised one eyebrow skeptically. Seems like he might just be pretending to succumb to his wounds. His quirk hasn't deactivated, and his heart rate is still high. Wasting no time, Midoriya held out his gauntleted right fist and equipped one of Hatsume's high-voltage shock discs, with the current set just beneath lethal amperage. His eyes still fixed on Kirishima's still body, Seraph crouched down in the direction of the open sunroof and called out to Carmilla.
"Has the problem been dealt with, darling?"
"You betcha! Don't worry, though, she's probably still alive!"
Out of the corner of his peripheral vision, assisted by the cameras on the visor, Midoriya could see the outline of Melissa's body, slumped face-down next to Himiko- though noticeably fainter, the infrared image still showed a heartbeat. Good- one less variable to deal with. Now to finish things.
"Did you hear that, Eijiro? We've gotten rather intimately acquainted these past few minutes, not to mention how quickly we bonded last night, so I certainly hope you don't mind me calling you Eijiro. But as I was saying, surely rescuing the girl was one of your missions as well. You knew her, didn't you? From last summer? Maybe you even considered her a friend- that must make this failure of yours even more painful! I could order Toga to paint the dashboard red with her blood right this moment, and there's nothing you could do to stop me. No amount of muscle or testosterone or masculine courage could get you to her before Carmilla's knife. Tell me, how does that feel? I have to admit, I'm curious."
Only silence met Seraph's inquiry, prompting his smile to grow even wider. Red Riot's heart rate had increased drastically with his threat, a clear sign that he was conscious and listening.
"Come now, Eijiro, you're disappointing me. I've heard so very much about you by reputation- playing dead is hardly your style, not to mention that you're not much of an actor."
With his mask's HUD, Midoriya saw the attack coming nearly a full two seconds before Kirishima launched himself forward with a fierce bellow, his arms outstretched on either side of him. He had already fired the shock disc squarely at Eijiro's chest before the hero even opened his mouth, but the third-year fought through the blue-white electricity crackling across his body and continued his charge, his pace slowed but the resolve on his face unwavering. The texture of his entire body had changed, growing sharper and more angular, almost demonic- his opened mouth and spiked teeth looked for all the world like the maw of a ravenous beast, and his eyes were two bright scarlet rubies, shining with anger.
"There's a difference between playing dead and buying time!" He roared, tearing the disc off his chest with bloodied fingers that more resembled claws now than human digits. "Time to become UNBREAKABLE!"
"I've been waiting so eagerly for this," Midoriya replied, unable to hide the tremor of excitement in his voice as he brought his armored fists together and cracked the bruised and aching knuckles on his one remaining flesh-and-blood hand- he even retracted his mask for a brief moment so Kirishima could see his genuine anticipation. "Such a bold application of your quirk- taking your body to the absolute limit. I've been dreaming of this moment for years, ever since I first watched one of your battles on the news- I could hardly think of a more perfect test of my enhancements' abilities." He spread apart his arms, and let out a loud, mirthful chuckle. "Now we can truly begin to fight, with nothing held back! Please, Eijiro, be so kind as to indulge me this favor!"
"…Huh?" His face rapidly shifting from rage to confusion, Red Riot barely had time to let out a single word before Seraph activated the thrusters in his boots at full power and sent himself hurtling forward like a missile, his mask deployed once more and his fists outstretched. The sheer force and momentum of his attack's impact sent them both down onto the windshield, but thankfully the bulletproof glass held fast, and Izuku swiftly pinned his opponent to the hood with both legs. His first blow, a strike to Kirishima's stomach, had produced no visible damage to Red Riot's Unbreakable form aside from simply knocking him back- seems like I'll need to up the power even more, he mused, briefly allowing his mask's display to identity the weakest points in Eijiro's armor before activating the thrusters embedded in his elbows. The barrage of punches that followed were practically high-caliber bullets in terms of force delivered, streaking down in a blur of motion to strike the young hero's side, face, shoulders, neck, and anywhere else that showed even a hint of vulnerability.
Though Kirishima predictably raised his arms in self-defense, Midoriya's strikes were so rapid and precise that they bypassed his guard completely, and any efforts to extricate himself from the pin were rendered futile by the portions of exo-armor covering Izuku's ankles and knees, which were locked in place by the same electromagnets keeping Seraph anchored to the car in the first place. The simultaneous usage of so many abilities was draining his power reserves rapidly, but more than enough remained to see the fight through to the end. Good, that's very good. Still at 58%- no need to rush! I'll have enough time to savor the experience properly. I could still throw him off the car any moment, it's true, but that wouldn't be anywhere nearly as satisfying as this.
"Oh god, keep going, babe!" Toga cried through their personal radio channel, the ecstasy in her voice practically audible- he could hear her muffled shouting through the windshield behind him, and made sure to adjust himself further to the right so she could see the road ahead as he continued to deliver once devastating blow after another. "Please, please make sure there's more blood! Enough for me to drink lots and lots!"
"Of course, darling, as long as you promise to keep an eye on the road. I know this is exhilarating for both of us, but we have to keep moving if we're going to make it out of this."
"Don't worry about me, Spinner taught me how to drive years ago!"
"Spinner learned how to drive from a video game!"
"Eh, what difference does it make if he's good at it? I could keep going with my eyes closed, you just worry about killing him!"
Easier said than done, Midoriya reflected, searching between blows for any signs of cracking. So far, it seemed that Kirishima's ability was still living up to its name, and though the young hero's armor was gradually weakening, so were Seraph's own shock absorbers- the carbon-fiber alloy of his exo-suit was durable, but it could only take so much punishment in a short span of time, especially concentrated in such a small area. The adjustments in power distribution that he'd made after his first blow had largely prevented further damage and dinting, but despite Longshot's genius engineering, the suit's current technology could only compensate so much when he was practically punching solid diamond at full power. Regardless, the shockwaves from each blow have to be dealing some degree of internal damage. He shouldn't be able to hold out for much longer without running the risk of hemorrhaging or organ failure.
"I'd say you've got another five or six punches before you start breaking fingers, Izuku- even on the prosthetic hand. Make 'em count, but don't push yourself too hard, alright? We've got bigger fish to fry than this meathead." The sound of Hatsume's voice in his ear was welcome, and he sighed in relief that she was monitoring the situation- he'd been too preoccupied with Kirishima to contact any backup.
"Good to know that you've been watching," he replied as he punished an attempt by Red Riot to free himself with a lightning-fast strike to the hero's broken wrist, eliciting a cry of pain and anger that set a smile to his face. "If you couldn't tell, it seems that our operation was compromised."
"You don't say," Mei shot back wryly. "I already have some theories about who's behind that, but we can get to that later. For now, you should know that I have Kurogiri here on standby to get you out of there at any moment. Just give me the signal and you'll be gone."
"You know our protocol," Midoriya replied grimly, glancing back down to the battered U.A. third-year pinned beneath him as he drew back for another blow. "We don't take unnecessary risks. If he opened a portal big enough for the car, it's possible that he or the Americans would make it through as well, and I don't particularly feel like dealing with another prisoner- wait until I finish him off first. How are the others faring?"
"They're handling the situation well enough. Don't get distracted, though, keep your focus on Red Riot. Longshot out."
"I have an idea," Seraph declared to his bloodied foe the moment the channel closed, drawing back his fists for the moment- only one or two punches left, according to Hatsume. Best not to risk it. "I've had plenty of time to test my offense against you, but I've been dreadfully greedy, and haven't give you the same chance against me. So please, Eijiro, I want you to hit me as hard as you can. Do you think you can do that for me?"
Given Kirishima's battered state, the answer came sooner than Midoriya had expected; the young hero roared to life beneath him almost instantly, and launched a savage right hook into Seraph's jaw that strained his armor and shock absorbers to their limits, and even went so far as to loosen one of his teeth, filling his mouth with the dull copper taste of blood. He followed up in practically the same moment with a jab to Izuku's side that knocked the wind from him and would've doubtless broken multiple ribs if not for the exo-suit, then wrapped both of his legs around one of Seraph's in a vise-like grip and began to squeeze, Painful though the trio of attacks were, Izuku couldn't help but widen his grin, content in the knowledge that he'd found someone resembling a worthy adversary so quickly among the newest generation of heroes. He's no Kendo Itsuka, but that challenge will come in due to time. No need to be impatient.
"Timing, Izuku!" Another voice barked into his ear, Momo's this time. "This backroad is about to merge on the main street of a town just a few clicks ahead, they're already scrambling the local police to set up roadblocks! Suneater is down, the other team is already back! You need to finish this!"
"Stop playing with your food, is what Pandora wants to say," Longshot butted in, her mischievous tone tinged with a hint of unmistakable urgency. "Besides, he's actually pretty damn strong. Your armor integrity is at 40% and dropping, if you haven't noticed, and I don't think any of us wants to see what those claws of his will do to your skin if the plating fails."
"I'm afraid our time together has come to an end," Izuku declared to the hero beneath him, the smile vanishing his face as he raised his fists to block Eijiro's next two blows with the last of the power in his hands' shock absorbers. Grabbing hold of Red Riot's forearms, Seraph wasted no time firing another shock disc into his skin. As Kirishima writhed in pain and his muscles momentarily slackened amid the webs of electricity, Midoriya wrenched himself free from the hero's leg vise and shot to his feet in one fluid motion, then delivered a devastating, thruster-boosted kick to the hero's already battered face. Already worn and cracked, Eijiro's black face and jaw-guard shattered at the impact. Too dazed to properly resist, Red Riot could only cry out in defiance and anger as Seraph grabbed hold of his ankle, diverted maximum power to the thrusters in his heels, and rocketed into the air with his opponent in tow.
"Let the fuck go!" He bellowed up as they ascended past the Osprey, which ignored them and continued to trail the SUV carrying the hostage Shields, just as Izuku had hoped it would. They passed through a low-hanging cloud and came to a halt on the other side, though his infrared and motion displays meant that Izuku still had a perfect view of everything happening beneath them.
"I will, I just a moment!" Midoriya called down in reply, as he alternated the direction of his thrust and began to spin in midair, using Kirishima's body weight to build up momentum. "I have to say, though, it's been a pleasure, Eijiro! I don't know what your odds of surviving this are, but if do you happen to live, would you do something for me? I hate to be needy, but I have one more favor to ask."
"Burn in hell," Red Riot growled back; they were picking up speed rapidly now, and if the calculations flashing across his holographic display were any indication, to say the force of impact would be devastating was a grave understatement.
"Tell Kacchan I said hello."
At that, Seraph lined up his shot and slung Red Riot downwards like a boulder from a catapult; he watched with satisfaction on his face as the falling hero punched a hole straight through the cloud, then slammed headlong into the Osprey before it had even a shadow of a chance to dodge. At the time it happened too quickly to tell, but later, upon reviewing the footage from his mask's forward cameras, Midoriya came to realize that Kirishima flew into one of the rotors first- once it had chewed itself to pieces on his hardened skin and nearly cleaved him in two in the process, all within the span of half a heartbeat, he continued headlong into the fuselage and engine, which erupted in a bright orange burst of fire and shrapnel before plummeting to the ground, already a flaming wreck.
There was no time to try and ascertain the fallen hero's status- by the time Seraph lighted back down on the car's battle-scarred roof, the flashing sirens of police cars were visible ahead, and the grassy dunes and beachfront were beginning to give way to condos and houses. What delightful timing. Dropping down through the sunroof, he retracted his mask and intertwined the black, bloodstained fingers of one armored hand with Toga's own. The police barricade was scarcely a hundred yards distant when he snapped his fingers, and a towering black-and-purple portal swallowed them whole in the blink of an eye.
"Unsurprisingly, that's the last we've seen of either of them. Hero teams, local police, and military units from both the American bases and the JSDF have been combing the island from top-to-bottom nonstop ever since, but I personally doubt they'll find anything of value."
"Indeed. Given what we know about them, it seems it's not the Syndicate's style to leave so much as a trace of evidence behind when they move locations, and I doubt this was an exception."
A grim silence settled over the conference room as Nighteye and Best Jeanist concluded their presentation, and the last few seconds of grainy footage from a police car's dashcam began to play on loop on the screen behind them, depicting Kirishima's fall, the Osprey crash, and the villains' all-too-timely escape through Kurogiri's warp gate. Immediately following Jeanist's introduction of Strike Team Fenrir's purpose, the two leaders of the task force had launched into a detailed report on the clash that had taken place on Okinawa that morning, complete with accompanying footage from Kadena base security cameras, the Ospreys' black boxes, and a variety of other sources.
At the express order of both the Japanese and American militaries, everything they'd seen and heard was strictly confidential, on a need-to-know basis only; given their task of eradicating the Syndicate, the government had thankfully decided that they qualified for that category. The infiltration of the a military installation under joint Japanese-US administration by the criminals who continued to evade the law after murdering the Symbol of Peace just two weeks prior would be a public relations nightmare for both nations if it reached the media, and naturally a cover-up operation was already in full swing. The more she thought about everything she'd just heard and seen, the more Kendo Itsuka began to grow sick to her stomach, drops of cold sweat running lazily down her brow. If anything, Bakugo looked even worse off, his eyes wide with terror and his mouth hanging ajar. Even from across the table, she could see that he was shaking, Next to him, Mina looked to be holding back tears, while Jiro quietly comforted her. Hagakure had her head in her hands, Kaminari, Juzo and Setsuna were still staring at the screen in shock, and even the usually silent Shoji seemed unnerved. Two seats to her left, Tetsutetsu's eyes had grown dark and his expression inscrutable, his gaze fixed on the wood of the table as the knuckles of his balled fists grew white with exertion. The question that came next was on everyone's minds, but none of the students were brave enough to ask first. It fell to the professionals to speak, beginning with Endeavor, who cleared his throat before turning in his seat to face Jeanist and Nighteye.
"And… what of the heroes' current condition?"
"Suneater is stable, but it's likely the arm and leg are gone permanently- they're too damaged for reattachment. Red Riot's condition is critical- he's still in surgery as we speak, but the prognosis is uncertain. His chances of survival have been fluctuating throughout the day."
"I see."
Enji's tone was measured, and his voice even. His face- like that of every other pro in the room, from Miruko to Mount Lady to Lemillion- didn't betray so much as a hint of emotion, the picture of stoicism. I know it's supposed to be the same for me, for all of us. I know we aren't supposed to let personal attachments play a role in our work, that to do so is dangerous and irresponsible. She tried her best to steady her breathing as she listened, to slow the pounding of her heart and quiet her panicked mind, But I'm just not ready yet. I can't keep calm and pretend it isn't personal. That's the type of hero I need to become, but it's still not who I am. Itsuka closed her eyes in an effort to help calm herself, but instead of blackness she could only see All Might's broken body before her, and they shot back open, wide and worried.
"What are…" Before she knew what was happening Battle Fist finally found herself speaking, though at first her voice was raspy, and she had to pause and clear her throat before she continued. "What are our next steps?"
"Is there any actionable intel that the Americans can offer us?" Added Kamui Woods, leaning forward at the other end of the table. "It was their base that was infiltrated, surely they have more footage than this."
"No, there isn't."Miruko declared, watching Nighteye and Jeanist's expressions- or lack thereof- carefully as she spoke. "At least, not that we know of. If these two had anything big for us, they would've already shared it. We're on our own now, aren't we? Zero leads?"
"That's correct," responded Nighteye, adjusting his glasses. "As far as we can tell, the trail is cold- which is why we sought guidance from someone who's been on the Syndicate's heels far longer than we have."
With a curt gesture, Sir stepped aside from his place before the screen and beckoned Edgeshot forward. Though the Shinobi Hero had been a constant, undisputed presence in the Top Five for as long as Kendo could remember, both Kamihara Shinya's brutal, crippling injuries and the near-complete destruction of the hero and police team he assembled to rescue the captive heroes from Osaka had hardly been mentioned by the media amid the chaos that followed the Black Day. Most news channels and dailies stuck with flashier headlines, providing constant coverage of All Might and the circumstances of his death, Hawks and his now dubious postmortem allegiances, and the devastation dealt the Tokyo Police Department. Even Battle Fist herself received more coverage than Edgeshot's team, as dozens of talking heads on television and opinion columnists in the newspapers speculated about how exactly she would take up her predecessor's mantle amid such a bleak backdrop. The tabloids had their field day as well, of course, eagerly publishing reports on a variety of scandalous topics ranging from her alleged pregnancy- Tetsutetsu and Mirio were put forward as the potential candidates for the father- to critiques of her fashion choices and speculation that she was secretly an Endeavor fangirl. More than once over the past two-odd weeks she'd feverishly leafed through convenience-store magazines to make sure that none of them made mention of her drunken tryst with Bakugo, but thankfully it seemed that Katsuki, Miruko, and Yui had all managed to keep quiet.
Amid the media frenzy and her own despondency, it had taken Kendo several days to even hear about the fate of the Osaka team, once the school reopened after a three-day period of mourning and she worked up the courage to start reading the news again. Lured to a Syndicate base that had already been abandoned ahead of time in the hopes of saving Todoroki and Uraraka from captivity, they'd been taken unawares by a bomb that somehow fooled the initial satellite explosives sweep. Tiger, Death Arms, and a dozen police officers had been killed instantly; only Edgeshot and Mandalay had escaped by leaping out a window, though the shrapnel had still severely injured them. Rendered unconscious by their wounds and the shockwave, they fell nearly one hundred stories, and had only been saved from certain death by a bystander with an air repulsion quirk. Though his actions slowed them down significantly, the civilian still hadn't been able to stop the two heroes from hitting the pavement; along with numerous second and third-degree burns along his back, Shinya suffered a broken spine, one shattered leg, a punctured lung, and a pulverized ribcage, in addition to the piece of rebar that had mangled his stomach and liver. He would likely never walk again without the assistance of bionic implants, and had placed an indefinite leave of absence on his hero career.
With most of her body shielded by Kamihara, Mandalay didn't suffer nearly as many broken bones or ruptured organs as the Shinobi Hero, but despite Edgeshot's efforts, Shino Sasaki had sustained a severe concussion when her head jostled out of Shinya's arms and slammed into the pavement at the last moment. Though she'd woken up several days later from a medically induced coma once surgeons had controlled the swelling of her brain, she began to suffer from severe episodes of amnesia, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating shortly afterward. Due to its heavy dependence on her cognitive state, she quickly lost the ability to control her quirk, Telepath, and as far as Itsuka was aware, she was still in the hospital, her hero license placed on standby until further notice.
Though he still wore his mask and much of his costume, even when bound in a wheelchair, Edgeshot had given up on the elaborate, angular styling of his silver-grey hair, and kept it tied up in a simple ponytail. As he wheeled himself to the front of the room, Kendo searched his face, and felt her heart sink even further- though what little of his expression was visible above his shinobi mask certainly looked calm, she could see a glimmer of guilt and regret flash across his eyes in the instant before he turned and began to speak. After giving the assembled heroes and interns a brief overview of the six months he spent trailing the group of villains that would later reveal itself to be the Syndicate, along with their modus operandi and usual tactics, he returned to the situation in Okinawa, his eyes growing grim as he glanced back to the screen behind him and used a remote to scroll back to the footage from one of the base's internal security cameras, pausing at the moment when Carmilla and Chaudron- both using Metamorphosis- emerged from a bathroom alongside Synapse, Twice, and Mr. Compress, all disguised in Japanese military uniforms.
"Though their objective was bolder this time than in the past," Kamihara explained, "their methodology was practically the same as usual, with the exception, of course, of the Black Day. An operation focused on stealth and intelligence gathering, making plentiful use of Toga and Twice's quirks for deception and maximum mobility. If Suneater hadn't realized late last night that Colonel Ishimata's brief 'blackout' and mysterious puncture wound were consistent with accounts from many of Carmilla's prior victims, and acted on his hunch by informing local authorities, then it's entirely likely that the Syndicate would have escaped with Doctor Shield and his daughter without anyone the wiser. We might not have realized for hours."
"But they did still escape with them," snapped Bakugo, "and we don't even have any leads to show for it! Not only that, but two heroes, including my best friend, were almost killed!" His voice was steadily rising, full of anger and pain. All at once he stood from his seat, and slammed his palms down on the table- Ashido and Kaminari both made motions to try and calm him down, but he didn't so much as spare a glance in their direction. "Hell, he might still die! So don't say we're better off for having caught them in the act, because I sure as fuck wish we hadn't! Jeanist, you want us to think about a course of action? Well here's one for you: We go down to Okinawa and visit the scene, tear the whole island apart and see if there's anything the others missed- I'm sure that moron Deku left something behind. We visit the wounded and interview them for potential info. We get ahead of this before it gets out to the press, and-"
"That's enough, Ground Zero." Best Jeanist declared, in a tone that silenced even Bakugo in a heartbeat. "I appreciate your concern for Red Riot, but there are other factors we have to take into account before deciding the first thing about what our next move is. I'd also ask you to take a look around the table- you might notice that you're not the only one who in this room who has suffered personally at the hands of the Syndicate. Do you see them interrupting our meeting with emotional outbursts, as you have?"
Kendo was keenly aware that most of the eyes in the room were evenly split between herself, Tetsutetsu, and Endeavor, who thus far remained focused and rational despite his son's imprisonment. The more she thought about it, though, the more Enji's inclusion on the strike team seemed like a backdoors compromise between his agency and the government- a seat at the table in exchange for an end to his personally funded search-and-rescue efforts, which were bordering dangerously close to pure vigilantism. After a moment of silence from his intern, Tsungu nodded, his point proven.
"Exactly. I certainly hope that you've been continuing your regimen of empathy and self-discipline exercises, as we discussed- I would hate to be forced to remove you from this team before our first assignment. Tell me, Ground Zero, do you believe that you have been emotionally compromised by the core premise of our mission? Are you incapable of handling assignments involving the Syndicate from an objective and unbiased perspective?"
"…No," Katsuki managed, his cheeks flushed bright red in embarrassment, an emotion Itsuka wasn't sure she'd ever seen him display before. "No, I'm not emotionally compromised."
Hell, I didn't think he was even capable of feeling shame. Well… aside from that one time. Point still stands.
"I'm glad to hear that. So, why are you still standing?"
Bakugo practically leapt back into his seat after that, his cheeks still scarlet as Endeavor let out a low chuckle and Tetsutetsu gave him a glance that was torn between sympathy and resentment. The two had never gotten along, largely due to Real Steel's close relationship with Kendo, but their mutual friendship with Kirishima was the one thing that they stood a chance to bond over.
"My most sincere apologies for my intern's conduct." Hakamata offered, with a low bow to the rest of the room. A moment later, a spark of realization flashed across Katsuki's face, and he quickly bolted to his feet and offered hasty apologies of his own, bobbing up and down like a trained parrot as he gritted out the words in monotone. The sight was so comical that Kendo couldn't stifle a brief snort of her own, earning herself a withering death glare from across the table when Bakugo sat back down- she responded with a simple shrug and one raised eyebrow. '2.5/10,' she typed out with one hand, making sure to keep her phone well out of sight beneath the table. 'You can do better than that. Bow wasn't low enough, apology needs more gusto.' Nighteye began to speak the moment she pressed 'send', and her phone was back in its pocket just as quickly, her full attention on Sir. The only sign that her text had been received and read came some moments later, when Katsuki's eyes darted briefly beneath the lip of the table before his brows furrowed together in silent fury. Her phone buzzed faintly with a reply, but she let it be for now, unwilling to risk a ribbing of her own.
"Consider your apology accepted," Nighteye was saying, "conditionally. I understand, that you, like many of those present, are still a student. Certain exceptions and allowances must surely be made in order to ensure that the next generation of heroes is prepared when their moment arrives. By the time of our next meeting, however, you will no longer have the shield of U.A. to hide behind when it comes to your own inexperience. You will be fledgling professionals, on the verge of attaining your full licenses, with complete autonomy as to how you operate. If, after such a transition, anyone in this room continues to make clear with their behavior their unsuitability for the task we've been given, removal from the strike team will likely be the response. You are all adults, and the enemies we face are murderers and terrorists. Dozens have died at their hands already, and should capture fail to be an option, we have government approval to employ lethal force in specific circumstances. There is no room anywhere on this team for childish emotion or thoughts of petty revenge. So all of you, not just Ground Zero- consider this your first and only warning."
"Yes, sir!" The interns at the table cried in unison- Denki and Mina in particular looked scared shitless, but after over a year interning with Nighteye, Itsuka had long since grown accustomed to the intimidating rhetoric he used to scare newcomers straight. From there, Edgeshot took back over.
"To address your concerns, Ground Zero, while I am not a full member of this task force, in my advisory capacity I believe that I am within my bounds to say that we are far better off for the sacrifices Suneater and Red Riot made in their attempt to apprehend the members spotted on Okinawa. After disrupting their typical M.O. with the targeted, high-profile attacks made on the Black Day, it seems clear that they sought to evade a drawn-out struggle against the full might of the country's heroes by going to ground, and returning to their old, stealth-based tactics, in order to continue building up their resources and infrastructure in the wake of their successes. Who knows whether they carried out any other operations in the meantime before Suneater and Red Riot flushed them out? Despite the fact that they succeeded in their main objective, it's clear that we delivered a major, disruptive blow to their plans. They were forced to flee Okinawa ahead of their schedule, and we were given a further taste of their combat and support capabilities. If we continue pushing them to their limits whenever we can, I assure you that we will find their breaking point sooner or later. Aside from that, any data we can gather on Midoriya Izuku and the extent of his support items' abilities will continue to prove valuable; as their leader, if we could eliminate him, it's possible their chain of command could crumble, but we can't do that if we don't know how to fight him.
Most importantly, however, by waiting to make their move until the Syndicate had infiltrated Kadena, Suneater and Red Riot forced them to kill six American soldiers in order to escape. While the wheels of bureaucracy move slowly, this isn't something that their generals or politicians can ignore- it ensures that our government is not alone in the fight against them, and could open the door for potential coordination with American heroes in the future, should the negotiations be handled properly. That door remains closed for the time being, though, and we obviously can't afford to rest on our laurels. I strongly recommend taking action before the Syndicate has time to recover from this blow, and have been discussing several potential operations with Nighteye and Best Jeanist."
Best Jeanist handled the transition seamlessly, and transferred the image on the screen to a personnel roster of Strike Force Fenrir with a wave of his hand. "Given the size of this task force and our need to keep our activities low-profile for the time being in order not to alert to Syndicate to our existence, carrying out operations as one coordinated group might pose several logistical difficulties. As such, we will be dividing into three separate units until further notice, as far as field missions are concerned. We have taken potential quirk synergy into account, as well as your own personal styles, specializations, and relationships. Interns, keep in mind that you may not necessarily be paired with your current partners or supervisors- the professionals in the room are well aware of the dangers of becoming overly comfortable fighting in a specific style, with specific allies. The combat situations you encounter in the future will rarely be predictable, and you need to be prepared to think and act outside your comfort zones. Given Sir Nighteye's timely speech on discipline, it should go without saying that I expect no complaints about the makeup of the units."
Oh god, please, no. Kendo immediately felt a pit of despair open up in her stomach at the last comment, and her eyes flashed to Nighteye Sir, you wouldn't do that to me, would you? When he finally met her panicked gaze, he seemed confused for half a moment, then cracked the briefest, wryest, most shit-eating grin she'd ever seen anyone manage, his eyes gleaming mischievously behind his glasses before glazing over once more with their usual inscrutable lack of expression. And although he hid it one hand as if it were a cough, Itsuka would later swear up and down to Kyoka that he genuinely laughed in that fleeting moment, a subtle chuckle that only she seemed to notice, along with the grin, of course. Oh god, you really would, she realized all at once, struggling to come to terms with her inevitable fate as Jeanist began to read out the rosters.
"Assigned to Unit Alpha, led by myself: Lemillion, Mount Lady, Earphone Jack, and Alien Queen. Assigned to Unit Beta, led by Sir Nighteye: Endeavor, Mudslide, Chargebolt, Reptilia, and Lightwave. And assigned to Unit Gamma, led by Miruko…"
God fucking dammit.
"Kamui Woods, Real Steel, Tentacole, Battle Fist, and Ground Zero."
Just as she'd predicted, Bakugo looked ready to blow a hole straight through the table at the announcement of the third unit, but with his previous humiliation in mind, he sufficed for a few choice words muttered under his breath as they moved on, and Nighteye began to speak.
"One of the greatest strengths of splitting our numbers on the field is that we can now cover thrice as much ground in the same amount time- as such, each unit will have its own objective and mission parameters for our first major set of operations, which will take place next week, beginning the day following U.A.'s graduation ceremonies. When we analyze the available data about our enemy's capabilities in comparison to previous organized villain groups, one of the first attributes that stands out is their sheer wealth. Where by all accounts it seems that the League was barely scraping by in its final months, the Syndicate has access to state-of-the-art technology and weaponry, with no visible gaps or weaknesses in their infrastructure."
Here several pictures grabbed from the dash and helmet cams of police officers over the course of their encounters with the Syndicate flashed across the screen, highlighting in particular the group's high-tech armaments. Kendo grimaced at a zoomed-in shot of the Hatsume clone Miruko had dispatched at Niigata, gliding around with her rocket boots and holographic mask as she unloaded her rifle in Jiro's direction.
"It's not unsurprising given Pandora's quirk that they would be able to accumulate massive amounts of money, but it is our suspicion that aside from Yaoyorozu, one of the Syndicate's primary sources of funding is likely the sale of Longshot's weapons and support items on the black market, given the gradual rise of high quality items from mystery suppliers seized by police over the past two years. As such, Unit Alpha is tasked with investigation and sting operation on a suspected hub of black market dealings in Chiba. Even if we can't directly trace Hatsume's items back to a seller or point of origin, if we put ourselves in contact with some of the other dealers she's put out of business, they might be willing to point us in the right direction in exchange for government pardons."
Lemillion and Mount Lady nodded in approval, and to Itsuka's left, Mina and Kyoka high-fived each other enthusiastically at the prospect of working together, grinning widely- Jiro's expression turned to one of sympathy when she looked over at Kendo, however, and the two shared a brief laugh together before Sir picked up where he had left off.
"While Best Jeanist's team uses what we know of Longshot and her skills to our advantage, my own Unit Beta will be dealing with another known entity, one I'm quite familiar with- Overhaul and the Eight Precepts. As Lemillion and the others in this room who took part know well, after a successful raid on Chisaki Kai's Trigger-manufacturing compound two years ago, my team was able to cripple his group's infrastructure, capture multiple high-ranking lieutenants, and rescue the girl known as Eri, the source for the quirk-erasing bullets at the center of his future plans. I've managed to keep him on the run ever since, but due to my reluctance to confront his forces without first securing a decisive tactical advantage, it seems that I may have inadvertently driven him into Seraph's arms.
Unit B will redress that mistake, by seeking out, surveilling, and if necessary apprehending individuals and groups with suspected ties to the Yakuza or other organized criminal networks, current or former. The Eight Precepts are a well-equipped group, but they're not quite as methodical or as cautious as their new allies; the trail leading to Overhaul is out there waiting for us to uncover it, and if we find Chisaki, we find Midoriya. We have authorization to offer full pardons or reduced sentences to any criminals who will cooperate in pointing us towards the Precepts' current whereabouts. Seventy percent of criminal records in and around Tokyo are still in the process of being recovered from scratch after the Syndicate's virus wiped out the drives and backups on the Black Day, but the servers in the Tri-City region are largely intact; we'll be operating primarily in Kobe, Kyoto, and Osaka."
At the table's other end, Endeavor made a grunt that sounded something like approval, while beside him Juzo stared wide-eyed at his new partner. Slicking back his bright gold-yellow bangs with one hand, Kaminari leaned over in Tokage's direction and held out the other in greeting, an all-too confident grin on his face.
"Hey there, I don't think we've talked too much before. You free to grab lunch and discuss combat tactics anytime soon? I could probably show you some tricks of mine."
"Uhh… well…" Setsuna glanced in Itsuka's direction with 'Help me' written across her face, and was rescued a few moments later when Toru landed wrapped an invisible hand around Denki's hair and pulled his head back towards the front of the room, where Sir was waiting to continue with his arms crossed and one eyebrow raised.
Alright, time to find out what I'm gonna be up to. Hopefully it's something that involves lots of silence, the less I have to interact with Bakugo the saner I'll be at the end of all this.
"Unit Gamma's assignment is relatively unique in comparison to the other two. One of the most problematic aspects of dealing with a villain group comprised largely of former students is the networks of connections they leave behind to law-abiding citizens, especially with regard to their families. Yaoyorozu, Hatsume, Shinso, Midoriya, Monoma, Tokyoami- they all have parents, and several of them siblings as well. Following the Black Day, these families were the targets of suspicion and vitriol, their names smeared by tabloids and their reputations tarnished as a consequence of their blood ties to the villains who robbed the nation of its Symbol of Peace and new top hero. Many of the parents have either seen their employment terminated for vague pretenses or decided to quit on their own to avoid being ostracized at the workplace, and the Yaoyorozu clan in particular are already beginning proceedings to sue a number of media outlets for libel against their name. And while it is true that recent developments have given authorities reason to suspect that particular family of past, unrelated criminal activity, thorough police investigations have produced no evidence that any Syndicate member's parents or siblings were aware of their turn to villainy or of their whereabouts over the past two years. Government and hero investigators alike are confident in their innocence."
Battle Fist felt her eyes dropping to the table and her heart growing heavy as she thought back to the sensationalist headlines and widespread disdain that Nighteye spoke of. Syndicate family members had seen their houses egged and covered in graffiti in the short while before they were placed under police protection in the aftermath of the Black Day, and more than one of them had been assaulted on the street during that same period, with Hitoshi Shinso's father in particular suffering a number of injuries at the hands of a mob of Hawks-supporters. Even after police and hero patrols were set up around the families' homes, protestors continued to gather on the streets outside, especially in the case of the Yaoyorozu clan, who were doubly under fire after their leaked connections to organized crime. On a nearly daily basis, the tabloids accused someone new among the families of having been aware of their child's descent to villainy along- one day it was Tokoyami's parents, the next Monoma's, the next Hatsume's. Neito's younger sister had been forced to drop out of her elementary school after a spike in bullying incidents, as had Hatsume's younger brother.
By far the most heartbreaking, though, was the case of Midoriya Inko, who had received the largest and cruelest share of anger given her son's position as the Syndicate's leader and his leading role in All Might's death. Harassed by the press and laid off from her job after a conveniently timed period of 'downsizing', she had been rescued by the officers guarding her apartment following a suicide attempt a week after the Black Day. The pictures of her bloodstained bathtub that had made the rounds on the internet despite the government's attempt to take them down still made Kendo sick to her stomach whenever they drifted to the front of her mind; after a second attempt involving sleeping pills, she had been moved to a hospital and placed under tight surveillance. More than once it had crossed Itsuka's mind to visit her, to try and comfort her and learn something about Izuku in the process, but the more she thought about it the more everything about the prospect terrified her. What the hell would I say? What the hell could I say? Sir's voice pulled her back to reality before she could produce an answer.
"Given the fact that the Syndicate seem to have infiltrated the security systems of both U.A. and the Tokyo Police Department with little difficulty, it stands to reason that they are likely aware of their families' situations and the specifics of their security details. Jeanist, Edgeshot and I have therefore deemed it necessary to take the safety of the so-called 'Syndicate families' into our own hands. Unit Gamma will escort these families to a series of three safehouses throughout the region, and take steps to ensure that their locations won't be discovered or leaked. We aren't so naïve as to think that the villains won't notice the sudden disappearance of their parents and siblings, though; at the same time, we'll be using a variety of channels at both U.A. and the police department to leak false information regarding the families' destinations. Once you relocate them, you'll be on standby at these fake safehouses to watch for any Syndicate member presence, and to intercept and engage them if need be. Are everyone's assignments understood?"
"Yes, sir." They responded as one, even Bakugo, and Kendo understood at once why they'd been placed on the same unit. We're the likeliest unit to directly engage Syndicate members- that's why the two strongest interns are together, along with Miruko, the strongest of the three team leaders as far as hand-to-hand combat goes.
"We're going to break into three separate rooms in order for each unit to discuss their respective missions in greater detail," declared Jeanist, but before that, there are several sensitive items I need to address while all the interns are still present. Namely, the fact that beginning tomorrow the position of 'hero intern' will likely cease to exist."
The students in the room exchanged a confused glance as Tsunagu continued, his tone grim.
"After the severe injuries sustained by Hawks' interns Gale Force and Cellophane on the Black Day, it didn't take long for politicians to start raising the idea of banning internships altogether behind closed doors, in the name of ensuring student safety. Many heroes with connections in the government, myself included, pushed back on this initiative, lobbying for the benefits that such experiences provide, and arguing that all heroes, students included, understand the risk that their profession entails- I personally consider it disrespectful and dangerous to deny willing young heroes the same right to risk their lives for the greater good that we expect of them immediately after graduation. Today's incident on Okinawa, however, was the last straw.
Tomorrow morning, the Ministry of Education will announce an indefinite ban on all internship-based hero activity for students still enrolled in secondary education. Luckily, all of you here are days away from graduation, and our plans won't require adjustments, but I thought it prudent that you be informed of the development regardless. This is far from the only wide-reaching measure being discussed right now here in the capital- to speak frankly, the Syndicate and what they've accomplished have many politicians terrified, calling for heightened surveillance and national security measures. The situation is still fluid, and we'll keep you appraised as often as we're able, but the longer the Syndicate remains at large, the greater the chance that more restrictions will be enacted out of fear."
If the mood in the room had been somber before, it slid even further now towards melancholy and dismay, as expressions of shock rippled around the group of interns.
"That can't be right!" Protested Mina, who by now looked and sounded calmer than Itsuka might have expected, given how close her relationship with Eijiro had been growing over the past few weeks. "I mean, I understand if they want to put some restrictions in place after what happened to Ei- to Red Riot, but wouldn't a blanket ban do more harm than good? What about all the interns at U.A. who aren't about to graduate? It's just over for them, like that?"
"Yeah," piped in Denki, "with all due respect, it seems to me that this approach is a bit short-sighted on the government's part. It's a knee-jerk reaction that further erodes public faith in the hero system, and reduces the already low level of confidence people have in hero schools to keep their students safe. I'd personally say this stands to have a much stronger detrimental effect in the long term than a few high-profile injuries in the line of duty. It's like we're throwing in a towel and admitting they have us beat."
Silence reigned for a long moment after that, as the interns' shock at Jeanist's news rapidly turned to shock that Kaminari had contributed something thoughtful and intelligent to the discussion. Beside Kendo, Mount Lady let out a chuckle, and cast a proud glance in her pupil's direction.
"Don't you kids go acting all surprised, he has his moments- occasionally, that is."
"I think hell just froze over," Jiro muttered under her breath, prompting a rare nod of agreement from Bakugo.
"It happens," quipped Hagakure. "I mean, we still haven't found a way to stop him from quoting random books while we're on missions. Lately he's been going through another Hemingway phase."
"Sometimes it just fits with the moment!" Chargebolt protested, though once again he was cut off and cowed by a fierce glare from Nighteye.
"Your enthusiasm is appreciated, and I happen to agree with most of your arguments, but this isn't a debate or a discussion. The fact of the matter is that the ban will go into effect regardless of what we think, or which approach is wisest. Nothing can change that now- all that remains is to decide where to go from here."
"Still," growled Endeavor, "the boy has a point. The government's course of action has proven consistently disappointing, since the day Shoto was taken from me. The formation of this task force is a step in the right direction, but whether they'll follow through in giving us the free reign we need is another question."
"Since the day Shoto and Ochako were taken from us," countered Lemillion, his tone even and measured, "it seems to me that our superiors have been doing everything in their power to bring the Syndicate and the Eight Precepts to justice. It's not like condoning vigilantism was ever on the table- they have to set the standard for order for every hero in the country. I don't agree with the internship ban either-" here he gave Honenuki and Setsuna a sympathetic glance- "but if they think that's what's best to calm the situation down, it's our duty to trust them and follow through. Complaining won't help anyone. It's likely that they'll retract the ban in due time, once we do our job and take down the Syndicate."
"What the boy wonder is trying to say," interjected Miruko, "is quit bitching and start contributing to the team. That's the bottom line. You want to get your son back, I get that. We all do. The faster we stop pointing fingers and start hunting these assholes down, the faster that happens. So work with us, okay?"
"I believe we're all in agreement here," Jeanist declared authoritatively, before Enji could muster a retort. "We all understand each other. Belaboring that point yields no benefit. Now if there are no further comments, we'll begin the unit briefings. Report to the following rooms, based on your assignments."
As they all stood and began to split into three separate directions, Tokage shot Kendo a panicked look, and her phone buzzed with another message.
TS: wait, how late is this supposed to go?! It's past ten already, we have finals tomorrow morning!"
Battle Fist could only return Reptilia's glance and shrug in reponse, though her expression quickly turned to a frown as she finally began to read through the rather charming string of insults Katsuki had sent her earlier.
This is going to be a long assignment, isn't it?
It was well past midnight by the time Kendo slid stealthily back into her room, doing her best to remain absolutely silent as she eased the key from the lock and nudged the door shut behind her. A brief inspection of the kitchen and lounge confirmed that Kodai was passed out on the couch, snoring gently with the remote still grasped in one hand. A polite 'Are you still there?' message was displayed across the TV screen as a baking competition show played behind it, but aside from the faint noise of shouting competitors, the room was quiet and still. No mysterious grey envelope awaited her on the floor or kitchen table, but despite that fact, she couldn't shake the vague sense of anxiety knowing at the back of her mind as she took a seat next to Yui with a sigh. Why am I almost disappointed that there's nothing here? She found herself wondering, as she glanced back over at her roommate. By the look of it, Kodai had been training at the gym all evening- a towel draped beneath her, she was still dressed in a baggy white t-shirt and exercise shorts, her hair done-up in a ponytail and her clothing damp with sweat. As usual, the look on her face was utterly serene, devoid of any emotion either positive or negative.
It can't have been you, right?
The one possibility that Aizawa had discounted in naming his eleven suspects for the placement of the letter was the one other person who had unrestricted access to Kendo's room; whether he'd excluded her out of respect for her friendship with Itsuka or because he genuinely didn't view her as a threat was unclear. To be fair, the possibility hadn't even occurred to her until the next morning, and she still had a hard time even considering it as a potential solution. After all, if there truly was a traitor, surely a motive was essential. And what motive could Yui possibly have? She has a stable, wealthy, family, good grades, a strong quirk. She's one of my best friends. The entire situation only grew more complex and confusing when she attempted to apply the same principle to the others. Ibara? Absolutely impossible, she'd drown herself in holy water before even thinking about committing an evil deed. Kuroiro? He pretends to be a nihilist, but I know deep down he cares about all of us, and he was a massive Hawks fan to boot. Pony? Shishida? Ochako? Her head began to swim with all the possibilities, and she screwed her eyes shut in frustration, cradling her head in both hands.
'The Big Sister of the Hero Course,' they called her, and for three years she'd embraced that role with pride. Now, the possibility than one of the people who felt for all the world like her little siblings was actively working for the Syndicate made Kendo sick to her stomach. If we begin to suspect each other it's all over, she knew, but what other choice do I have? Itsuka was all too aware that of the ten interns who had recruited to Strike Team Fenrir, at least three were already suspects- Kaminari and Tokage by the fact that they'd passed by her room, and Hagakure by virtue of her quirk. Nightmare scenarios of infiltration from within flashed briefly through her head, of Nighteye and Jeanist and Miruko lying dead on the ground because she'd stood by and watched while a traitor played the task force like a fiddle.
"You're back late. Is everything okay?"
Doubtless woken by the aura of worry and dismay Kendo was projecting like a furnace, Kodai had propped herself up on a pillow, watching her roommate with curious eyes.
"Yeah," Kendo forced herself to chuckle, glancing down at the clock on her phone as she gently took hold of the remote and turned off the TV. "Less than eight hours til the practical finals start. Looks like someone hit the gym hard- forget to shower afterward?"
"The hot water was off for repairs for a few hours," Yui protested, matter-of-factly. "And you know how freezing the cold water here gets."
"Yeah. Yeah, I do." A wistful smile spread across Itsuka's face as she glanced around the quiet room. "Last night ever before an exam, huh? That's a trip."
"And you didn't even study," Kodai teased, stretching as she rose to her feet and threw her towel around her shoulders. "Too busy with your secret meeting, huh? What was that all about?"
"Well, long story short, let's just say there's-" Battle Fist caught herself midsentence, and fell silent halfway back to her bedroom. Two days ago, her roommate's casual inquiry would have been just that, an innocent question. Now, Kendo couldn't help but scrutinize it in a new light, regardless of what the intent may or may not have been. "I… don't think I'm allowed to say. Sorry."
"No worries, I get it." Shrugging off her t-shirt and unfastening her sports bra as she made for the shower, Yui, lingered at the bathroom door, and gave her one last vague hint of a smile. "Well, I'm sure I'll probably hear about it sooner or later. Sleep well, Itsuka."
Sleep didn't come easy to Kendo that night. After tossing and turning for hours amid a sticky mess of sweaty sheets, she was awoken by the loud blaring of her alarm what felt like mere moments after she finally faded into blissful unconsciousness. This has to be wrong, she thought in a daze, as she blinked through bleary eyes to stare down the numbers on the clock: the time was 4:07 AM, not 7:15 like her alarm was set for. It took her another few moments of groggy confusion to realize that the sound was coming from her phone, not the clock- she twisted around in bed and snatched it off the charger, swearing under her breath. I swear, if I accidentally set some stupid alarm for four in the goddamn morning…
The notification on the screen quickly disavowed her of that notion, though; the text was from Vlad King, the principal, and seemed to be addressed to all of class 3-B.
'URGENT: REPORT TO GROUND BETA IMMEDIATELY FOR YOUR FINAL EXAM. ANY STUDENTS NOT PRESENT BY 4:30 AM WILL BE FAILED AUTOMATICALLY.'
"Oh, shit."
Five minutes later, the hero dorm common areas were a scene of absolute chaos, as students darted back and forth with their costumes half-on and looks of panic in their eyes. Bedhead was rampant, the fridge and pantry were being ransacked for anything resembling a quick snack, and 'what the fuck' was by far the most commonly repeated phrase Kendo heard as she and her classmates attempted to process the sudden development. A quick glance across the skybridge proved that Class A was going through the same experience, with Bakugo's loud shouts of anger and Ashido's wails of protest faintly audible even over the sounds of Class B panicking.
It was true that U.A.'s third-year final hero exams had always been a source of mystery; while the practical finals in preceding years had all been relatively straightforward solo or partner-based exercises against the teachers, the format of the third-year final was rumored to be slightly more creative- or at least, that was how Nejire had described it. On top of that, the details changed every year, with alumni honor-bound to secrecy about their own experiences. The one constant seemed to be a sharp uptick in difficulty compared with previous semesters, and given recent developments, Kendo hardly had reason to hope that this year would be an exception.
"I still feel like I must be dreaming," Juzo muttered, rubbing the sleep from his eyes with one hand before he poured the rest of a bowl of cereal into his mouth with the other. "This is some hell of a graduation present, huh? And after just three hours of sleep, too…"
"They told me it'd be creative," Kendo sighed in between gulps of electrolyte water as she watched the toaster, "but I feel like this is more on the sadistic side. I can see the usefulness of being ready to go at any hour, but…"
"But they had to know we were out late last night," Protested Setsuna, her voice somewhat slurred by the protein bar she was chewing on. Her waves of dark green hair were a mess of tangles, and even behind her scaly green domino mask, the edges of bright purple circles were still visible beneath her tired eyes. "I swear, it's like they were targeting us specifically! I always say the early bird gets the worm, but this is overkill…"
Itsuka nodded solemnly in agreement as she snatched out her toast the moment it was ready, popped half the slice into her mouth, then cracked a raw egg with a gentle quirk-enhanced tap of her index finger and poured the contents in on top of the bread, chewing and swallowing the mix in the span of a second. If there was one thing All Might and Gran Torino had both taught her over the course of her time with them, it was how to maintain a high-protein, high-carb diet with maximum efficiency.
"Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if the four of us were…" Then she narrowed her eyes, and glanced around the kitchen and common room. "Wait, where's Tetsu?"
"He wasn't in his room this morning," called Yosetsu, Real Steel's roommate. "The door was open, but his bed was empty."
"Alright, everyone line up, roll call!" Kendo called, glancing over at the oven clock- 4:16 AM. Fourteen minutes left. We all need to leave within two to make sure we have enough time to get to Ground Beta. Everyone in the class followed her command without question, though, even as most of them finished eating or fastening the straps of their costumes- it took her only a moment's glance to tell who wasn't present.
"Okay, we're missing Tetsutetsu, Kuroiro, and… Kodai." She finished on a hesitant note, trying her best not to outwardly display her confusion and dismay. It was true that she hadn't seen or heard Yui in the room as she was getting ready, but Itsuka had simply assumed that she'd left before her. What the hell is going on? Is this all part of the final?
"Shihai wasn't in his room either!" Volunteered Kamakiri, Vantablack's roommate.
"Well, we have to go assumption that there's a reason the three of them aren't here." Declared Battle Fist after a moment's contemplation, marching forward and snatching a banana out of the communal fruit bowl. "Come on, grab whatever food you can carry- we need to get moving. No way in hell are we gonna let Class A get there first."
As it turned out, there wouldn't be an inter-class race after all; though they both emerged from their respective dorms into the pre-morning darkness almost simultaneously, Class A took a sharp turn to the right while their counterparts veered to the left. Unsurprisingly, Bakugo lingered behind long enough to fling a few choice insults in Kendo's direction when he caught sight of her, but there was no time to discuss the situation with them. Itsuka's anxiety only grew, though, when she briefly searched for Kyoka among their number and failed to spot her.
"Lady Kendo, we must hurry!" The sound of Shishida's voice behind her dragged her back to reality- most of Class B had already begun to steadily break into a jog toward the training grounds. "We mustn't risk tardiness!"
"You got that right!" She called back in reply, stretching briefly before joining the others.
Focus on the task at hand, Battle Fist told herself, shooting her classmates a confident smile as she quickly caught up and took the lead. Trust your friends, and trust the school. That's all you can do. I'm sure this is all according to some insane plan.
They'd worked up a healthy sweat by the time they arrived at the training grounds four minutes later, at precisely 4:22 AM.
"You could've done better," Aizawa declared dryly, snapping shut his stopwatch as he gazed at them with an expression full of his trademark impatience.
"Wha… we were eight minutes early!" Setsuna held her phone up as proof, her faced painted with confusion.
"Do you always measure yourself from the bare minimum standard, Reptilia? Getting here before 4:30 was the cutoff for failing, not the benchmark for success. I gave you twenty-three minutes, and you got here in fifteen. A pro could've made it in five. So as far as I'm concerned, you're all ten minutes late, not eight minutes early. In fact, I only wanted to give you ten total, so count yourselves lucky that Vlad King is more merciful than me."
"Understood!" Kendo shouted in reply, snapping to attention in a gesture that the others quickly mimicked. "Forgive us for our tardiness, sir!"
"That's better." Eraserhead yawned, cracked his neck, then raised his finger in in their general direction. "Alright, first two teams: Jack Mantis, Battle Fist and Dragon Shroud against Mudslide, Airshifter, and Poltergeist."
"Whoa!" Yosetsu cried, his eyes wide. "So is this a straight-up versus match, like we did in the scrimmages a while back?"
"Does it have anything to do with the students who aren't with us?" Asked Shiozaki, her face the picture of worry.
"You'll find out when it's your turn," Aiazawa shot back, a frown crossing his stubble-ridden features. "If you haven't figured it out already, this final is a test of your abilities to improvise and think on your feet, outside your comfort zone. You won't be told the rules until you're about to begin, and we won't be broadcasting the matches for you to watch, so I'd better not hear any more questions. Teams One and Two, on me."
Kendo nodded amicably to Kamakiri and Rin as they stepped forward together and followed Eraserhead through the entrance, Juzo's team trailing slightly behind them. Though she was well aware of their skill, to be honest, Togaru and Hiryu were two of the Class B students Itsuka interacted with the least. Jack Mantis, with his versatile melee quirk Razor Sharp, had an aggressive and competitive personality, though still somewhat tame in comparison to Ground Zero's. A former intern at Gunhead's hero agency alongside Shishikura Seiji, an alumnus of Shiketsu, he'd been robbed of his mentor by Longshot on the Black Day, and though Kendo had tried to speak to him about it some time afterward, he'd rebuffed her attempt, declaring that he preferred to 'deal with this sort of thing alone'. At U.A., he typically hung around Kuroiro and Reiko; on occasion they allowed Tokage into their circle, a group that Setsuna had long since dubbed the 'Triumvirate of Edge'. Often as not, though, he seemed to prefer solitude.
Dragon Shroud, one of Class B's two foreign students, was a bit more social by comparison, well-studied but generally quiet. He had his own group in the form of Kaibara, Shishida, Tsuburaba, and Yosetsu, with Shiozaki drifting in and out based on her prayer schedule; Tetsutetsu occasionally tagged along as well when they hit the gym together. He and Kendo had bonded once over their mutual interest in Chinese culture- he'd been raised there until he moved to Japan as a child- so she felt a bit more confident in the state of in her relations with Rin, and glanced briefly over his costume as they continued down the hallway. Scale is a pretty well-rounded quirk, it has both offense and defense at range and up close. Assuming we're up against Honenuki's team, we might be able to-
"Team One to the right, Team Two to the left." The sound of Aizawa's voice pulled Itsuka out of her thoughts, and she glanced up to find him slipping through a side door as he gestured to either side of a fork in the hallway. They nodded and pressed ahead in their respective directions, and soon Kendo's trio had emerged into the arena, a maze of empty urban cityscape rendered eerie and unfamiliar by the near pitch-darkness. Juzo's group was completely out of sight, likely on the opposite side of the cityscape by now.
"I guess I should go ahead and explain the rules," Eraserhead sighed in exasperation through the speakers that lined the arena walls, "before you all have panic attacks. At its core, this final is an objective-based exercise. A hostage is being held in one of these buildings, by two teachers playing the role of villains- you'll have to find out for yourself exactly who you're up against. Both teams have the objective of successfully retrieving the hostage and returning them to their respective entrance. And while this is not a pass or fail test- you will all be graded numerically on your overall performance- the first team to successfully do so will receive a large share of bonus points. Solely targeting the other team will be penalized, however- while sabotage of your rivals is permitted, the hostage is your number one priority, and your actions should reflect that.
In addition, each team will be divided into a designated 'Pro Hero' leader and their two sidekicks- your actions should also reflect the chain of command that professionals deal with on a daily basis in their own missions, and we will be observing you closely to monitor how well you adapt to this scenario. Team leaders will be rewarded for taking charge of the situation, and sidekicks will be rewarded for effectively following their orders. Refusal to adhere to this chain of command will be penalized. The challenge of this exercise is to complete your objective while simultaneously fighting off the villains, playing your roles, and maximizing your team's total points. Actions which either directly or indirectly bring harm to the hostage will result in automatic failure, and your completion time is being monitored as well- you'll have a limit of twenty minutes. Team One's leader is Jack Mantis, and Team Two's is Poltergeist."
A giant screen flickered to life on the wall behind them, and before Kendo could even open her mouth to begin discussing their strategy, the countdown began.
"Your final exam begins now. I have high expectations."
And there we have it! Midoriya takes down Kirishima, Strike Team Fenrir's mission and structure becomes more clear, and the third years' last round of final exams begins. Let me know if you enjoyed the Seraph vs. Red Riot fight, it's the first time we've really seen Midoriya go all out and I hope I did both characters justice! Who would you like to see Izuku take on next? I wanted to fit in the Suneater fight as well, but this chapter is already long as is, and I ran out of room- we might see some of it next time via flashback, as there are some important character moments I have planned for it.
Also, the task force unit reveals! I realized a while back that Fenrir is way too big to have fight as one group, so splitting them like this made sense to me. I did give a lot of thought to how the three units broke down- Kendo's overpowered OfA aside, which one do you think is strongest and/or most well-balanced? Any predictions for how their missions might go? Also, pour one out for poor, poor Inko. I'm sorry I had to do her like that, but I really do think that these revelations about Midoriya would break her. Rest assured, though, she will be appearing in the story, and Kendo will talk with her in due time.
Finally, any thoughts on the final exam are welcome! I feel like U.A. would really go all out for their third year second semester hero finals, so I came up with something that combines several different ideas I had into one. Which team do you think has the advantage going forward? Also, in cased you noticed, I love Horikoshi, but some of the hero names he's chosen are kind of bland, so I made some adjustments- let's just say that the hero course students had a chance to change their names again before finals:
Setsuna: Lizardy - Reptilia
Mina: Pinky - Alien Queen (Like she originally wanted!)
Juzo: Mudman - Mudslide
Hagakure: Invisible Girl - Lightwave
Reiko: Emily - Poltergeist
Tsuburara: ? - Airshifter (Really wanted to make this Airbender, but I resisted the urge)
As always, let me know what you think, and what you want to see next! Glad to be back!