Wow, I'm very happy for how many readers were sincerely sorry to see Haruo go. It was even better than I hoped for! Thanks guys!
Now! Let's see what happened to Gondo prior to the end of the last chapter! And, how the Super X-2's gonna do against the King himself!
Earlier
"Split up! Flank him from both sides!"
Gondo took his lead team one way while Tchujimori's went the other. Gondo took his position in front of a corner and waited.
Waited…
There.
He and his team fired. They moved with the recoil, standing up and running in one smooth motion. By the time their missiles hit they were long gone. They did this again and again, Gondo using his years of experience to put them in spots where they'd be harder to hit. All AMF infantry were trained to do this, but G-Force gave you an especially good eye for it (along with making you a good sprinter).
While moving to their next point Gondo saw the Ozaki brothers firing on Godzilla while sprinting like cars on a freeway.
I wish I could do that. But no, my quirk makes me immune to bee stings.
Gondo took position. As his men were about to fire, Gondo held up his hand. "Hold!" Godzilla turned his head away. "Fire!" And they did.
They moved swiftly and efficiently, hitting and running with a machine-like mastery. Occasionally, they got unlucky. Soldiers died. That was normal. Yet, they died in far smaller numbers than anyone else would.
Midoriya and Sakaki pulled ahead. Gondo's men tried to keep up, but it was impossible. The Ozaki's kept up for a little, but they soon ran out of ammo and had to return.
Then it happened. Haruo Sakaki, the legendary Raging Demon, died.
Everyone looked to each other in shock. Realistically Haruo should've died a long time ago. However, they'd grown so used to him surviving that his luck finally running out felt inconceivable.
They covered Midoriya's retreat, keeping Godzilla away from the civilian areas. Unfortunately, doing this without maser coverage was a very dangerous situation. Things were bound to go wrong
"Incoming!"
Godzilla's beam carved into the street behind them, blasting the facade off a building. Gondo was thrown off his feet as shrapnel flew all around them.
"Everyone alright?" one soldier said. He turned to Gondo. "Colonel?"
Gondo leaned up, then doubled over in pain. He looked down and saw the piece of metal embedded in his gut. The others ran to him as a red spot bloomed around the shard. Gondo coughed, staining the inside of his face shield red.
Oh fu-
As if things weren't already FUBAR, the comms came to life. "This is Creati. A group of Heroes is attempting an unauthorized strike on Godzilla! I'm trying to retrieve them now!"
Gondo growled. And there was the difference between insane (Midoriya) and just plain stupid. He looked around, spotting movement on a nearby roof.
"I see them," said Gondo, relaying their location.
"Thanks! I'm on my way!"
Gondo hacked up more blood. Medics tried to slow the bleeding, but Gondoknew it was pointless. He opened his face shield.
"S-sir, you really shouldn't-"
Gondo glared. "At this rate, I won't live long enough to get back to camp, let alone die of radiation." He looked at the Heroes on the roof, then at the building closest to him. He pointed to the nearby building's lobby. "Check if the elevators work."
One of the soldiers checked, and sure enough, the elevator arrived from the top floor. Gondo got up and staggered into the it. "There's something I need to do. Tell Tchujimori she's in command."
He smiled at his men. "Give him hell."
The doors closed. Gondo fished out the container Creati had given him and loaded the contents into his launcher.
Using a grappling hook, Momo climbed the building Rocket Arms was on. If Godzilla didn't kill them, she would! People dared call the our Bakugo rescue reckless! Of all the half-baked, overconfident, downright STUPID-
Momo made it up. "ROCKET ARMS!"
The rogue Heroes turned, looking terrified. Good.
"Creati…"
"All of you get out of here! You're not equipped, trained, or authorized for this! After everything that's happened, all the Heroes Godzilla's killed, you want to attack again?! What is wrong-"
"We have to!" Rocket Arms said. "My mentor is dead because of that thing! He must play!"
Before Momo could move, he turned around and fired his rockets. "WHATEVER IT TAKES!"
The capsules bounced off Godzilla's neck. Godzilla turned toward them.
"Those only work on soft tissue," Momo growled.
"oh."
Godzilla's spines flashed. Momo prepared to push the others to safety just as another rocket hit Godzilla in the face.
Wha-
"Get out of here Heroes. I'll take it from here. I'm dead already, so I decided to help you idiots (and Creati) and do something fun before going."
"T-thank you," Momo said. She whipped around. "You heard him! Go!"
They hurried to the edge of the roof and used their quirks or Support gear to get down. Before rappelling down herself, Momo took a final look at Godzilla approaching a large office building.
Godzilla got closer. Gondo's heart beat like a drum. Wounds aside, he never felt more alive than now. He raised his launcher.
Godzilla's jaws parted, and Gondo shot him in the mouth.
Godzilla closed his mouth. He stared, tilting his head from side to side, seemingly baffled that Gondo actually just did that and wondering if he was brave or stupid.
Gondo grinned, "All this intravenous stuff's no good for you." He tipped his helmet. "Stick to smoking."
Either Godzilla was a sore loser who understood he'd been verbally roasted, or just an asshole. Either way, he responded by smashing the building's foundation, making it collapse like a big Lego set.
Either way, as the building fell, Gondo died feeling he'd gotten one over on the King of the Monsters.
Now
The Super X-2 flew through the buildings, coming upon its quarry in Shinjuku. Godzilla turned toward the flying box and snarled.
"Launch flares," said Kuroki. "Hit him with the cadmium."
It was the same move the original Super X had used. Launch flares, get him to roar, then fire cadmium missiles down his throat. It actually knocked him out for a while.
Unfortunately, the moment they fired the flare Godzilla fired his atomic breath. The Super X-2 banked sideways, narrowly avoiding getting hit.
Kuroki grimaced. He remembered.
Super X-2 fired a barrage of missiles into Godzilla. They exploded against his chest, covering him with smoke. Godzilla advanced, firing his atomic breath.
The Super X-2 evaded again.
"That was close," said Ogashira. "The Super X-2 can't survive more than two solid hits."
"But the first one took at least four?" said Kenji.
"This one's armor is weaker, in order to save weight."
"Save weight? For what?"
Cadmium was a no go, and missiles wouldn't last long. Therefore…
Kuroki straightened and declared. "Activate Fire Mirror."
The front of the Super X-2 opened up, revealing a glittering mirror made of synthetic diamond. The Super X-2's trump card.
Godzilla fired his atomic breath. The beam hit the mirror dead center, then bounced back. Godzilla staggered as his own beam slammed against his chest. He roared from either fury or pain.
"Holy shit!" Zeni said. "Look!"
Izuku watched in awe as the Super X-2 sent Godzilla's beam right back into him with a yellow tint, creating a massive explosion. King of the Monsters toppled to the ground.
Had they just done that?! That was so cool! Izuku wished he was flying that right now…
Godzilla got up and blasted the mirror again, but it once again reflected his beam back.
"Yeah!" said Zeni. "Get that bastard!" echoing the sentiments of countless people, AMF, and otherwise.
Mikumo and a small crowd stared at the television in awe. Onscreen, the monster Godzilla was lying on the ground, getting his own beam reflected by that flying box thing.
They'd knocked it down!
"Look at that! Look at that!" Mikumo said to Takeyama.
Takeyama quickly glanced, nodded, then turned away, clearly not paying attention at all.
Mikumo growled. She'd barely said a word since they met, and mostly just wandered around, watching Heroes, or listening in on their conversations. It was getting on his nerves.
Mikumo turned back to the screen and continued to watch.
Kenji grinned. They'd actually found a way to use Godzilla's own atomic breath against him. Nothing could ruin this moment!
The tent flap opened and Ochako Uraraka strode in. "Kenji? Creati said you needed my help with something?"
Ogashira quickly explained the triangulation plan, asking for Ochako's help.
Ochako looked at Kenji and smiled.
Kenji felt afraid.
"Get him!" Akai said.
Hiro put an arm over Akai and Ken's shoulders. "Hell yeah! I've waited years to see that asshole get his!"
"I know right!" said Ken. He threw back his head and laughed. The laughter gave way to confusion. "Hey what's that?"
They looked and saw Uravity flying off with someone in her arms.
"Must be saving someone. Lucky guy. He must be so grateful right now…"
"AAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
Ochako flew them over the streets at breakneck speeds. Kenji held on for dear life, screaming the whole while. He hated this idea! He hated it!
"Oh don't be such a baby Kenji. You literally can't fall."
"Shut up! I've never done this before?!"
"My point still stands."
"I don't care!"
She grappled off another building, doing a flip.
"That was on purpose!"
"Might've been."
A few times Kenji saw the blue and yellow glows of Godzilla and the Super X-2's battle in the windows. He then boldly shut his eyes and hoped he didn't get vaporized.
Mercifully, they eventually landed on a roof. Kenji kissed the ground while Ochako rolled her eyes. Once he finished, Kenji focused his senses, feeling for the psionic transmitter's signal. He got a faint direction and marked it on his map.
"Ok," he said. "Next location!"
"Great!" Ochako slapped his shoulder, causing him to float, then grabbed him again.
Oh n-
Soon she was rocketing off again, with Kenji screaming for dear life.
Izuku and his group finally arrived back at camp. All around, AMF personnel watched their arrival, with a mix of emotions. Awe, shock, anger, anguish.
G-Force though? They were numb.
The initial euphoria of Godzilla being knocked down was gone. Now they were left with their losses. Haruo. Gondo. Leaders, the cream of the crop, the best of the best.
"Still can't believe it. It's only reasonable his luck runs out. I've been expecting it for years, but now that it happened…" said Belu-be, Haruo's teammate with the porcupine hair. "What now?"
Everyone looked at Izuku.
He was in charge now.
Izuku felt his chest tighten. Facing death by atomic breath he could handle. Leading a small squad into battle he could handle. But this? Leading the entire force, with victory or defeat resting on him?
No matter. He had no choice. Izuku took a deep breath. "Get your tanks and weapons examined," he said. "After that, go and rest. But be ready. When we gather again, I every fighter who's still able. Understood?"
They stood at attention. "Yes sir!"
Izuku nodded. "Good. Now move."
After being decontaminated, Izuku walked toward command tent along with a woman from the infantry. Gondo's replacement. They much to do. Much to plan.
The best move right now was to rest and wait. Let the Super X-2 hold him until the transmitter was destroyed (assuming it didn't somehow win). But how long would the Super X-2 last?
There was another problem. Their numbers were depleted. Getting him out would be even more of a chore with how deep he was. And that was before the rest of the days.
Izuku was distracted from his planning by an AMF member covered in ash and dirt yelling at some Heroes. "Youassholes had to make him mad! Do you have any idea how hard it is to fight him normally?! But then you dumbasses went and-"
Izuku grabbed the soldier by the collar and glared. "Not. The. Time!"
The man shakily nodded, his eyes terrified as if he was facing Godzilla himself. Izuku let him go and kept walking.
The Heroes and AMF may not fight together, but right now they were all in the same boat. Petty squabbles and blame throwing could wait until after Godzilla was back in the sea.
Izuku entered the tent. Inside, All Might had joined Ogashira, along with Togashi. After Izuku entered, Creati hurried in.
"Togashi," Izuku said.
"Midoriya. It's been a long time."
"Yeah," Izuku said. He looked at the map showing the current battle lines. "What do we still have?"
"Lieutenant Midoriya," said an individual on a screen.
Izuku saluted. "Commander Tachibana."
"What do we have left?"
Izuku and Togashi described their current logistical situation. They were stretched badly thin. They'd run low on ammunition and power for several masers. And that was before discussing casualties. To make matters worse, the nearest reinforcements were too far away.
According to the commander, the Arashi had enough missiles left to get him into the water. An AMF battle fleet was on his way. Once it arrived, it would further lure him out to sea.
They then made basic battle plans. They could still win. It would be a struggle, but it was possible. Once they finished, Izuku stepped over to observe the battle between the Super X-2 and Godzilla.
Godzilla dug its claws into a building, tore off a fistful of concrete and threw it. The Super X-2 banked to avoid it, but Godzilla threw another and another.
The Super X-2 bobbed up and down as it avoided Godzilla's throws. Godzilla growled and turned around.
"Full reverse! Fire missiles!" Kuroki said, just as Godzilla swept his tail into a building and sent a rain of rubble at the Super X-2.
The Super X-2 used missiles to break up the rubble as it rushed out of the attack's range. It ducked behind buildings, using them to shield itself while taking potshots at Godzilla
Godzilla advanced. Kuroki ordered them to ascend to where he could clearly see them. They needed to force him to use his atomic breath.
Godzilla snarled as two of its missiles hit him. He fired his atomic breath. The Super X-2 sent it back.
Godzilla blasted the sides of a tower as the Super X-2 flew past, sending concrete raining into it. However, this did nothing. Godzilla tried to throw more chunks of building, but those were similarly fruitless.
Godzilla's eyes narrowed, his lips curled, and his spines flashed.
Godzilla threw his head back and fired an especially powerful blast at the Super X-2, which . reflected it right back into him.
Godzilla fell once more. He slowly got back up and looked at them, his eyes narrowed.
Kenji looked up from the map.
"Kenji?" Ochako said. "You alright?"
"I'm fine," Kenji said, making another mark. He then looked back toward the battle. Something was wrong. It felt like Godzilla…just had an idea.
Hope you enjoyed! Reviews make me smile!
The moment I introduced Gondo I knew I couldn't not give him his canon death scene. So long Gondo, you were an eighties action hero to the end!
Also wow Momo's losing her patience. Then again, this night has probably given her a greatly reduced tolerance of fools.
Writing Kenji and Ochako interacting was fun. I should have a moment where she, Kenji, and Izuku are all together at once...
