"Sir! The Transmitter has been destroyed!"
Tachibana nodded. "And our missiles?
"Two Frontier Missiles in the tubes. Also, an AMF submarine has entered the bay with torpedoes armed."
Tachibana nodded. "Good. Now- "
"Sir!" someone else said, "Our forces at Mount Asa are requesting immediate air support!"
Tachibana's blood chilled. "Asa?"
"Come on, this way!" Yosetsu said, ushering the crowd toward the emergency shelters. He wished he was in Tokyo right, helping Momo. Yosetsu shook his head. Momo would be disappointed to hear that. After all, Tokyo wasn't the only place that needed help.
Still, he wished he had more information. Why was the AMF, who hunted animals, evacuating the area around a volcano? The recent earthquakes seemed a sign of eruption, not giant moles or whatever. Two, why were they suddenly moving everyone into underground shelters? Wouldn't an eruption destroy them?
There was something off about the AMF too. Like something spooked them. Unfortunately, most didn't want to talk to Heroes, either because they were assholes or two hurried. With every tremor, they just seemed more and more panicked.
The crowd had thinned to a few stragglers. Yosetsu took the opportunity to walk to a pair of AMF soldiers. "Yo! What the hell's going on around here? Won't these shelters be destroyed in an eruption?"
"It's not the volcano you should be scared of," One said. "It's what's inside."
"Um, Lava?"
The woman gave a humorless laugh. "Oh worse. You see- "
The ground suddenly shifted with what had to be the strongest tremor yet. Yosetsu was nearly thrown to the ground, with only a pole he'd grabbed with his quirk steadying him.
The mountain rumbled, as a burst of steam came from the summit. The entire side of the mountain began to move and shift.
Oh shit.
The summit exploded into a cloud of dust and ash. Yosetsu ran to the civilians. They were probably about to be consumed by the eruption, but maybe he could save on-
"EVERYONE GRAB ONTO SOMETHING!" the soldiers said.
Grab something? How does grabbing something save you from…a volcano?
Yosetsu heard something from the summit. Something…alive.
He slowed to a stop as atop the mountain, the ash began to curl and shift in an odd way. Like something inside was moving. A twisted warbling sound echoed across the mountain. Two red wings emerged from the cloud.
What the-
Something leaped from the ash, taking to the skies above the mountainside.
The shadow passed over the forest. The trees were all blasted over, like an invisible hand was sweeping over the mountain side.
It was coming right for them.
Yosetsu sprinted down the street, pushing everyone he could to the ground and using his quirk to weld them there. The shadow passed over them, with a cloud of dust and debris following.
Yosetsu welded one last person before throwing himself to the ground and welding himself. The wind slammed into him like a hammer. Around Yosetsu the wind ripped up trees, buildings, cars, even people.
All Yosetsu and the others could do was cling to the street and wait for it to stop.
"Damn," Tachibana hissed. The transmitter was gone, but his interest had been piqued. He was coming for Tokyo.
They couldn't deal with him. Not at the same time as Godzilla.
But to pull air support out now…
There was no choice.
"Inform Midoriya that we're sending all available air support to divert Rodan."
Everyone obeyed. Tachibana gazed at the fiery skyline. Damn it.
Godzilla's tail flicked at a maser, sending it crashing into a wall sans its turret.
Izuku fired a rocket right for Godzilla's eye and ran.
He looked back. It hit. "Yes!"
Godzilla glared at him.
"Oh no."
Izuku rounded the corner just before a hail of rubble pulverized the street behind him.
"Alright, who made him mad?"
Izuku did not answer. He opened his map. "Espa Way's heavily battered and most of the streets are blocked off."
"What about taking him through Corell park?" Tchujimori said.
"The streets are tighter and there's less cover," Izuku said. "We would have to take point. Especially since we've lost our air support." Izuku wasn't happy about that, but it beat the alternative. However, it made everyone else's job that much harder.
"Your call."
Izuku considered his options. "We're doing it."
They moved toward the park, moving ahead of Godzilla. Izuku surveyed the terrain. Plenty of trees to hid behind but Izuku didn't want to trust that. "Maybe we can hide by those sheds?"
"Those aren't sheds," one of them said. "Those lead to the underground service tunnels. My brother worked here."
Izuku turned around. "Service tunnels?
Ochako grappled from building to building. She had to hurry. Every second lost could be the difference between life and death.
Hang in there guys, I'm on my way. Please be alive when I get there.
Tchujimori ordered several groups into the tunnels. They'd move like moles, coming up to attack Godzilla then ducking back down. They parked their bikes to the other side, then entered.
They hurried down the halls with only their headlamps to guide them. Izuku was unnerved. He could take Godzilla staring him down, but these damp claustrophobic halls unnerved him. If the others were tense, they showed no sign of it. They moved as easily here as they had the streets above.
They reached an entryway and looked out. Godzilla was nearing the park. His gaze swept over it, looking for enemies.
"Hold," Tchujimori said, her features still as a statue. "Hold."
The Super X-2 hovered on the other side of the park as bait. Godzilla's lips curled. On either side of the park, masers gathered. Finally, Godzilla turned and began walking around Corell park. They had no choice.
"Fire!"
Izuku and his team fired. They ducked inside and sprinted down the hall, quickly finding another entrance.
Godzilla had now entered the park, carving a path through it. His foot ripped through a playground like paper, sending play equipment flying. Several infantry groups around the park fired at him.
Godzilla turned, his tail casually wiping a concrete shed off the map. Another set of rockets hit his chest.
Godzilla's eyes fell on one of the entryways as some soldiers ducked in. He lifted his foot to squish it, but then a maser hit him.
Godzilla whirled around to face the maser, only to get hit from the other side too. Then Izuku's group fired a small barrage of missiles, courtesy of Izuku's group. Godzilla fired his atomic breath, setting large fires.
Most of the groups ducked for cover, but a few maintained the attack.
"You sure you can do this?" Ari said.
They'd crouched outside one of the entrances. They needed to lure Godzilla further in. Fortunately, the Heroes had an idea. Unfortunately, it was a very stupid idea.
"Yeah," Alien Queen said. "I can do it. I am the fastest with my quirk and the most obvious target."
"Alright. Just…don't die."
"Awww, you do care!" Alien Queen said with a mischievous gleam in her eye. They fired their rockets while she took off.
Mina slid across the park, staying as out in the open as possible. She looked back. He hadn't noticed her yet.
She kept going, kicking off a tree and somersaulting multiple times before sliding past a fountain.
She looked again. He noticed!
Alright big boy, come on. Get the cotton candy-colored enemy running in front of you. You know you want to. You're pissed after all, right?
Godzilla marched after her. His glare grew bitter while his spines flashed.
Mina noticed some AMF soldiers waving her toward an entrance. She turned and raced toward it.
Meanwhile, another set of rockets hit Godzilla. As Mina reached the entrance another figure dashed across the park.
Baton's to you Iida.
"Recipro burst!"
Tenya rocketed across the park. Finally, he was in his element, performing a task he understood as well as his agency's rule book. Run. Be obvious. Don't' get hit.
Tenya heard Godzilla charge his breath. Tenya grabbed a tree, using it to swing to the right. The beam blasted into the ground, but Tenya was long gone.
Godzilla roared and pursued. He didn't fire his breath. Tenya fired a flare gun as several AMF launched rockets, to make it look like Tenya had attacked him. Godzilla kicked the ground, sending large mounds of earth to bury Tenya.
Tenya evaded the mounds, nearly tripping when one landed right next to him. He sprinted toward the nearest door, where two soldiers waved him on.
A mound appeared right above him. Tenya chose to move faster.
He flew inside the door, pulling the soldiers in with him.
"Thanks Hero," one of them said. He got up and handed Tenya a launcher. "Here."
"Thank you," Tenya said.
Iida made it.
"Alien Queen, you alive?"
Mina glanced back. Her group was coming up the hall. "Yep Hiro, still kicking!"
"Good. I still need fodder," Ari said, handing her back her launcher.
"Aww, you do care!"
"Shut up."
They moved down the hall together. Mina however noticed Emoto said nothing at all.
Ochako could hear the explosions. She was close. Nearby, she saw a maser that had lost its turret embedded in a wall. She nearly passed it by, but a thought occurred. What if there are survivors?
Ochako lowered herself down and looked inside. The driver was dead. However, when Ochako checked the gunner, she felt a pulse. It was weak, but there.
Using her quirk, Ochako lifted the gunner out of the tank, and lowered him to the sidewalk. She couldn't see many external injuries, but she could tell he needed immediate help She needed help. Now.
"Uravity…" he said, looking delirious.
"Easy soldier," she said. Stay with me.
His breathing became more labored. He murmured something.
She leaned in. "What?"
"Can I have your number?"
Not what she was expecting, but he was delirious. She quickly recited her cell number then tried calling for help on her comms.
The soldier smiled. "Ha, suck it Toma." His head rolled to the side and the light left his eyes.
Ochako cancelled her request for medical help. The man no longer needed it.
Godzilla roared in the distance.
Ochako followed the sound, determined to help her friends.
"Keep going!"
The whole tunnel shook, slamming Izuku into the hall. He had to keep moving. To stop is death.
The entire hallway growled like a hungry beast.
"Midoriya! Hurry- "
Izuku crashed into the ground while the ceiling behind him collapsed. Izuku looked back, realizing how close he'd come. He got to his feet and froze.
Godzilla's toe was poking into the tunnel, not even a meter away. Without thinking, Izuku reached out and touched it, then ran back to the others.
"D-did he just- "
"I'm gonna pretend I didn't see that."
There was a rumbling. Then another. And another.
"He's gone," Izuku said.
"Midoriya you're a lucky bastard!" one soldier said, "I thought you were dead for sure!"
"Glad you're not!" said another. "I have twenty-thousand-yen riding on you!"
Izuku gave him a deadpan look.
They kept fighting but finally ran out of ammo. When they returned to their bikes, finally leaving that death trap, Izuku could have kissed the ground.
"I think I hate the underground," Izuku said.
"If you think that was bad, try a Meganulon nest," Tchujimori said.
Yui ran as fast as her legs could carry her. The dull ache in her ankle had become a severe throbbing, and each step stung as rocks and glass cut her enlarged feet. Even worse, she was 90% sure she'd gone closer to the fighting, not farther.
Worst of all, Akatani was having trouble staying awake. "I-I spy with my little eye something on fire." Yui started.
"Everything's on fire Takeyama."
"Oh yeah. What kind of Hero do you want to be? I wanna be public like Mount Lady."
"Maks sens. Jus be carefu not to get hur like she di. She was ou almos a year."
"Yeah let's not talk about that," Yui said quickly.
"Sorry."
"No, it's fine. I just- "
She heard them. People.
Yui sprinted around a corner to see a few individuals hurrying behind a corner. "Wait! Come back!"
"Takeyama!"
Yui staggered to a stop. Akatani was staring behind her, looking fully alert for the first time in a while. Yui looked back and froze.
Oh no…
As they reloaded their launchers, Godzilla cleared the park and entered the buildings. The Super X-2 fired several missiles at him. He returned fire, grazing the Super X-2.
The Super X-2 wobbled heavily. It was clearly on its last legs.
"We're getting close!" someone said.
"Yeah. Hey isn't this around where the Demon got killed?"
"Let's not think about that."
Izuku stepped in a puddle.
Is that blood?
Izuku tried to make sense of the large footprint when someone over the comms said, "Some civilians were hiding in the buildings! Most fled, but one kid's still in the combat zone!"
He was looking at her.
Yui stood absolutely still, not moving an inch as the monster assessed her. Please look away. Please look away.
His back glowed. Blue energy gathered in his mouth.
Yui sucked in a breath. He was going to kill them.
Yui crouched down, throwing herself atop Akatani and hoping for a miracle.
"Fire now!" Kuroki said.
The Super X-2 rose up from behind a building and launched missiles.
Godzilla turned and unleashed his atomic breath, striking its side.
"Sir! We're going down!"
There was only one thing to do now. "Ram him."
Mina watched as the green hovercraft smashed into Godzilla's snout. Godzilla swiped it with his claw, sending it into the building above Mina. They ran as rubble fell all around them.
Mina yanked Emoto yanked out of the way as a boulder as big as a car almost crushed him. However, several rocks fell around Hiro. Mina didn't see him escape.
They made it across the street as Godzilla continually blasted the building until it began to fall.
They ran for their lives, with Mina some behind her on her acid trail. They stopped a block away. Emoto didn't even give a token insult.
They turned back as Godzilla's head swept from side to side.
Oh no.
"Wide shot incoming!"
"RUN!" Ari said.
Half went to the left, the others to the right. Mina chose the left. She heard the atomic breath approaching. The street shook, almost knocking Mina off balance but she couldn't stop.
She felt the heat at her back. Could she make it to the corner?
She grabbed some other guys and pulled them.
Could she make it?
She swung around a corner. Relief filled her chest. Made it!
Godzilla's beam carved past the building. The corner Mina had ducked behind exploded.
Mina slammed into the ground, while dust and rubble fell all around her.
Damn it!
Those last two attacks had scattered the entire force! Izuku hurried from his hiding place. Godzilla was moving. That's the wrong way!"
They couldn't fail now. Not this close! Izuku's mind raced as the updates trickled in. They could regroup. It would take some time, and mean some losses, but they could still win this.
Izuku rapidly issued commands into his comms, then looked around for something that he could do to help.
He saw it. It couldn't be. But it was.
His tank!
Izuku ran to up to it. The tank was balanced on a piece of rubble, keeping the treads from reaching the ground. That must be how they'd gotten stuck.
Maybe he could…
Izuku pressed his back against the maser and pushed.
It didn't budge.
Izuku pushed again.
Come on! Just a little! I just need the tank to-
Move?
The tank lifted off the rubble, hovering in the air. Izuku stared at the tank dumbfounded until his eyes fell on the girl sitting atop it.
"Hey Midori," Ochako said with a tired smile. "Need a hand?"
Ochako and Izuku are back together! And yes, Izuku's fanboy instincts caused him to touch Godzilla. Tchujimori is shocked he'd do something that insane. That'd be like swimming up to Godzilla in the open ocean and climbing onto him!
How was Rodan's cameo? He won't be showing up again during this battle I'm afraid. I planned to use that in the sequel originally but felt I could use it here to remove the air support.
I had a really cool moment planned for Ochako, but it would've weakened her too much for that final part (and ergo her actions in the next chapter) so I'm saving it for later. Oh and That AMF guy who died with Ochako was Ken, the redshirt who had a crush on Ochako. At least he one-upped his friends?
That wasn't supposed to be Yui and Mikumo Godzilla threatened originally, just a random group of civilians, but I already had two actual characters out on the streets, so why not use them?
Edit: Huh apparently I misremembered Mt. Aso as Mt. Asa. Whoops. Might leave it in as a different mountain in this.
