Well, we're back with another chapter this weekend with all the awesomeness of the stakes to boot! Last time we left off, Elsie and Justice started their big battle, while Hermit was found by Katsuki and the others, only to discover that there could be a potential problem... So now, we're gonna come back to Shiki and Kris arriving at Müller's lab, as something must've happened between the time they were there and what happened next...

So let's find out!

THREE MINUTES EARLIER

"KLEENE!" Kris screamed upon seeing his sister whimpering upon her knees. Meanwhile, Shiki took notice of a metal blade coming out from Müller's right arm, about to pierce into Kamui Woods. He quickly reacted, activating his Quirk to make green markings appear along his arms. He pulled his right hand back sharply, causing the pro hero to be gravitationally drawn over to him out of the villainous doctor's grasp.

"Oh...!" he gasped in amazement, seeing the Satan Gravity Quirk user catch Kamui Woods in his arms.

"Are you alright?!" he immediately asked. Groaning, the pro hero opened his eyes.

"You..." he uttered out through a wince, "Where's... Justice?" he inquired weakly.

"We got separated and went on ahead," Kris answered as he crouched down and put his hands onto his sister's shoulder, "What about Hawks and Tsukuyomi?" he asked on.

"The same ordeal, I'm afraid..." Kamui Woods replied, "We wound up finding Müller as you can see, but..." he continued through another wince, "he's not the same anymore..." he pointed out.

"What... is he?" Shiki asked as his eyes shook in disbelief.

"The epitome of genius, my little hero!" Müller answered as he motioned toward himself, "My old, decrepit body would never have been able to do the things I can now..." he noted, "Along with my added genius of O-Tech, I possess the ultimate Quirk fit for myself!" he declared as several holographic screens and keyboards appeared around him, "Master Code..." he said with a sadistic grin.

"Hermit Mio's Quirk..." Kamui Woods realized.

"You bastard!" Shiki roared angrily.

"I'm glad I was able to put this O-Tech to good use after all..." Müller admitted, ignoring his foe's shouts, "I used to be very proficient in prosthetics," he mentioned, "And I helped better the lives of so many people thanks to my work," he added while glancing up with crazed eyes, "But I wanted more... I wanted to experiment..." he confessed on while trembling, "When my research delved into recreating and copying Quirk factors to grant to those who're Quirkless..." he kept going, "my top donors foolishly stopped funding for my lab!" he recalled angrily, "So I did the only thing I could in return and had them killed..." he admitted. Hearing that, Kris growled angrily.

"We're here to stop you!" Shiki declared as he stood up, pointing towards the insane doctor, "You'll pay for everything you've done to the people you've hurt!" he vowed firmly.

"Is that so, boy of gravity?" Müller inquired back, "Your Quirk's the Ether-Type inherited by the Demon King Hero, correct?" he questioned on to Shiki's surprise, "And if memory serves, there are two other Ether-Types amongst you here..." he added, grinning as he looked over to Kris and Kleene, "Both of whom are wind-based..." he kept going while sneering, "and the son and daughter of those traitorous Rutherfords..." he finished. Lines of green energy appeared along Wind Rage Quirk user's arms.

"YOU BASTAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDDD!" he bellowed as he rocketed forward.

"BROTHER, NO!" Kleene screamed out pleadingly. But she was too late.

"WIND GOD PUNCH!" Kris roared, striking at Müller fiercely with his right fist cloaked in swirling air. However, he barely budged from the blow.

"With my steel O-Tech body, nothing will break me..." he proclaimed, "But you will," he mentioned, grabbing his foe by his chest. Yellow sparks then emitted from his cyborg body before he zapped the Wind Rage Quirk user.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!" he screamed in agony.

"BROTHER!" Kleene exclaimed out of fright.

"Hang on!" Shiki yelled as he flew over, "Magimech Attack..." he began, rearing his right fist back, "GRAVITY FIST!" he roared, slamming his extremity into Müller's face to send him flying back. In the process, he dropped Kris, who fell onto the floor upon his stomach. "Are you okay?!" the Satan Gravity Quirk user asked as he knelt down beside his comrade. He winced, gritting his teeth together.

"I... can't move...!" he grunted out, much to Shiki's surprise.

"That's the effects of an electrical pulse, I'm afraid," Müller chimed in, getting their attentions as they looked over to see him still standing as he approached, "You can still feel all the pain the world, even in that temporary state of paralysis..." he noted.

"Magimech Attack..." Shiki began as he readied his right fist again, condensing a purple, gravitational energy over it. All of a sudden though, Müller shot out the tendrils from his right arm to wrap around the Satan Gravity Quirk user's arms, binding them together behind his back as he yelped. The energy lines over his arms disappeared as he struggled to break free. "W-Why can't I use my Quirk?!" he questioned with a stutter, growling in frustration.

"Ether-Types are strong... but they all have glaring weaknesses..." Müller answered as he pulled his opponent in, "One of them in particular is stopping the flow of Ether throughout your body," he told Shiki, "Binding your arms and legs is simple to erase it..." he added.

"Damn you...!" Kris grunted out angrily, getting the mad doctor's attention. He smirked widely before approaching the downed Wind Rage Quirk user.

"You know, I was planning to use Master Code to just blow this place sky high with all of you in it..." he admitted, "But when I saw you and your sister, I thought I'd take my final revenge on the traitorous Rutherfords by torturing their children!" he exclaimed. He then tapped a few keys upon his holographic keyboard, causing a floor panel to open up. Coming out from it was a blade that he took hold of.

"No... stop...!" Kleene pleaded as tears pricked her frightened eyes. Kris looked up in horror to see Müller raising up his blade.

"For what your family's done to me..." he began, "it'll cost you an arm and a leg..." he decided, swinging the blade and slashing off the Wind Rage Quirk user's left arm.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he wailed with agony as tears poured out from his eyes. Everyone looked on in horror at the sight.

"Ergh... dammit...!" Shiki growled out.

"Brother..." Kleene whimpered, seeing Kris bleeding out onto the floor as his left arm had been severed from his body.

"In the end..." Müller began with a crazed smile upon his face, "heroes will never be able to stop my true genius..." he declared.

"JET BURN!" Endeavor roared, unleashing a powerful beam of fire forward towards Gowen and Hyoga.

"Ice Wall," the latter of the two villains said, waving his right arm. An enormous, intricate barrier of ice rose off, blocking off the incoming beam in a large burst of steam.

"HRRAAAHHH!" Mirko exclaimed as she hopped out and swung her left leg mightily, blowing the steam away in an instant. However, it revealed that Gowen was making orange fire billow from his right fist as he reared it back.

"FLAME BOLT!" he bellowed, about to strike the Rabbit Hero. But at that moment, Endeavor rushed in and countered with his own left fist, resulting in a burst of flames that blew the both of them back. "Heh," the pyrokinetic villain chuckled out, "Your Flashfire Fist hasn't changed a damn bit, Endeavor!" he pointed out, causing the Flame Hero to narrow his eyes.

"Hey, you know this guy?" Mirko inquired of her colleague.

"He was a former sidekick of mine..." he answered, "Hito Denatsu..." he mentioned on.

"I still go by Gowen these days, bossman!" the pyrokinetic villain pointed out, "Never forgot all that you taught me, either!" he added while pointing to himself.

"Why have you allied yourself with villains?" his former mentor asked, narrowing his eyes. At that moment, Hito frowned. He balled his fists tightly.

"Because... I learned the truth about you, Endeavor," he responded, "You... and your family," he added, causing the Flame Hero to blink in surprise.

And there you have it! Next up, Shoto and Endeavor go all out in their fights! Until then, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! See you all next time!