There it was, the light, the heavenly rays peaked through the open window and ever so slightly lit the room. There were baskets of bamboo and string laid out across this small wooden room, and in the center was a woman sleeping on a small sheet. She felt the light hit her face, and she slowly opened her eyes. The light blinded her for a moment, then she rubbed them in order to clear her vision. She removed the sheets and yawned deeply before grabbing her day clothes. She checked a nearby fire, only to learn it decayed to nothing but embers. She sighed and suddenly shivered, as the nearby hole in the ceiling brought the winter's chill into the room. She quickly grabbed several logs she had cut, and placed them on the fire after she cleared the embers and ash. Using flint and metal, she sparked a flame onto the kindling, and a blaze was created.
She smiled, feeling the fire's warmth fill her up inside, and eventually she left. She ventured through the small home and across soft tatami pads, and gazed at something special, something that harbored an emotion the woman hadn't felt in a long while.
In front of her lay the armor of a samurai, warriors steeped in the highest honor. She knelt down and bowed with the greatest respects she could give, and looked at each piece of the suit. The dou, the center chestpiece. The sode shoulder pads clad in armor. The kabuto helmet, adorned by a mask resembling an Oni. The kote, the armored sleeves protecting the arms. The haidate and suneate, the armor which protected the thighs and shins…
However, the woman then looked below the grand suit, and laid her hand on the katana. It rested in a sheathe bathed in a maroon metal. It was graced by the finest materials and charms, blessed by a signature from the daimyo himself. Sitting in front of the sacred blade was its younger brother, the tanto. The woman picked up the blade, slowly removing it from its sheath and beholding the black blade. She caressed its surface, absorbing every sensation from her fingers as the blade brushed against her skin. She breathed in solitude and in deep admiration.
A horse neighed loudly from outside, and upon hearing this the woman quickly sheathed the blade and returned it to its resting place. She bowed to the suit, and hurried to the front door. When she slid it open, there stood someone she knew all too well. Her smile widened, and soon she sprinted into his open arms, her tears flowed down her cheeks, overjoyed to see the man return. The man also smiled, and he too wept in joy.
His hair was as white as the snow, and his eyes were purer than the finest gems in the world. Together, they shared a deep kiss, a sign of true love. She closed her eyes, her soul was finally at peace…
In the end… all she could remember were her own screams. She was alone, afraid, weak. The snow raged onward, her lungs could barely move, her tears froze to her cheeks. The world went dark, all sight and views vanished.
And when the light returned, the woman would not wake that day. Instead, she remained frozen and unmoving, as her life had faded away on that damned mountain. The only thing that remained was a face of sheer horror, her screaming mouth frozen wide for the world to ogle…
The woman roared into the blizzard as Dabi shielded Izuku, ready to fight the demoness at hand. She snarled and growled as the azure flames encircled the Hero and the boy in a protective barrier. The flames burned brighter with each moment, and Dabi scowled at the demon. The Yuki Onna screamed a harrowing cry forcing Izuku to cover his ears, but Dabi didn't flinch.
"Hey, you should sit this one out okay? Let me deal with this." Dabi ordered.
"What? Hold on a minute!"
Izuku grabbed Dabi by the arm, and the Hero turned around with a surprised look in his eye. He could feel Izuku's determination to step in, but there was something else… this feeling that the boy presented.
Why does this feel so familiar? he thought. It's annoying…
Dabi ripped his arm away and his face turned to agitation.
"You almost died and you wanna take that thing head on?" He asked irritably.
"I'm just trying to help!" Izuku retorted. "That's a Yuki Onna we're dealing with! It's a spirit, which by the way how do you know about the Spirit World?!"
Dabi scoffed and turned away from the boy, but Izuku stepped in front of him again despite the Yuki Onna's sudden silence.
"Do you know Inari or Tsukuyomi? How long have you known about us?" Why-"
Dabi suddenly grabbed Izuku by the shoulders and pulled him to the side. Izuku grunted as the Hero pulled him away from the scene, with a wall of flames rising into the sky and protecting them from the Yokai. Dabi let go of Izuku and he took a breath.
"Look, I don't wanna be rude but we don't have time for this okay? That's a Yuki Onna, trust me I know. I can tell it's Blighted and to make it even worse, it's in the second stage."
"The second stage?" Izuku asked. Dabi's head fell with great disappointment.
"Did Tenjin not go over Blight and all the stages?" He asked.
"Wha- you know Tenjin too?" Izuku asked.
"Nevermind…" Dabi groaned. He looked around and noticed that the Yuki Onna remained still, like it froze in place. He shook his head, and returned his attention to Izuku. "Look, when we put this thing to rest, I'll play Twenty Questions with you all day. We'll have some udon to go with it!"
Dabi smirked, and ruffled Izuku's hair, much to the boy's embarrassment.
"But right now, we need to focus on that Yokai. Trust me, you're not the only one who's learned about them from Sensei Tenjin."
Dabi then returned and walked back towards the demon. As he did, he felt something sticky hit the bottom of his shoe. When he looked down, he noticed he stepped in a puddle of black liquid, and when he inspected his shoe, the liquid moved. He wiped it off in the snow, and when he looked toward the Yokai, it was frozen. The ghostly woman looked upward and a loud crack sounded off on the street. Her face was obscured by her elongated hair; however, Dabi noticed her hands slowly turning a sanguine hue. Izuku couldn't believe his eyes as Dabi simply left him there, and he too saw the black liquid that was seeping into the snow.
I can't just sit here, even if he's Dabi, he's still in danger! He thought. He stood up and was ready to give chase, but the moment he stepped, he suddenly froze. Come on, move! You have to help him, it's what All Might would do! So come on, why the hell won't you stand up when someone needs you?!
Izuku tried with all his strength to move his body, but no matter how hard he thought, no matter how hard he willed it, he couldn't move a muscle. Dabi continued walking forward, and as he did, he spoke outwardly to the Yokai.
"You're a dead soul wandering the Earth, dwelling on what you lost, and killing those around you…" Dabi said ritualistically. "I can feel it; your rage, your fears, but this?"
The Hero slowly raised his arms, almost like he was comforting the demon that stood in front of him.
"It's horrible and I know it hurts… but it's time for you to move on… I can help you."
As he spoke he noticed something about the Yuki Onna; a black material was oozing out from behind the hair. It slowly fell to the ground like snow, transforming the white mist around her feet into a black sea. The Yokai went silent and its hair fell into its face. Dabi readied himself, and Izuku stood behind him with bated breath. They could both hear something, someone breathing slowly, but rather than the heinous and animalistic growls from earlier, this breath was eloquent.
"I am dead… that is true…"
The woman raised her head and her hair split away, revealing a calm, moonlit face. It was one of unparalleled beauty, with her blue eyes shining like diamonds in the storm.
"So why is it so difficult to let go…?"
She suddenly took a step forward, the ground turned to ice as she approached the Hero.
"Why must the others live so contently when I have suffered…?"
She walked again, and Dabi prepared himself. The Yuki Onna looked at the young Hero again, and she suddenly gasped. Her face went dead, but her blood red gaze showed malevolence beyond human understanding.
"I know you're hurt, but that doesn't mean there wasn't any good in your life," Dabi argued. "There's someone in your life isn't there? I can tell just by the way you look! Try to think about them!"
The Yuki Onna stared at Dabi and her eyes widened in a crazed manner. She saw the man, yet she saw someone else at the same time. She gasped, and clenched her fists.
"Your hair… your face… they're the same as…"
As the Yuki Onna stepped toward Dabi, she raised one of her hands slightly, and as she took the next step, ice slithered down her arm. On the third step it liquified, then froze into a large sword. It was a katana, and its edge was sharper than any other blade.
"After all this time I've found you… now then…"
In a flash, the demon appeared right in Dabi's face, her katana pressed against his chest. The young Hero froze up, and yet he closed his eyes as though he had lost hope. He sighed, and clapped his hands together.
"Ohhhhh I get it, you wanna do this the hard way." He said with sorrow. "Fine, but, please forgive me for what I'm about to do…"
The Yuki Onna closed her eyes, and opened them after a few seconds. Dabi's words fell on deaf ears, and the only thing the Yokai could feel was unmeasured wrath.
"Suffer as I have!"
A bright blue suddenly appeared and exploded with overwhelming power, repelling the demon. She was sent flying into a building as the blue flames burned their way through her ice, and she hollowed an enraged cry. Izuku covered his face to protect himself from the fire as the flames burst in all directions. As the wave died down, he saw Dabi simply standing in place with his hands in his pockets without a care in the world.
The ice demon emerged from the building completely undeterred by the attack, and suddenly she sliced the air itself. A great wind suddenly arrived at her feet, and she disappeared into the snow itself. The wind howled as the storm raged on, and Dabi remained still once again. He breathed in and out slowly, and listened patiently. He felt the chill run all over his body even inside his flames, he felt the deadly ice slowly enrapture the fire. He opened his eyes, and quickly leaned to the left as the Yuki Onna struck with her sword. As the blade was being carried by its momentum, Dabi locked eyes with the Yokai and brought his right hand forward. Blue flames erupted from his palm and the Yuki Onna snapped her head towards the Hero.
In an instant, the flames shot from Dabi's hand causing a tsunami of azure fire to fly across the street onto several buildings. The fires were doused almost immediately, yet nothing was burned much to Izuku's shock. He couldn't believe his eyes as the buildings and the roads were safe, even the vehicles on the sidelines remained untarnished by the destruction. The Yokai attacked the hero with her sword. She stabbed, sliced, then thrusted, all of them missing. Dabi retaliated with several bursts of flame from his hands and feet, he struck the blade with his bare hands, roundhouse kicked twice with flames bursting from his boots. The Yokai blocked and deflected every strike as the flames nearly scorched her hide. She vanished into the snow once again, and Dabi jumped back.
Suddenly, he took a lighter from his pocket and flicked it open. He suddenly spun around like he was dancing, and snapped the lighter shut. Then he snapped his fingers, and the flames erupted into a perfect circle acting as a barrier. He heard something in the distance and saw the Yuki Onna swiping her blade across the ground, and as she did, several deadly spikes made from the ice itself exploded from the ground with the force of an earthquake. Dabi simply pointed his hand at the ice like a gun, and a single bullet made of flames shot through every object. The Yuki gasped as the flaming bullet flew right in her face, nearly piercing her skull, and with the speed of lightning she ripped her katana upward, splitting the bullet in two. The ice was shattered and as it came crumbling down, Dabi snapped his fingers, and the flames were in upheaval once more. A perfect circle was created from the air itself, and he stood at the ready. The Yuki Onna raised her blade to eye level, and blew a snow-laced mist from her mouth.
In the blink of an eye, the Yokai once again appeared in front of the young hero. The flames protected their master and the Yuki slashed against the fire. Dabi flicked his lighter open once more and blew against the ignitor with great strength. He quickly snapped his fingers, and more flames erupted in the Yokai's face causing her to cry in anguish. The demoness was enraged, and through the chaos she struck Dabi right in the leg. The young Hero screamed in pain as the blade pierced his thigh, and he swept his arm out in anger. A blast of blue flames burst from his arms and spiraled into an explosion the moment it touched the ground.
The Yuki Onna dodged the attack and countered with a blast of Corrupted snow. The demonic and vile snow came to life with a red hue, and every snowflake, every drop suddenly lunged and shot at the man. Through the pain, Dabi sidestepped and strafed away from the snow, every flake was as sharp as a knife, and soon he burned them to ash.
"You really think fighting and trying to kill me is going to help you? It only makes you look worse in front of the Gatekeepers you know!" Dabi shouted with pride.
The Yokai summoned more Corrupted snow and scattered it all across this small battlefield, and in an instant the flakes blitzed toward Dabi with roaring speed. He strafed and weaved, avoiding every attack, and he retaliated by whipping his arms forward with large blasts of fire. The Yuki dodged the blaze, however, as she landed from her jump, Dabi bolted up to her with his fist glowing with a blinding blue light. Before she could react, he uppercut her right in the chin. He did so with so much force that he flew into the air from the momentum, and the Yuki Onna was set ablaze by his flames. She howled in pain and rolled on the ground as the fire ate at her skin, and Dabi grunted in pain from the recoil.
He looked at his hand and noticed that his skin was burned a horrid black from the blast. He reeled from the pain of his nerves being burned, and he clenched his fist. With his strained breath he placed his left hand on his arm, and tried to remain calm. He breathed in and out several times, and every second he felt the skin cracking and tearing, sending a horrific burning sensation throughout his whole body. However, his arm glowed softly, and Dabi watched as his skin regenerated. The burning sensation faded, his muscles and skin healed, and finally, he felt restored and revitalized.
"Alright, thanks man." He said to someone confidently. Izuku looked confused, even from all that distance he heard Dabi's statement, and muttered in confusion. "Okay, enough playing around, it's time to send you onward."
For a third time, Dabi flicked the lighter open and encircled himself with the device. He put the lighter in his pocket and snapped his fingers. The flames crackled and whipped with a righteous fury, and as he focused his mind, the fire transformed into several swords and blades.
"Whoa… I didn't know he could do that." Izuku said in astonishment.
Given how he's always taking that lighter out, it's possible he's using the gas from it as a catalyst for his flames, Izuku thought to himself. And the way he snaps his fingers, he must be using that to ignite the gas!
"It's basic chemistry!" He shouted. "But if that's true then why's it affecting a spirit?"
Suddenly, Izuku heard a crystallized noise, like glass was being formed. He turned around and saw Jiro flying in on her icy raven, and she landed right next to him. When she stepped off the bird, it shattered into pieces and vanished.
"Jiro!" Izuku cried happily.
"Oh thank the kami, you're okay!" She replied as she ran up and grabbed her earphones. She looked upward and saw the battle on the street, and she smiled. "I had a feeling Dabi would be here, he's an expert at fighting Yokai."
"You know about him?!" Izuku asked in shock. "What did I miss out on? He told me that he knows about the Spirit World, and he took Tenjin's class! I think he's met Inari and Tsukuyomi too, just who is he?"
"We'll save that for later, right now I should help him out, stay here!"
Jiro was about to run, however, Izuku grabbed her on the arm. She turned around with a stunned look.
"I can help too, if I can get close I can wrap it with my Blessing, then-"
She pulled her arm away gently and she groaned with concern.
"I'm not sure if that's a good idea Midoriya, you still haven't finished your training, and besides, did Shimura even teach you how to fight?"
"No…" Izuku muttered.
Jiro opened her mouth ready to respond, but Izuku quickly stepped forward. He was so close to the young woman's face that she stepped backward slightly, and she was taken by surprise.
"But there's a great teacher right in front of me."
The girl blushed and groaned shortly after. Izuku stepped back a bit after seeing her react, and his face turned to one of curiosity. Jiro shook her head and turned around, and Izuku noticed the ice building up around her hands and around her earphones. She turned her head and looked at the young man, who stood in surprise.
"Just stay close to me and listen to anything Dabi tells you alright?"
Izuku smiled, and when he took the first step, a great golden light emerged from his fingers. Together, he and Jiro leapt into the scene and right through the burning flames. However, when they arrived, they realized that the Yuki Onna and the Hero had vanished.
"Wait, where did they go?!" Izuku asked.
Suddenly, Jiro tackled Izuku to the ground, and in the confusion Izuku could make out a blur. He fell on his back as Jiro held him down, and right past her, he saw the Yuki fly into a building and smash against a wall. She grunted loudly as a flaming sword had slammed her against the concrete, and vanished into thin air. Jiro helped Izuku to his feet, and the two stared at their target.
They heard footsteps approaching from behind, and as they turned around, they watched as Dabi walked through the azure flames with his entire body set ablaze. Every step forward left fire in its wake, and as the Hero let out a deep sigh, the flames on his body disappeared. He kept his eye on the demon ahead, however, he noticed the two teens awaiting him in the flaming circle. He snapped his head around and was shocked to see them by his side.
"I thought I told you to stay back!" He yelled towards Izuku.
"I said I'm going to help and I'm not leaving!"
"Don't you get it? Even if you're with the Spirit World it's too dangerous for someone like you!"
Jiro suddenly pat Dabi on the back, and when he saw her, he realized something. This person that stood next to him, this masked individual.
She's also with them huh?
"You and I don't know each other but you can trust the green haired guy! Shimura does too!"
Dabi gasped and felt a nostalgic aura blanket him like the snow. That name awakened memories that were cherished for as long as he could remember. Izuku may not have seen it, but Dabi nodded toward Jiro, and he turned his attention to the young man with caution. He sighed and smiled, giving a quick thumbs-up.
"Alright fine, just stay close to me okay? Don't do anything dumb."
Izuku shined with a golden light, and the threads flowed elegantly from his fingers and hands. Together the trio faced the Yuki Onna, and growled and heaved like a wild dog. Her face was partially burned by the Hero's flames, and her skin slowly fell from her face. Underneath that elegant façade was a decaying skull, it was a sight so gruesome that Izuku nearly threw up in his mouth. Jiro was in shock and felt the same, and Dabi's face turned to one of utter shock.
Suddenly, the Yokai screamed in agony and the winter storm exploded in chaos. The flaming swords Dabi created encircled the group and protected them as gusts of wind crashed against the flames. Jiro stabbed her earphones into the ground and immediately ripped them from the earth. This caused a great wall of sound to erupt from the concrete and shielded them from the blast. Dabi whipped his arm to the left, unleashing a wave of blue flames into the typhoon. As for Izuku, he simply watched in awe at this display of power.
They're working together seamlessly. He thought. However, he clapped his hands against his face. No, I'm stronger now, I can help them! I have to try at least!
Another gale of snow tried to thrash into the group with raging speed. Izuku concentrated with all his might, and right as the storm was about to strike, he launched his threads and cut through the wind. A great screech rang out in the air, and the snow subsided. Izuku smiled in triumph, the storm was gone.
"Did you see that?!" He cried with grand excitement.
"Yeah, that was awesome! But try to stay focused!" Jiro shouted.
Dabi watched in awe as the golden threads hovered in the air, and he had a revelation. Someone familiar appeared in his mind, if only for a moment. He widened his eyes and suddenly felt perplexed by the sight.
There's no way, the only person that has that power is… He thought.
However, the trio felt fear absorb their spirits, and Dabi quickly snapped his head around and stood in front of Izuku and Jiro. The Yuki Onna was heaving with a turbulent breath oozing into the open air. Her barbaric aura slowly seeped from her fragile shell, and a black energy covered the snow. This strange liquid continued to drip and stain everywhere, and the Yuki Onna's hands were drenched black.
"Why can't I win against you? Why are you holding back?!" The Yuki asked violently.
"If I went all out then I'd destroy most of the city, I'm trying to avoid that y'know?" Dabi replied sarcastically. "Look, this is just becoming a waste of time and energy, and the latter is something you're running low on isn't it?"
"W-What?!" The Yuki roared.
"Yokai are weaker during the day, and even with this blizzard blocking out the sun, you can still feel it, can't you?!"
The Yuki Onna scoffed in anger.
"Face it, you're outnumbered and running out of options. There's still time for you to atone for what you've done. Let us help you move on, and maybe I can ask the denizens of Jigoku to give you a lighter sentence for all the death you've caused." Dabi continued.
"Damn you! You were always like this at home! Always mocking me and looking at me with pity! WHY MUST YOU ACT THIS WAY?!"
Dabi took a fighting stance and prepared himself for another duel, but Jiro and Izuku readied their Blessings. The Yuki Onna breathed barbarically and shook her head like a beast, and her body became malformed and malevolent.
"WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?!" She roared.
"What's going on? Have you guys met before?" Izuku asked as fear slowly crept up his leg.
"Haha, no." Dabi retorted, Izuku flinched from the Hero's tone. "I have no idea what she's on about, but from what she said earlier she thinks I look like someone she knows."
"Like someone else? What did she say?" Jiro asked.
The Yuki Onna calmed herself and raised her icy blade.
"She's about to attack!" Dabi shouted.
The Yuki stared at the group with crazed eyes, and her aura went silent. Her red irises drenched her vision with bloodlust, her soul tainted by fury and malice.
I hate you… I hate you… I hate you so much…
Then use it.
The woman gasped, and the trio halted. The woman's eyes had relaxed, but only for a brief moment. Dabi raised an eyebrow with curiosity and took a step forward, and when he did, he looked over his shoulder and signaled for Izuku and Jiro to join him. The flames slowly dragged against the ground with them, and together they carefully approached the Yokai.
I can still feel a great energy inside you, you need only release it. It is much like the steam of a teapot. A mysterious voice said, it spoke in the Yuki's mind.
There are three of them now, the one with the red and white hair is right, I am outnumbered! The Yuki pleaded.
That hasn't stopped you before, has it now? The voice continued. You are a great warrior, or have you forgotten that in those years on the mountain? All of those years were spent sulking and wailing, and during that period all of your skill simply faded away…
You're worthless and weak…
"YOU'RE WRONG!"
The trio stopped in their tracks as the Yuki yelled violently.
"What the?" Jiro remarked.
"I AM STILL A WARRIOR YOU BASTARD!"
"Who's she talking to?" Izuku asked.
"Be ready, she could attack at any moment." Dabi ordered. He stomped his foot on the ground and the flames sprang back to life. Izuku grimaced his face and tightened his golden thread. He could feel his confidence rising and the warmth of his Blessing blanketing him.
"I AM NOT WEAK! DO YOU HEAR ME KYOHEI?! I WILL PROVE I AM WORTHY OF YOUR RESPECT!"
Izuku and Jiro both saw what was really going on. The Yuki Onna was staring directly at Dabi, who was staring back at the Yokai. The two teens looked back at the Hero, who had a look of loss and confusion in his eyes.
"I-I'm sorry but I don't understand. Who's Kyohei? Do I remind you of him?"
"DON'T LIE TO ME! EVEN AFTER ALL THIS TIME YOU STILL THINK I'M SOME WEAK LITTLE GIRL!"
"What? No, not at all, I don't even know who you are!" Dabi retorted. "But maybe you can help me understand who Kyohei was, who you were! If we can learn about your past, maybe we can help you find closure."
The Yuki Onna growled, and Jiro readied herself for a battle.
"LIAR!" The Yuki Onna screamed. "YOU STILL THINK I'M UNWORTHY! I'M STRONG!"
Then prove it. The mysterious voice chided, it had a strangely youthful, if malicious, tone. Unleash that hidden maelstrom you have buried inside of you. There's no point in all this pouting if you keep holding back.
Quiet, quiet yourself…
Oh come on, you know I'm right… The voice continued. Here you stand with such overwhelming power, you could easily swallow this entire city! Ohhhhh, but here you are crying for mommy and daddy because you can't have it your way…
The Yuki Onna started to cry, it couldn't bring itself to move.
But what will crying accomplish? You cried, and begged, and screamed for days and nights, yet not a single soul came to your rescue when you became trapped on that mountain…
The villagers said it was too dangerous, 'what if we start an avalanche?' The kami wouldn't come to you either, would they? No, they were too preoccupied with their own overzealous reach across our lands. What is the worth of one insignificant human compared to the love and worship of millions?
The Yuki sobbed quietly, and tears left her eyes while the trio stood ready. However, Izuku's eyes widened as he heard the faint crying. His soul felt… attached, and without knowing it, he stepped forward, reaching out to her.
No one came to your rescue, not even your precious Kyohei… you were simply too weak, too much of a liability to even matter.
No, I am not a worthless sack of meat… The Yuki protested.
Then give yourself to it, and wield that power, for if not, then Kyohei will never see the justice he deserves…
"Yes…" The Yuki muttered ominously.
That's it! Reach inside and take grasp of that strength! Take the power I've given you, and unleash it to its fullest potential! You can so this…
I believe in you, Michi!
Dabi squinted his eyes and watched as the Yuki raised her blade.
"I am Michi, an Onna-Musha, a samurai…"
"She's an Onna-Musha? That explains where she learned to fight!" Jiro commented.
"What's that?" Izuku asked.
"It means 'woman warrior', they're from way back during the Kamakura period, but I'm pretty sure they've been around longer than that!" Jiro cried as she plugged her earphones into the ground. "But now's not the time to get sidetracked, if that thing is about to strike then we need to be ready!"
"My thoughts exactly, get ready!" Dabi yelled.
The Yuki raised her blade even higher.
"I am Michi of clan Akiyama! Granddaughter of Shuji the Unbreakable!"
"I AM STRONG! I AM LIKE A GOD!"
She turned the blade inward.
"Wait… what?!" Dabi cried.
And before they could react, the Yuki Onna stabbed the sword right through her stomach. She screamed in agony as the group was taken by surprise, and they were unable to move from the shock of what they saw. She forced the blade deeper into her body, and when she did, she vomited a black and twisted substance.
Good… now rise…
And kill them all…
The Yuki Onna snapped her head upward, and Dabi saw that look. Her eyes turned black and her face began to crystalize. Black crystals sprang from her cheeks, and two large crystal antlers burst from her forehead causing blood to spew outward. Izuku trembled in his boots as this horrifying monster seeped from the Yuki's Niwa. Jiro felt it as well, and her sight became blurred from the immense aura she felt. A raging beast had broken free of its cage, a formless beast that was nothing but pure, unadulterated hatred.
"Wh-what the hell is that thing…?" Izuku whimpered.
"I don't… know…" Jiro replied, her voice was dominated by fear. "I've never fought anything like this before."
The Yuki Onna's entire body had crystals growing and erupting from her skin. Her kimono was torn by the black crystals, and a large, demonic gen erupted from her back. Her legs had large spikes burst from her feet and her calves. Her arms had jagged and sharp crystalline rocks explode from her forearms causing blood to spew onto the ground. Then, she screamed.
She ripped the blade from her stomach and as she did, the black liquid exploded all over the street. Dabi swept his arms around quickly and created a shield to protect everyone, but the black liquid shot through. Time slowed to a crawl, and Dabi gasped in the confusion. He saw a spike aimed right at Izuku, and at the last moment, he threw himself in front of the young man. The liquid stabbed right through his left arm and caused him to roar in pain. Izuku was horrified to see a Hero take a blow like that, he felt his heart skip a beat and his soul shrivel into a small fragile object.
"DABI!" He cried.
He sprinted towards the Hero and slid up to him after dropping to his knees. Jiro stood in horror as the Hero was thrown to the ground, and watched as the black spike had torn straight through his arm. The entity twisted and contorted causing Dabi to howl in agonizing pain, Izuku had to do something to stop it.
"Hold on!" He screamed.
Izuku summoned his golden threads and they wrapped around the black substance. Jiro looked back one more time, and her face turned to horror.
"Wait! Don't touch that!"
But it was too late, the moment the threads touched the object, Izuku's world turned to darkness. A loud screech blasted Izuku's ears and a great tremor erupted in his head. Izuku screamed and grabbed his head with his hands as the darkness drowned everything in sight.
Another monochrome face flashed his eyes and roared with absolute rage, it was like a blood soaked demon had risen from Hell and came for his soul. The face was lunging at him, screaming with its mouth peeled open and blood pouring from its gray flames bursting from its eyes. Izuku screamed in terror, yet the face vanished instantly.
Suddenly it reappeared like a glitch in a computer system. It flashed and vanished, then stabbed into Izuku's mind again. It kept appearing and disappearing within seconds, far too fast for anyone to truly see, blink and you miss it. It was all happening so fast, he couldn't process anything he saw, all he could do was scream and wail into the sky. Dabi also screamed as the black spike slowly corrupted his arm. He clenched his teeth with the force of an earthquake and tried to focus. He ripped his eyes open and his entire body burst into flame. The fire crackled and sprawled all over, causing the black substance to melt and turn to cinder. He shot to his feet, but grabbed his head as the searing pain distorted his senses. He shook his head and felt the flames dousing themselves.
He groaned as the surging agony stabbed and ripped through his left arm, and Dabi yelled the moment he even moved it. Suddenly, the calming blue flames returned, and as he looked at his arm, he watched as the flesh and muscles slowly regenerated. Each muscle fiber slowly grew back and reattached to the other nerves. His bones grew back as if nothing had happened at all, and each nerve sent a massive burn throughout Dabi's body, and he howled and cried as the process continued. Eventually, his muscles were completely restored and his smooth and fair skin grew back into place, not a drop of blood wasted. Finally, the pain disappeared, and he was back at full strength.
The Yuki Onna, now Corrupted beyond all hope, lunged at Jiro with lightning speed. The young woman slammed her Quirk into the ground causing the earth to shatter apart in seconds. The Yuki wasn't phased by this attack, and before Jiro could react, she was blasted through the air and straight into a building. She cried out in pain as the concrete smashed against her body, and the glass from the window pierced her skin, stabbing her in the cheek.
Damnit! Jiro thought as she struggled to stand. That thing's on a whole different level! We have to stop it before it runs, but with that much Blight and Corruption…
Jiro lost her train of thought, and in that moment the Yuki attacked Dabi. The Hero unleashed a barrage of large flames against the beast; he created flaming spears and launched them, flipped into the air with blazing speeds and caught one of the weapons, and attacked the Yuki.
"Ready for Round Two?!" The Hero screamed.
The demon countered with a black blade formed by the very Corruption itself. She slashed towards the Hero, and the black Corruption splattered against the ground and buildings. The blade somehow extended its reach, and it cut right through Dabi's chest. The Hero jumped away and grabbed his chest in pain, but much to Jiro's shock, the wound healed itself almost immediately.
That Yokai's only going for Dabi, but why?
She tried to think of something, anything that she could remember from the lessons.
Vengeful Yokai like her are trapped in our world because they can't move on… She thought. She managed to stand up and observed the battle. Something is keeping her attached to our world, but what?
Jiro thought harder and harder as the battle waged on in the background. She tried to remember all of the details, every iota of information she had gathered since the fight began.
That's it! She thinks Dabi is this Kyohei person. She thought. She kept calling him Kyohei earlier, he has to be someone from her past.
She watched as the two clashed with awesome power. Dabi threw another spear and clapped his hands with thunderous force. The spear impaled the Yuki in the stomach, and shortly after it exploded into a great roaring flame. The fires burned away at the icy and Corrupted flesh causing this Yokai to run wild. She vanished into the wind and suddenly rematerialized with a black whip erupting from her shoulder blades. They latched onto Dabi and threw him with great force. He was sent flying through several buildings, and the Yuki chased after him. Amidst all the chaos, Jiro pulled the glass from her cheek and felt pain in her torso, but she carried on. If she died here, there would be no telling what would happen.
She ran as fast as she could, bearing the pain in her side. She dropped to her knees once she reached Izuku, who remained on the ground. She grabbed his hand and felt it all hit her at once. The darkness stabbed right through her, and her Niwa was immediately hit by the blast. Jiro yelled as the darkness attacked her soul, it felt like her very existence was being eradicated by this obscene force.
A monochrome face shocked her and jumped at her, causing her to cry in terror. It was the elongated face of the Yuki Onna violently screaming up blood, and it splashed against Jiro's soul. She grit her teeth, and with her strength, she repelled the demon by throwing a special talisman. The darkness collapsed in and thrashed her around this black void, the entity stabbed and bludgeoned. It jabbed and blasted Jiro with all its might, every facet of power gnawing away at her soul like a vulture. The young Kaiho-sya did everything she could to protect herself, she covered her head and tried to use her Quirk, but the darkness was too strong. She burrowed deep within herself, grunted in pain and breathed frantically.
However, she stopped, she calmed herself the best she could, and opened her eyes. Her heartbeat mark in her hair transformed into the mellow wave, and her Blessing had blossomed. The darkness stabbed at her again, yet they couldn't penetrate this sudden, harmonic melody. The sound of the guitar burned away the dark with light, and Jiro found herself free from its influence. She was inside her Niwa, and in front of her laid Izuku.
She approached the boy, who grabbed his head and curled up on the ground, and touched him.
"Midoriya it's okay, the Yuki Onna's gone!"
Izuku opened his eyes and gasped for air. Jiro placed her hand on his back, and closed her eyes. The melody continued to play, it was a calming and soothing sound that reverberated in their souls. Izuku could feel the relaxation filling his spirit, and when he opened his eyes, he and Jiro were back in the city.
"Are you okay? That thing went straight for your Niwa." Jiro said.
"I'm better now, thanks Jiro." Izuku replied. "Guess I really need to work on my Niwa training huh?"
Jiro was surprised to see the boy smile, and she did the same.
"So a little music is all it takes to get you on your feet huh? Alright." Jiro joked.
"W-What? Uh…" Izuku muttered.
"I'm kidding, seriously are you going to be alright?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine." Izuku replied.
Suddenly, the two teens froze up as a roaring blaze crashed into the earth, and through the flames were Dabi and the Yuki Onna gunning for the kill. Dabi snapped his fingers once again, causing an explosion. Once more, the Yuki Onna howled as she burned, and Dabi jumped away from the monster and regrouped with the others.
"Alright, this is getting out of hand, so I think I'll be calling curtains now."
"Wait!" Jiro cried. "I think I know how we can finish this."
"Oh really? You better think of it fast because that fire won't hold long."
Dabi charged another strike in his hands, and he thrusted them forward. Two giant blasts of flames screeched towards the monster with blistering speed. The funnels exploded causing even more fire to spread around the Yuki, and with a flick of his wrist, the flames shot into the sky, and plunged directly into the demon.
"That Yokai is only targeting you, because she thinks you're this Kyohei person," Jiro explained. "Every time she sees you, she tunnelvisions on her target and unleashes all of her attacks, that would mean she's draining herself every time she strikes."
"So all we have to do is create a diversion to keep her distracted, then we can ambush her, expose her spiritual core, and put her to rest!"
The trio felt the ground shake, and when they looked at the Yuki Onna, a large and black phalanx of spikes burst from the Yuki's location. The flames were dying, and Dabi once again blasted the beast with his Quirk.
"Okay, seems decent so far, but how will we distract her? She's only targeting me, I've figured that out already, but if that's the case then I'm not sure how she can be distracted.
"I can use my Blessing to create clones of you!" Jiro shot back. "And well, I think if I use that and my Quirk, I can mimic your voice and keep it off balance."
Izuku watched in astonishment, and felt a great positivity swell inside.
"And while it's distracted, Dabi can get a clean shot and destroy its core!" He said.
"Huh, not bad, but there's one problem," Dabi added. Jiro and Izuku watched as he tried to fight off the Blight heading their way. "That thing is regenerating faster than my Quirk can tear it down. I saw its core, but as soon as I was about to destroy it, that Yokai healed itself!"
"Damn, so we need to get it exposed enough to deliver the final blow!" Jiro cried.
The Yuki Onna broke free from the flames with sharp black crystals erupting from the ground, and her ravenous eyes shot in the trio's direction. In a flash, she had closed the gap between them, and she viciously clawed at them with black crystals bursting from her fingers. Dabi shoved Izuku out of the way, and whipped his arm back in the Yuki's face. Izuku tumbled and fell on the ground as the battle continued once again. He felt something change however, as though an idea had emerged.
"Make a smokescreen guys!" He shouted.
Jiro and Dabi took a moment to process his words while the chaos ensued. Jiro used her Blessing, which caused blue kanji to appear on her throat. She moved her body like water, and with her hands, she caused a great mountain of ice to burst from the ground. The Yuki dodged the attack and sneered with pride.
"Ice? Against me?!" She screamed.
However, when she was about to land, a great plume of flame exploded against the small glacier. The combined elements of fire and ice created a large cloud of smoke. THe Yokai landed inside this cloud, and her vision was completely obscured.
"What?! A smokescreen?"
She waited and looked around in all directions. No matter where she looked, there was nothing but a thick steam was the only thing she could see. Without hesitation, the Yuki shot black crystals from her hand, hitting something in the distance. Suddenly, a great blue flame was coming right toward her. Her heinous eyes stared it down with animalistic fury, and with a single finger, she shot a crystal directly through the flame, destroying it instantly.
"THERE YOU ARE!" She screamed.
She dashed toward her target, and as she charged through the smoke, she saw Dabi's glowing blue flames that rested on his Hero's costume. She created a black crystalline blade, and with a single strike, she cut the Hero down.
"Goodbye Kyohei… may you rot in Hell for the suffering you've caused…"
However, as she turned around, her triumphant aura turned to shock. When she saw the body, she realized that what she had just cleaved was nothing more than an ice sculpture. It was colored exactly like Dabi, its hair was red and white, the clothes perfectly matched those of the real man himself, and it even had blue flames. The ice cracked and fell to pieces, and the ice melted into nothing. The Yuki felt a great rage build inside her heart, and she roared a contorted cry. She saw something in the distance, another glowing blue light. Could this be the target she sought?
She lunged in once more, striking down the figure, but once again, it was another decoy. Her anger boiled over, and the ravenous beast lashed out again. More and more, she attacked and striked as more figures appeared. There was a third decoy, then a fourth, a fifth, then an eighth, an eleventh. As the monster attacked, Jiro and Izuku waited in a nearby building, the former had her hands planted on the ground as a decoy emerged from the ice itself. When she finished, her blue energy flowed into the clone, creating a perfect duplicate of the Hero. It ran out into the smoke and suddenly made a loud noise.
"That's amazing Jiro, really!" Izuku praised. "To think you could combine your Quirk with your Blessing to-"
"I appreciate the comment but this really isn't the time, Midoriya." Jiro retorted. Izuku shivered in his shoes, and blushed. "If this plan works then Dabi can get in close and finish it off."
"What if it doesn't work?" Izuku asked.
"Then we'll need to hit it fast and hard!" Jiro cried.
Izuku was slightly surprised, but nodded with determination. He looked towards the smoke and breathed. This was the time to prove himself, even if it meant risking a grave injury. That's what a Hero does after all.
The Yuki continued destroying everything in More and more, there were too many, the Yuki lashed out, she stabbed, slashed, clawed, she used her Corrupted crystals to wipe out an entire crowd at once, yet the decoys kept coming. Her crazed eyes lookward toward the sky, and she called out.
"ENOUGH GAMES, SHOW YOURSELF YOU COWARD!" She screamed.
"That's all I needed to hear…"
Out from the smoke, Dabi snuck up on the Yokai with his fist glowing a bright blue. It was burning so hot that his hand turned white, and the sleeve of his costume burned away. The Yuki turned around in the chaos and gasped. She was bewildered, her energy was drained, what would she do?
"Flashfire!" Dabi yelled.
"FIST!"
It all happened so fast. Dabi rocketed his fist into the Yuki Onna's back. He did so with so much force that the smoke was destroyed instantly. The blast destroyed any sense of sound in the area, and the blue flames erupted into the sky and past several buildings. It flew into the air like a volcanic eruption, with so much force that it shook the very earth. Thousands of civilians saw this blast from miles away, and in the midst of it all, Hawks stared at it with shock and awe. He looked over his shoulder as Beastman had clotheslined another villain and subdued him on the ground, and when the Hero looked up, he too was hypnotized by the flame's majesty. Hawks smirked with a warm feeling in his heart, and sighed.
Over the top as always, Toya… He thought. Madam President's gonna have a few words, this should be fun.
And elsewhere, a lone figure wearing a black robe and hood simply observed the battle. They were sitting patiently, waiting for the smoke to clear.
"What an exhilarating ability, I gotta see more!" They said with a twisted smile.
Izuku and Jiro could hardly move. The blast nearly wiped out the entire district. Their hearts were frozen by this awesome power, Izuku could barely breathe, and Jiro couldn't move her legs. Their hearts were jammed by the blast, their souls in utter shock as the snow had completely evaporated from all the heat. As for Dabi, he was heaving for all the air he could muster, and he collapsed to the ground. He was on his hands and knees with barely any strength, and he loudly grunted and groaned. His vision was blurred, but even through that, he could see that his right arm was horribly burned. He could barely feel his skin, let alone the muscles in his arm. Yet, even through the numbness, he could feel his arm slowly healing. Small blue embers crept up his arm, and they slowly repaired the limb.
"Damn, looks like I used a little too much juice there." He said with a weak laugh. "After all, the only thing Dad ever taught me was how to turn up the heat…"
Dabi began to cough loudly, and he could feel his throat turning dry. Izuku felt a great fright build up inside, and he rushed to the Hero once again. Jiro followed swiftly, and together, they helped the Hero sit up.
"That was incredible! I've never seen your Flashfire Fist move in person before!" Izuku cheered. Dabi laughed weakly.
"Yep, finally got to try it out on the field, but uhh… pretty obvious I went overboard."
"Tell me about it." Jiro muttered.
"Did you say something?" Dabi asked.
"No." Jiro said quickly, Izuku noticed that she turned away and blushed.
The trio remained still for a moment, and allowed the silence to settle in. For all that fighting and destruction, there was an odd peace in the air. Several buildings, including jewelry shops, restaurants, bus stops, clothing stores, and others were destroyed. However, it was calm and quiet, the fighting had ended, and the storm had subsided. Izuku and Jiro noticed that the blizzard had stopped, and while it was gradual, the clouds were starting to fade.
"Is it over?" Izuku asked.
"Not yet, we still have to send the Yuki Onna onward, think you can hold Dabi for a sec?"
"Yeah, of course." Izuku replied.
Jiro carefully helped Dabi into Izuku's arms while the Hero hissed his breath in pain. Izuku held him upward while the embers slowly healed the Pro Hero. Jiro slowly moved toward the Yuki Onna, who was still covered in smoke. She reached into her pocket, and took out a small Katashiro doll. Izuku immediately recognized it.
That's the same thing Shimura used on that Kuchisake the night we met. He thought.
The smoke finally cleared, and as Jiro raised the paper doll, she suddenly took a step back in horror. The Yuki Onna was completely burned from head to toe. What remained of her skin was charred a hideous black, flaking into the wind. Her entire body had been burned down to the bone, with nothing but ripped and raw muscle and a barely functioning skeleton remaining. What was once a beautiful face had been tarnished into a decaying skull with singed and faint strands of hair still rooted in the bone. Her jaw was permanently snapped open, and her skeletal arm was raised in the air, unmoving. Jiro put a hand over her mouth and felt a horrible feeling in her stomach. She nearly threw up in her mouth, but she stood her ground. Izuku couldn't take his eyes off what remained of the Yokai, but he couldn't feel anything either. The sight was truly grotesque beyond anything he had ever seen.
Jiro took a deep breath, and she recomposed herself, she grasped her paper Katashiro doll, and raised it in front of the Yuki's face.
"Bless you, victim of man…" She chanted. The Katashiro doll started to glow blue. "Bless you spirit, who was taken too soon from this world…"
The Katashiro's light grew brighter, and it extended out to the Yuki's remains. It nearly touched the exposed muscle of the Yokai, its elegant magic purifying what was left. However, a wicked, vile crack sounded off in the empty street, sending absolute fear into Jiro's soul. She stopped her prayer and looked up, and she saw that fear force its way into her soul…
The Yuki Onna was staring directly at her with its only remaining eye. A darkness had absorbed Jiro's entire Niwa, and she was paralyzed by pure terror. A strong wave of Blight and hatred washed over her, and she was powerless to stop it. The Yuki Onna hacked and screeched one last time, and to Jiro's terror, the Yuki's arm snapped open, and a crystallized dagger burst from the Yokai's palm. It screamed a dry and harrowing screech as the bone arm came roaring down ready to tear Jiro to pieces. Jiro couldn't move, her heart had stopped, and the monochrome visage of her blood soaked face flashed before Jiro's eyes. The dagger came closer, and closer.
And it stopped. Jiro gasped for air and fell to her knees as the darkness was destroyed by a golden light. There was no sound, no pain, no suffering. Only the warmth of this light remained, and strangely, it called to Jiro. She reached her hand out, and the golden thread gently caressed her hand like a caring parent. She blinked, and Jiro realized she was suddenly back in reality, and what stood before her was something she never expected.
There stood Izuku, who was holding a golden katana in his hands. And at his feet, was the Yuki Onna… cleaved in half by the blade.
"Are you okay?" The young man asked as the sword unraveled into threads of light. Jiro suddenly realized that he reached his hand toward her. "You're not hurt, are you?"
Jiro was about to take his hand.
What just happened? She thought, she could barely speak. Did Midoriya… save me?
She reached upward, and took his hand. However, Izuku froze, and Jiro felt his hand turn cold.
"Midoriya?" She asked, she suddenly shot to her feet, as the boy didn't respond. "Midoriya?!"
Jiro looked at Izuku and grabbed him by the shoulders, but then she saw it. His eyes were filled with sheer focus, but there was something else, a faint glimmer.
"Oh my-" Jiro muttered. "He really did it… he destroyed her spiritual core…"
And in the distance, the cloaked figure watched with intrigue. They smiled under their hood, and giggled.
"Well that was an unexpected turn." They said gleefully. "That boy really did it… he started the ritual and entered Michi's Niwa, he's trying to cleanse her!"
They sat up, and kneed down on the floor. As Jiro continued to get Izuku's attention, the figure's grin only grew wider.
"This will be a fascinating case study."
"Well, let's see what happens next, Izuku Midoriya!"