'VROOOM! VROOOM! VROOOM!' The engine of the motorcycle roared like a demon as it sped down the street! The one driving the vehicle was Ken Sudo! (Who had never driven anything in his life. His only experiences being those arcade machines that give you the feeling of driving a car.) And the one desperately clinging to his back for dear life was Suzune Horikita! The both of them were En route to the scene where an explosion took place for a yet unknown reason!
But the truth would soon be revealed as the person who had caused the explosion was waiting for them! But neither Horikita nor Sudo could know that truth. Instead, they were far more concerned with-
'HOLY SHIT! H-H-HER B-B-BOOBS! I CAN FEEL THEM ON MY BACK!' Sudo screamed internally as it was taking all of his willpower to maintain his focus so that the both of them wouldn't get into a vehicular accident. As for Horikita-
'I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die.' Was all that she could think about. For anyone oblivious, Horikita tended to get carsick very easily. Which is why she avoided using most forms of transportation. (Though ironically, she never once got seasick.) And now here she is riding on a motorcycle going almost a hundred miles per hour. She didn't want to protest, since there may be people in danger. But if this was any other situation…
… The man named Ken Sudo would be a dead man. Because nothing would be able to save him from the wrath of the girl on the verge of projectile vomiting and all the more pissed off because of it. But she held her anger in knowing full well that that is best saved for whoever they have to go up against. Explosions don't typically go off on this island. In fact, Horikita had never seen an explosion in real life until now. The same could be said for Sudo. Meaning that whoever is behind this incident is undoubtably someone with a Quirk!
But that's not all! Even though they knew people who had Quirks. (I.e. Sakayanagi and Manabu.) Neither of them could be responsible for causing this explosion since it would be impossible for them to do so with their Quirks! Furthermore, it isn't in their nature to cause havoc. This can only mean that whoever caused this sudden eruption is someone that is allied with the Head Doctor and the Traitor! In fact, there is a high chance that the Traitor could have set off the explosion as I diversion so that Garaki could escape! However…
… Horikita (Who had come up with this assumption couldn't be more wrong. Because who they were about to meet was someone that she had already become all too familiar with. That person being-
"HEY OUT OF THE WAY JACKASS!" Sudo shouted at the top of his lungs as he closed in on the scene where the explosion took place. There was a car completely on fire as well as an ambulance that had sustained heavy damage and had been tipped over! Not only that but in the middle of the road was a man with a jacket on and a hoodie overing his face! But even then, he was unmistakably a student of AN due to the red vest that was visible due to his jacket not being zipped up in the slightest! But even though Sudo called out to him, the man didn't respond and stood in place like a statue.
"SHIT!" Sudo yelled out at the top of his lungs while slamming his foot on the rear brake pedal!
'SCREEE!' The motorcycle slid down the road and almost came into contact with the hooded man. But before it could it stopped with just a meter or two away from the man. Sudo breathed a sigh of relief before turning his attention back onto the man standing in the middle of the road.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM?! ARE YOU TRYING TO GET YOURSELF KILLED?!" Sudo shouted at the top of his lungs once more as he wondered what kind of jackass would do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING when a moving vehicle was about to hit them?! If Sudo didn't have luck on his side the hooded man might as well have been six feet underground. But the man didn't bat an eye to Sudo's ear piercing shouting. All he did was raise his palm into the air directly where Sudo was. And then…
"… You first." The Hooded Man replied as Sudo knew something couldn't be more wrong. Horikita knew this as well and didn't need to use Foresight to see what would happen next! But before she could move a muscle, Sudo used his impressive strength granted to him by his Quirk Steel to pick up Horikita with one hand before tossing her away from the motorcycle. And not even a second later-
'BOOOOOOM!' The motorcycle was completely engulfed in a fiery explosion! Horikita could only see the result after she had landed on the cement and skinned her knees and hands in the process. But what caught her attention was the color of the flames. Normally flames are orange. But these flames were blue! Although something was oddly familiar about them. And it didn't take long at all for Horikita to connect the pieces of the puzzle (Metaphorically speaking) and realize just who exactly had unleashed these blue hot flames! And that person was none other than-
"It's been a while hasn't it… Suzune." Ryuuen spoke with a twisted smirk on his face as the hood of his jacket was pushed off his face. However, in the process of doing so, Horikita noticed that there were patches of gnarled, wrinkled, purple that covered bellowed his eyes and the bottom half of his face all the way down to his neck! It was a horrifying display as Ryuuen looked somewhat like a certain eighties' slasher villain! Though Horikita didn't think of him as that and could only be horrified at what she was seeing in front of her!
"… My… god…" Suzune muttered with but a whisper as those were the only words she was able to get out of her throat while looking at the monstrosity in front of her. Horikita was at a loss of what to do. Her Quirk Foresight only allows her to see the future of a certain person ONCE per day. The conditions for using this Quirk is that she must make eye contact with the person AND touch them. Meaning for her to see Ryuuen's future and know his future actions she would have to scurry over to him and slap him in the face! (So, to speak.)
However, even if she got astronomically lucky and managed to do that, then that wouldn't really change her situation. This is because Ryuuen's Quirk Blueflame is a very dangerous power that allows him to engulf the area in a sea of flames if he chooses to do so. So, even if Horikita knew exactly what Ryuuen would do next, it would stop her from being incinerated to ashes. That's why Horikita didn't know what to do because the chances of her surviving this encounter much longer were getting lower and lower by the second. And she would have certainly been screwed. If it wasn't for the fact…
… That certain Quirks have counters for each other.
"Hahaha…" The voice of a familiar man laughing caught both Horikita and Ryuuen completely off guard as a previously thought to be destroyed variable came back to change the metaphorical equation of the battle! It was then that a man emerged from the blue flames encased head to toe in steel. His uniform was charred black. And even though the flames that were covering him hurt like hell even with the defense granted to him by steel, he casually moved forward as if it didn't bother him in the slightest. And then…
"Nice try. But it's gonna take a lot more than that to kill me, fucker!" Sudo yelled out with a cocky grin on his face while slowly advancing toward Ryuuen. The latter of which couldn't have been more petrified at the man coated with steel closing the distance between them.
"N-No way! How the hell are you still alive?! Ryuuen snapped back with a shout as Sudo began charging forward at him! But before he could reach him-
'FWHOOOSH!' Ryuuen emitted a blast of his flames once more in a desperate attempt to kill the man covered in steel! But even though his flames reached two thousand degrees Celsius and were more than double the temperature of lava, Sudo emerged from the flames unscathed!
"EAT STEEL! MOTHERFUCKER!" Sudo shouted at the top of his lungs while raising his fist into the air!
'BAAAAM!' Before sending it crashing into Ryuuen's jaw! Sending the man flying into the air before landing onto the ground! It was an instant knockout! Not only that but it had shattered the bones in Ryuuen's jaw! The man once known as Class C's leader was left on the ground with a dislocated jaw and several of his teeth knocked out due to Sudo's impressive might! The battle was over! And the winner is…
… KEN SUDO! That same person stood triumphantly while the blue flames dispersed due to Ryuuen being unconscious. But even though he had won, Sudo collapsed to his knees as the steel covering his body vanished without a trace. And not even a second later-
"BLAUGH!" Sudo vomited up his own blood as Horikita's eyes shot wide open as she was only able to watch what had occurred before with a similar sense of awe when compared to how Deku defeated the USJ Nomu back on the uninhabited island! But even though Sudo had gained a massive feat, the effects of the battle were readily apparent to Suzune. She then got back onto her feet and rushed over to Sudo, catching him just before he would have landed face first onto the concrete.
"Hahaha… not bad, right?" Sudo replied with a weak tone of voice that was all but a whisper when compared to his usual deafening way of speaking. But even though the battle had lasted for fifteen seconds at most, Sudo had just barely managed to hold his own against Ryuuen. Hell, if the battle had gone on for a second longer, the steel covering Sudo's body would have melted away. This would have been curtains for the young red headed man. And Horikita realized this due to how Sudo wasn't even able to stand any longer. Which was why she-
"Yeah… that was pretty cool." Suzune replied with a genuine smile on her face as her opinions of the man in her arms was changing by the passing of the second. Sudo has already shown substantial growth throughout his short but eventful tenure as a student of AN. But even then, all of that paled in comparison to this stunning display of manliness that even Horikita couldn't help but admit was 'cool.' And just hearing that single word was enough for Sudo to know that his mission was accomplished.
"Thanks… Hori…" Sudo spoke as his voice trailed off and he fell unconscious. Horikita then lightly put him onto the ground. Not that she wanted to just leave him there. But she had no choice but to do so. This was because people might be injured, perhaps even dead. That's why as the only person who was currently conscious, she had to do something about it before it was too late! But while she slowly advanced toward the car that had only been moments ago drenched with flames, her breath quickened as she braced herself for the worst-case scenario. Only to find what was inside the vehicle was…
… Nothing at all. There wasn't a single person inside of the car nor were there any remains of a person such as bones. However, this didn't mean that whoever was inside this car got out safely. Even still, Horikita couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief in the event that the person who had driven this car managed to escape. But unbeknownst to her, that person had been incinerated to the point that their bones had been turned to ashes. Though the truth behind the event was best left unknown to the young woman who was still in her early teens.
Horikita with renewed determination quickened her pace and closed the distance between her and the ambulance. But since the ambulance had been tipped over, she had no choice but to get on top of the vehicle and open the door that was beside her feet. But even though Horikita had deduced who the person inside of the vehicle was, she could still not brace herself for the sudden revelation that it was indeed the exact person she had thought it was. That same person being the class representative of her class, Yosuke Hirata!
"Hirata!" Suzune yelled out as the blonde-haired man that she had come all too familiar with them being in the same for over half a year. Hirata might as well have been on the ground because with the way the ambulance was positioned, caused him to fall out of the stretcher he was on and close to where the other door of the ambulance was. The red vest that Midoriya had wrapped around his stomach was still the only thing preventing Hirata from losing any more of his blood. And even though the vest was red, Horikita noticed immediately that it was a different shade of red. Which meant that it was no doubt Hirata's blood. But then…
"… Hori… kita?" Hirata muttered so quietly it was nothing more than a whisper. But Horikita heard it and realized that Hirata was awake! He must have woken up when the ambulance crashed onto the side of the road! Though she was glad that her classmate was still alive she bit her lip while pulling out her phone. She didn't waste any more precious seconds and dialed the number for the school's police. But she stopped just before pressing the call button. It was then that another thought rose to the forefront of her mind.
'T-This is all too sudden. What are the odds that Ryuuen attacked this ambulance out of any of the other cars here? Sure, there was that one car that got totaled, but I highly doubt Ryuuen would try and kill some random person. No. This ambulance also being attacked, is irrefutable evidence that 'this' was the target all along. Which means… that whoever hurt Hirata… was trying to finish the job!' Horikita realized internally but as she put her phone back into her pocket, her finger accidentally brushed against the call button.
"What's your emergency?" The person on the other line of the phone said as Horikita's eyes went wide out of sheer surprise. Normally her movements are perfectly executed so that she wouldn't waste any of her energy doing anything that she deemed as 'unnecessary.' That was the way of life that the girl named Suzune Horikita lived by ever since making it her mission to win back her brother's approval. However, in these past few months, she had been using more and more of her free time doing the exact things that she deemed as 'unnecessary' in the pursuit of her goal. And it was all thanks too…
'Of course, I believe in you. We're friends after all!' The young man named Izuku Midoriya suddenly appearing inexplicably in her life out of the blue. She had been minding her own business throughout the entire bus ride to AN. Not so much of saying a word to anybody. Even when somebody called out to her, she completely ignored them as if they didn't exist. It wasn't as if she thought she was better than them. Far from it. It's just that she deemed anyone else as 'unnecessary' in accomplishing her goal. But this all changed the moment she gained her very first friend.
And after that, things began changing more and more as she was finding it much harder to keep her emotions in check. Even before Midoriya had said they were 'friends' she was showing tell-tale signs that she was beginning to care for him. Sticking her neck out for him when he was going to abandon his classmates for not putting in the effort to achieve passing results on their test scores. It was almost out of character for her to do something like that. But that was simply the beginning…
… The beginning of how people she previously deemed as 'unnecessary' became 'necessary' so that she could continue to live her life. But that too was simply the beginning of something more. Something that had been hidden inside of Horikita ever since the day she was born, lying dormant in her body until the day it was necessary for it to become what pushed her to become the woman she will become in the future. And that day…
… Was now.
'WHOOOSH!' Suddenly, the ground shook below her as something outside of the vehicle was unleashing air pressure that made the entire vehicle violently shake. The result being that Horikita dropped her phone as the screen cracked and flickered while her device's wallpaper showcasing a picture of her and her brother as kids flashed for all but a second. But even though it happened in the blink of an eye, Suzune recalled it all too clearly as her heart skipped a beat realizing what was outside of the vehicle was undoubtably an enemy.
"Ma'am… what's your emergency?!" The person on the other line yelled out as Horikita's eyes shot wide open, knowing full well that the chances of the enemy outside hearing it was all too high. And if they heard it, the enemy would soon find her and Hirata and finish the job. Because whoever appearing outside was all too convenient. She only just (Accidentally) called the police and only a few seconds after that someone is here?! There's no way that's a coincidence! It's possible that they used the same plan of attack that she suggested to Deku by tracing the call! And if that's the case, that only proves her theory from before!
The situation has gone from bad to worse. Not only was Sudo unconscious due to their injuries that they sustained during the heat of battle. But Hirata was in no condition to fight. And now another enemy has appeared! She can't even call Deku because he's currently fighting against the Head Doctor and what appeared to be Shiina! And her brother is off the table as well, due to their location being far from the city!
In fact, they are much closer to the bridge than they are to the surrounding area. The apartment buildings are practically on the other side of the island! Even if Manabu were to use the full power of his Permeation Quirk to boost him throughout the city, it still would take him ten minutes bare minimum to get there! But Horikita didn't need to know the specifics of her brother's Quirk to realize something that was all too obvious to her. And with no one else to call upon, this leaves her no choice but to…
Chapter 48: Suzune Horikita: Rising
… Rise to the occasion and handle this predicament herself!
'WHOOOSH!' Suddenly the purple vortex dispersed as the man named Kiyotaka Ayanokoji had already emerged from it a few seconds ago. He quickly processed the situation at hand and realized that this was all according to his calculations.
'Sending Ryuuen here was the perfect strategy, given the fact that Sudo possesses a rather 'annoying' Quirk that grants him both impeccable strength and defense. Having the both of them take each other out was the right course of action. I wouldn't want Sudo to give me trouble. Especially when Shiina has been freed from the good doctor's control. At the speed that is granted to her by the Quirk 'Fierce Wings' it should only take her exactly two minutes to fly over here.' Kiyotaka thought internally as he closed in on the ambulance.
'That's right. It will only take less than two minutes for her to notice what has happened here. Since she would no doubt fly over the bridge in order to get to the hospital located on the mainland. That means I have roughly a minute and fifty-five seconds to finish things here before I would have to deal with such a nuisance. I'd rather avoid a confrontation with Shiina if doable. So, I must eliminate Hirata before that. Sudo can stay alive as well as Horikita. They aren't all that dangerous.' Kiyotaka continued internally as the seconds trickled down ever so slowly.
'However, Hirata is dangerous. His 'Overclock' Quirk grants him impressive speed and even more impressive reaction timing. If he had known I wasn't Hiyori Shiina then I wouldn't have been able to land a hit on him. Someone that dangerous must be eliminated before they could pose a problem in the future. Garaki wouldn't have approved of this, considering it would only put Izuku Midoriya in a fit of rage. One that would undoubtably cause him to become a nuisance in the near future. That's why… the Doctor had to die.' Kiyotaka finished internally as everything began to fall into place as he designed it too.
'Oh, I just remembered. Ujiko wanted me to tell you something if we ever met face to face like this.' It was for that reason he namedropped the name 'false' name that the Doctor was using in this world to Izuku Midoriya, all so that he would connect the dots and pursue Garaki to an early demise. He was hoping that the both of them would have killed each other, or more specifically that Shiina killed Midoriya before he was able to free her of his control but that's neither here nor there. Izuku Midoriya isn't that much of a threat the way he is right now. Kiyotaka even doubted that Midoriya regained his ability to walk.
But even if that was the case, Hirata was the more substantial threat. Though Hirata wouldn't be able to kill Ayanokoji, this did not mean that the latter would be able to kill the former. Right now, is the perfect opportunity to finish off Hirata, before he can awaken from his slumber. But just as Kiyotaka passed by Ryuuen, he glanced at the latter before snapping his fingers.
'WHOOOSH!' Suddenly the purple vortex materialized out of thin air as Kiyotaka grabbed the foot of Ryuuen and dragged him through it. All while thinking that Ryuuen served his purpose much like Nagumo inadvertently did. Kiyotaka truly couldn't have predicted that Hirata would be the one to show up when he did, not the former had any plans of dying. He would have only acted dead and simply got up due to his regeneration quirk making him almost incapable of being killed. But that brought forth this unfathomable opportunity to get rid of Hirata and the Doctor in one fell swoop.
'I've played the fool for long enough. From now on, I'm doing things my way.' Ayanokoji declared internally just as he was about to make a hole with Spearlike Bones into the ambulance that would surely finish Hirata off for good as long as he positioned the attack at a perfect angle. He already attempted to attack his chest, so perhaps this time, he'll go for the head. A surefire way to finish the job would be for the best. Or so Kiyotaka deduced using his fingers to analyze exactly where Hirata would be within the ambulance. But before he could accurately pinpoint his position-
'BAM!' The door of the ambulance that was facing the night sky was suddenly opened as a young woman emerged from it! Kiyotaka was completely caught off guard by the suddenness of it all as he struggled processing what had just happened!
'S-Suzune Horikita?! What is she doing here?! Shouldn't she have run away from here?! Her Quirk Foresight was useless in the battle against Ryuuen! Don't tell me she actually stayed because she believed that Sudo would prevail?!' Kiyotaka thought internally while Horikita didn't waste the opportunity that was granted to her by catching the enemy off guard! She thought for sure that he would hear her phone! But he didn't! And this was the proof of it! This is the perfect golden opportunity! And she was going to-
'SLAP!' Slap it right in the face! (Ayanokoji's face that is!) Kiyotaka was caught off guard by the suddenness of her attack! This was the first time that he had seen her take such an aggressive approach! No… but that was wrong! She did the same thing back when she confronted Sudo about what he was saying about her brother! But Ayanokoji didn't know that! He had only thought of Suzune as someone weak! Someone that wouldn't be able to hit someone where it hurts! But he couldn't be more than wrong about that assumption!
'No doubt it! She activated Foresight! Calm down… this is Suzune Horikita we're talking about. She might have landed an attack, albeit barely. But she doesn't have the strength necessary to actually give me a challenge. If it was Manabu or even Sudo who had her Quirk that would be a completely different story. But that girl is exactly what she is. A weak and pathetic girl who relies on men far stronger than her to fight the battles she can't. That weakness will be your undoing, Suzune Horikita. So, just try attacking me.' Kiyotaka thought internally while analyzing the situation at hand while Horikita stared back at him.
'I… I can see it! His next attack! First, he'll try to use the Quirk that he has on hand! It's some bone in the shape of a spear! He's going to try piercing me in my right arm at a ninety-degree angle!' Suzune realized internally as if her right eye that was the color black had mutated into a gear! And while this was happening, all of Kiyotaka's future attacks played one after another as if they were a strip of film! She could see each and every single one of them in stunning detail! But in the time span of less than a second, she processed all of them and was ready to fight!
'Spearlike Bones.' Kiyotaka thought internally as his index finger mutated into exactly what he was describing before it shot forward! But not to anyone's surprise, Suzune dodged it with ease!
'Of course you would be able to accomplish that much. You might be weak and pathetic but even an ant can scurry out of danger if they see it coming from a mile away. But that's what you are, Horikita. An ant that is about to be squashed by my boot. How about I complete the analogy by actually performing said action?' Kiyotaka thought internally as he lifted his left leg into the air in less than a second while aiming his foot against Horikita's solar plexus! One blow would surely do the trick and have her on the ground! And he would be right, if he was able to land said blow that is!
'WHAM!' But before he could land the blow onto her solar plexus, Suzune saw the attack coming from a mile away due to foresight and grabbed the leg of her attacker before lifting up into the air and flipping him over her head!
'Judo?! How did she- Kiyotaka thought internally as his body hit the ground but before he could finish that thought-
'POW!' His solar plexus was struck by Suzune's right foot! The result was Kiyotaka spitting out his blood without so much as a groan of pain. It wasn't as if this didn't hurt. He was simply trained to withstand the urge to let out anything that would be registered as pain. Such as the life of being the prized possession of the White Room! But they weren't in that place! This was the outskirts of the island that they had both become accustomed to for quite some time! And his opponent was someone that he deemed as inferior to him in every conceivable way! So, how was she-
'BAM! WHAM! POW!' Suzune did not stop even for a second as landed blow after blow onto Kiyotaka's solar plexus! The results being all too apparent as her attacker was put into a ton of pain because of it! A sheer amount of pain that he had not undergone in quite some time! In fact, when has anybody been able to corner him this relentlessly before? Kiyotaka couldn't think of a single time as he was ruthlessly beaten up by Horikita who didn't falter even for a moment!
'D-Did I actually underestimate this girl? No… I've never underestimated anyone before. In fact, I have a tendency to overestimate my opponents. I take very careful measures to ensure that something like this doesn't occur. But now… she's… challenging me?! How could she even be capable of such a thing?' Kiyotaka thought internally as he couldn't figure out the reason why she was beating him into submission. Even with Foresight, Suzune Horikita shouldn't be capable of doing something like this! It isn't in her character to do so!
'BAM!' But even though Kiyotaka couldn't fathom over how Horikita was capable of actually giving him somewhat of a challenge, he had no intention to just lie down and accept defeat. (Metaphorically and literally.) So, he-
'WHOOOSH!' Mutated another of his fingers into a Spearlike Bone as it shot toward Horikita! But Suzune knew this was coming! Which is why she found that it was imperative to land as many critical hits as possible onto her attacker before she had to change her game plan! It only took a second for Kiyotaka to activate another of his endless plethora of Quirks, Air Walk! This allowed the user of said Quirk to move freely throughout the air as if it were the ground and even control it to a certain extent. But Kiyotaka found no desire to actually control the surrounding air to his advantages. At his current position, a few meters above the girl, he's already won.
"It's over Horikita. Just give it up already." Kiyotaka declared with an emotionless look on his face and eyes that matched said look. But Horikita was already in the middle of developing a new strategy to attack that she came up with on the fly! This attack being to get on top of the ambulance and-
'Whooosh!' To just jump as high as she can toward him!
'Such a stupid strategy.' Kiyotaka thought internally but to his utmost surprise, Suzune actually managed to grab onto his foot. It wasn't as if he was all that high in the sky. In fact, he was levitating just barely a meter away from the ambulance! Not only did he not expect her to use the ambulance as a springboard. But what was even more surprising was that she was able to accomplish a feat that only skilled athletes were capable of! To put it bluntly it all angered the young man.
'BAM! WHAM! POW!' So, he sent his other foot directly toward her face in quick succession! But even though the pain was brutal, Horikita hung on and shot her arm forward until she came in contact with-
'BAAAAAM!' A crucial blow to any man that even Kiyotaka couldn't help but wince out of sheer surprise.
'S-She actually… hit me there?!' Kiyotaka thought internally while his family jewels took a critical blow that broke his thought process and sent him and Horikita crashing onto the ground! But Suzune wasn't going to let this chance slip by, so she immediately regained her footing before pouncing onto Ayanokoji! She then wrapped her right arm around his neck and got him into a chokehold with the intention of putting him unconscious! Much to the surprise of her attacker!
'To think… she's actually going this far… to fight against me.' Kiyotaka thought internally while losing more and more of the oxygen in his lungs without the ability to breathe properly due to Horikita making sure of just that! But Ayanokoji wasn't going to lose to someone he deemed as inferior! But as he attempted to grab her head and pull hair out until she admits defeat, his attempt to do so was foiled by Horikita wrapping her legs around his arms preventing him from touching her!
'Hori… kita!' Kiyotaka thought internally with a face that was beginning to show the slightest hint of anger. And just as he was about to lose consciousness his final thought just before he would have succumbed to defeat was…
… I commend you.
"BLAUGH!" Suzune coughed up blood as she inadvertently loosened her grip on Kiyotaka as he broke free from her clutches. But how was he able to do so? Simple. One of the many Quirks that Ayanokoji possesses granted to him by the use of the Quirk All For One was Impact Recoil! A Quirk that reflected any damage taken right back at the attacker! And while he was able to withstand the flurry of blows that he sustained against Horikita; the latter was not able too. And that was the difference between the two combatants. One was able to force themselves to take any and all blows and the other was rendered defeated because of it.
"Goodness. A valiant effort. But it seems that you were destined for defeat even if you could see all of my attacks coming from a mile away. You probably thought that as long as you managed to make me succumb to unconsciousness that you would be able to avoid being rendered defeated in the process. Unfortunately, Foresight doesn't work that way. So, even though what you saw wasn't me landing a physical blow onto you, the fact remains that Suzune Horikita was defeated." Kiyotaka spoke while putting his foot on top of Horikita's battered and bruised head.
"I never imagined that you would have been capable of even attempting to land a blow onto me. Truthfully, I believed that someone like you would not have been able to do so. But I was wrong. That is a first for me. Along with the fact that I've never been so… challenged in my entire life. Not even men bigger and stronger than you and me were capable of performing what you did against me. For that you certainly earned my deepest respects, Horikita. You really are something else." Kiyotaka continued while glaring daggers at Horikita and noticing the blood dripping from her mouth in the process.
"I know you have a handkerchief on you. So, I would strongly recommend you use it. That way you'll be able to clean up the bloody mess that is your face. You wouldn't want anyone feeling bad for you, now, would you?" Kiyotaka asked with a face that wasn't concerned for her wellbeing in the slightest. Horikita noticed this and ignored him. But this was a mistake.
'BAM!' Which was made too apparent by Kiyotaka slamming his foot down onto her head as now her nose was broken and gushing blood.
"Quickly now. You should really clean yourself up. Though I guess it really doesn't matter because I'm about to beat you to death. Or at least that's what I would very much like to do. But I only have a little over a minute left before Hiyori Shiina shows up. To think that you were actually able to hold me off for so long. But it doesn't quite sit right with me that I'll have to end things in but a moment. Perhaps, I'll be satisfied if I hear you scream?" Kiyotaka spoke as he slammed his other foot against Horikita's right hand with enough force to break a finger or two.
"AUGH!' Suzune let out a shriek of pain only for Kiyotaka's foot to cut her off mid scream by it being put inside of her mouth.
"Oh, put a sock in it. In fact, you might as well take the whole foot. This night has gifted me the exact same pain you're feeling right now. However, I accepted it with dignity while all you've been doing is screaming like a child. Just sit back and take it like a man." Kiyotaka continued before gripping Suzune's hair and sending her face crashing down onto the pavement. Kiyotaka then searched for where Horikita might have kept her endless supply of handkerchiefs before finding it resting in her pocket. In the meantime, she gripped his hand tightly while glaring daggers at the man before her. But Ayanokoji ignored her as he wiped the blood off her face.
If you're going to kill me… then just do it already, Shigure Garaki!" Suzune spoke while gritting her teeth. But to her surprise the man above her looked at her with a confused look on his face. She didn't have time to process the sudden reveal that the killer was indeed the same man by the name of "Shigure Garaki' before due to the fight between them taking up all of her focus. But now with her on the ground the memories that were under lock and key due to Ayanokoji's Memory Manipulation Quirk were restored. But it took a few seconds for Kiyotaka to remember what Horikita was talking about. And when he did, he let out a bit of a chuckle.
"Oh that? You honestly believed that I would reveal my true name so haphazardly without a care in the world? You really are a fool. And even worse than that a fraud. You're a fraud for relying time and time again on Izuku Midoriya to save you. Before that was your brother Manabu, wasn't it? I'm sure that if me and Midoriya's roles were reversed you would always be coming to me for guidance. Someone so pathetic does not deserve to live. But don't worry. You won't be alive for much longer. I can assure you of that, Horikita." Kiyotaka declared with his usual emotionless look that gave Suzune the chills as he so nonchalantly talked about taking her life as if this were a game to him. But Horikita wasn't willing to give up.
'I… I can't let things end like this. If… I'm going to die… then I must do something that will help Deku stop this monster! If only… if I only… just knew his name… then I would be able to finally repay him for everything he's done for me!' Suzune thought internally while she was close to death. It wouldn't be long before the grim reaper above her would swing down his scythe and send her to an everlasting world of nothingness. One that she would be trapped in for the rest of her existence. It wasn't as if she wasn't afraid to die. Horikita was simply a teenage girl who had her whole life ahead of her.
But even still, for the young man who had rekindled her desire to be around others and enjoy the company of the people around her again, staking her life to protect that person was a worthwhile way to repay him. So, if she could just learn his name and scream it to the heavens then Hirata is bound to hear them. If she's lucky maybe, he'll get out of this alive at the very least. But even though this was an all or nothing gamble, Horikita was determined to see it through to the bitter end. And it was then after coming to that realization that Horikita's heart skipped a beat. And that was when the thing that Suzune Horikita had inside of her ever since birth, her 'resolve' opened the door to a new path.
However, what Kiyotaka Ayanokoji couldn't possibly predict in a million years was that on the verge of death, Suzune Horikita experienced something akin to an awakening. And it was then that Suzune's eye left eye took the shape of a gear as she saw a room painted white along with a certain child with brown hair and eyes that matched the color of his hair with an all too familiar expression on his face. Not only that but she also heard his-
"See? Doesn't it feel much better to have that blood wiped off your face? You should be thanking me. Not that I expect you to do that. Which is only fair after how much pain you went through. It's a miracle you're still conscious. You should know that a nose stuffed with blood is a surefire way to slow cognition. I don't think you or I would want something like that. But if it's any consolation I was on the ground coughing up my blood just like you. In less than a minute you'll be dead. I wonder how do you feel about that? Horikita?" Kiyotaka asked as Suzune remained silent for a few moments. Ayanokoji realized that there was a slight chance that she may have fallen unconscious. But he couldn't be more wrong.
"I… don't know. What do you think about me knowing your name… Kiyotaka Ayanokoji?" Suzune asked as Kiyotaka did a double take. It was almost as if several exclamation points appeared right where his eyes were as they were completely wide over this sudden discovery.
"Impossible… how could you have?" Kiyotaka muttered out loud as he racked his brain over the coals for an answer as to how in god's name, she was able to figure out his identity so suddenly! But it was then that Ayanokoji came to a startling conclusion. That the only possible explanation would be that Suzune Horikita had a Quirk Awakening! She saw her death coming and the desire to find out his identity evolved her Quirk to the point that she was able to see not just the future but the past too! That's the only possible explanation for how she could have possibly acquired such information! But even still, Ayanokoji couldn't help but back away from Suzune.
"You look surprised? All I said was your name… Kiyotaka Ayanokoji." Suzune replied as Kiyotaka found it difficult to say anything back as their roles had been completely reversed. This was only made more apparent by Horikita standing back up.
"What? Cat got your tongue? Or are you just that dumbfounded that someone like me was able to figure out your name. You probably thought I was nothing more than weak and pathetic, didn't you? But even so… I figured out your name so easily. Maybe you're not as tough as you think you are, Kiyotaka Ayanokoji?" Suzune asked with a smirk on her face as Ayanokoji couldn't hide his murderous intent from her any longer even if he tried to do so.
"Sure, you might kill me and get away for the time being. But you know what Kiyotaka Ayanokoji? You probably feel so foolish and pathetic that I unraveled the mystery of your identity. So, let me say it again, I found you out because you're so foolish and pathetic." Suzune continued as Ayanokoji's eyes twitched with anger.
"YOU'RE SUCH A COLOSSAL DUMBASS, KIYOTAKA AYANOKOJI! I'LL BE WAITING FOR YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE! YOU MURDER HAPPY SON OF A BITCH!" Suzune yelled out at the top of her lungs while pointing at Ayanokoji with her index finger. But Ayanokoji didn't waste another second finishing this once and for all.
'BAAAAAM!' By piercing Suzune's throat with one of his Spearlike Bones. And like a puppet who had her strings cut, Suzune Horikita collapsed without saying another word, as blood oozed from the wound in her neck. After that, Ayanokoji let out a sigh of relief. And then…
"Finally… she shut up." Ayanokoji muttered to himself as he regained his composure just before he was about to have his anger take over. Such an outcome would have been the worst-case scenario for Kiyotaka as he valued his calm and composed attitude that relied on logic and rejected any and all emotions more than anything else in the world. However, while he punctured Horikita's throat, there is a high chance that she survived. The height, length and width of his Spearlike Bone was comparable to a pencil.
Furthermore, the wound wasn't in the center of Horikita's neck, it pierced her at an angle where the Spearlike Bone curved around the outer area of the throat. This was made possible due to her shifting her body just as the sharp bone impaled her. Though this was only possible for her since she saw the future. So, it definitely missed her spinal cord and perhaps the parts of her neck that are vital for her survival such as the carotid arteries and the jugular veins. So, that's why it was imperative that he finishes off Horikita now. But then…
'Huh? Why… am I… hesitating?' Kiyotaka thought internally as he struggled to land a final blow onto Horikita. His mind searched desperately for any answers to this perplexing question. But nothing was coming to him! It was as if his arm, no, his entire body was betraying him! It's no use! He has to find the truth of the matter right this second! But just as Shiina was about to fly over the scene below, he received his answer, and it shocked him to his very core.
"Well, well, well… looks like I have control over your body… Kiyotaka." The voice of the last man he expected to hear could be heard! This made Kiyotaka dart his eyes all over the place as he couldn't believe what he heard. But to his utmost surprise, no one was there! Which means that this person, Doctor Kyudai Garaki was somehow inside of him! And it was just as he said! His own body was disobeying his wishes! Just how the hell could that be?!
"G-Garaki?! H-How did you survive?!" Kiyotaka muttered as he clenched his own face while trying his best to resist the urge to showcase a grimace on his face. But once again his body betrayed him, and more specifically his face as a smile formed onto it. One that had never once appeared on Kiyotaka's face in his entire life. A truly sadistic smile that could only belong to the Doctor himself!
"Fool! You may think you know everything just because all of those specimens couldn't reach you… but that's not the case for me! You're still young, Kiyotaka! But I have lived for almost two hundred years! Far longer than any other human has ever lived! Which means no matter how smart you think you are, and certainly you are far more powerful than I am. BUT! You still can't come close to besting me in terms of intelligence! AHAHAHAHAHA!" Garaki used Kiyotaka's vocal cords against him as he began to laugh hysterically. But this sudden misuse of his own body made Kiyotaka angrier than he had ever been before.
"Shut… up." Kiyotaka muttered out as his eyes burned with ferocity as he suddenly took control of his body back from Garaki!
'Impressive. Even though my will should be stronger than his is, he's still able to resist me from taking over his body. Most impressive indeed.' Garaki thought internally as he knew that Kiyotaka had abandoned him and orchestrated his demise. Even though he had died before seeing his face, the thoughts and memories of Ayanokoji were all accessible to him! This included a certain memory from way back into Kiyotaka's childhood in the White Room and a certain exchange between him and someone that he deemed a failure. And that conversation was-
'… If it's as you say… then it would be possible to cause a doomsday?" The young boy with dark black hair asked with an expressionless look on his face. The same look that his only friend gave right back to him.
"That's right. It's all in this book. The 'Quirk Doomsday Theory.' However, it is also stated that only a Quirk that has advanced to the point of causing a calamity can do such a thing. The only Quirk that I know is capable of exactly that is one that has eluded me. But if Fate is on our side, then it should be possible to cause this 'Doomsday' the book describes. For example, if I were to…" Kiyotaka spoke while the seeds of something truly nefarious had been planted right under the Doctor's nose!
'To think he would actually plan something so far in advance and use my old life's work to do it. You are one hell of a planner. Not that it will come to that. Because I, no. We will gain ownership of this world soon enough. Isn't that right, Kiyotaka?' Garaki thought internally as he was rather amused by this memory he dug up from within the depths of Ayanokoji's mind. He should be dead. However, the only reason he was still alive was due to Kiyotaka stealing his Immortality Quirk! The same Quirk that Garaki had well over a hundred years! And in that time as he surpassed the limits of mortality, his Quirk bonded with his soul!
It was similar to what happened with the past successors of OFA and AFO, their souls became one with their Quirk and thus they were able to stay alive albeit as shells of their former selves. However, this was quite different. To make a more accurate comparison it was closer to what happened with Jokata Nauji. Even though he died, his overwhelming hatred for the Doctor made sure that his Quirk Obliterator fused with his soul, allowing him to cheat death! And it was that same hatred for Izuku Midoriya that allowed Garaki to come back to life! But with his new life, he had to make sure to protect it at all costs.
"We're leaving whether you like it or not, Kiyotaka. Izuku Midoriya's friends must be allowed the chance to live so that they could die within his line of sight. Right now, the brat's unconscious. Their demise would be pointless. And with Hiyori Shiina just about to fly over us, she will no doubt see what has unfolded and in turn 'us.' I'm rather tired so it's time for this game to come to an end… for now." Garaki spoke by using Kiyotaka's vocal cords against him. But he knew that Ayanokoji would try to regain control of his own body. And to avoid the scenario where the ground is littered with corpses, it was time for them to make their exit. But just before they could-
"Y-You won't get away." The voice of someone completely unexpected could be heard by Garaki as he turned around to see Hirata standing on top of the ambulance. But the Doctor paid him no heed and quietly laughed to himself. There was no way that man would be able to fight in his current condition. And that's why it was all too trivial for him to escape.
WHOOOSH!' Garaki then used Warp Gate to open the purple vortex that allowed him and Kiyotaka to escape from the scene of the crime without being detected. The results being that there was no trace of Ayanokoji or the Doctor. And Suzune Horikita is in critical condition due to her injuries. But even though she might have lost the fight. In the end…
… She rose to the occasion and saved her friends in the process. This truly was the beginning of the hero that Suzune Horikita would one day become.
To Be Continued…
Next Chapter: Home
Go Beyond!
Plus Ultra!