This is gonna be an interesting part. By the way, anyone reading the new run of The Ultimates? It's very much up my alley.

Anyways, please enjoy this chapter. Here's the Discord: /cgFmXz3qJ5

On the other side of one of the walls, Irinaka watched as Nighteye saw one of the Rappa clones charge him. As if he were flipping a coin, he flicked the stamp between his fingers right at the charging clone. The rubber projectile impacted and not only packed a punch, it knocked the clone off his feet entirely. Twice watched on as Rappa #1 thudded to the ground, before he began to melt.

"Woah! What the hell?! That was just a ball! How the hell did that make him melt?!" Twice panicked.

"That was a special high density personal seal. Weighs five kilograms. Fits my image." Nighteye said. "Quite humorous, no?"

"Comedy is subjective." Twice frowned. "Nah, that's just FUNNY."

"Read their moves, strike first. I've viewed so many futures in my time that when it comes to close combat, I'm always a bit faster." Nighteye went on. "

Woah. Nighteye's realing biting this guy's head off. Monoma smirked. He held up his hand, and used the copied Larceny quirk to bring the stamp back. He caught it, and cursed. Damn...this is heavy.

Twice quickly made another Rappa clone. "SIC' HIM, BOY!" The clone rushed forward, making the two jump back. Monoma flipped through the air, and landed on his feet.

I've copied two quirks so far; Larceny for support, Steel for defense and offense... He thought. Can I copy quirks of duplicates? I'm curious...

Monoma continued to dodge and weave around the Rappa clone's attacks, trying to find an opening to strike. As the clone swung its fist at him, Monoma sidestepped and tapped it on the shoulder. To his surprise, he felt the rush of power as he activated his Copy quirk.

So I can…

With a wicked grin, Monoma charged forward, his copied Steel quirk giving him the strength to match the Rappa clone blow for blow. He delivered a multitude of swift punches to the clone's gut, causing it to double over in pain.

This guy's quirk is insane! Monoma thought. I'm not as strong as him, but buffed up by Steel...I could probably go toe to toe with a strong Pro.

Nighteye swiftly took down the other Rappa clone with a series of precise strikes, leaving Twice as the only remaining villain. As they approached them, Twice began to panic.

"Oh no, we're screwed! We need reinforcements!" he exclaimed, creating another clone. "Compress and Dabi, I CHOOSE YOU!"

Two more clones emerged from Twice's hands, taking the forms of Mr. Compress and Dabi. Monoma's eyes widened as he watched the clones stretch a bit.

"Ergh. Thought I asked you to leave me out of this, Twice." The Dabi clone frowned.

"As did I. I have no intention of fighting for the man who disarmed me..." The Mr. Compress clone scoffed as well.

"Yeah, well, change of plans! Get these guys!" Twice commanded.

"If the script calls for it. Dabi!" Compress shouted. Dabi's duplicate didn't waste a second, firing a pillar of azure flames skyward. Several portions of the flame were suddenly swallowed up into marbles. Compress' duplicate jumped into the air and, with a smirk behind his mask, he flung the marbles forward. Monoma blocked the incoming assault, while Nighteye dodged and wove through the attack.

Timing it just right, Compress snapped and detonated the marbles in a series of blue explosions. Monoma's iron body was being heated up by the flames, starting to glow orange. Unfortunately, the Kendo Rappa clones that were still out had been blown to clay pieces.

"You will be remembered Big Bro Rappas #2 and #3! Your sacrifice was not in vain!" Twice saluted. "I already forgot ya, who were you?"

Monoma held his ground against the clone's attack, his mind racing as he tried to come up with a plan. Steel was pretty resistant against heat, but not totally immune. As the Dabi clone continued to assault him with blue flames, Monoma quickly realized that he needed to take out the clone before it could cause any serious damage. He quickly activated his Copy quirk, hoping to find a quirk that would give him the upper hand.

But as he reached out to touch the clone, the flames grew hotter and hotter. The flames suddenly combusted, blasting Monoma back. Monoma slammed into a wall, and groaned.

The Dabi clone smirked wickedly, its eyes glowing with an intense heat. "You really thought you could copy my quirk, little man?" it sneered. "Sorry to disappoint you. I've done my research after you kids nearly ruined our plans at camp."

Monoma gritted his teeth, feeling a wave of frustration wash over him. "Damn it..." Without warning, the Dabi clone charged forward, its hands wreathed in flames. Monoma braced, before Nighteye intervened. He tossed his stamps, hitting the Dabi clone square in the chest and causing it to stumble back.

"Focus on Twice, Phantom Thief. I'll handle this one," Nighteye frowned, readjusting his glasses. Monoma nodded, as Mr. Compress and Dabi approached Nighteye.

"So. Heard you used to rub shoulders with All Might." Dabi said. "I'm curious...did you know his little secret about his true form?"

Nighteye said nothing, as he focused on dodging and weaving through the attacks of the two clones. As they closed in, Nighteye moved with incredible speed and precision, dodging and weaving through their attacks while delivering quick strikes with his stamps. He could feel the heat of Dabi's flames as he narrowly avoided them, but he didn't let it distract him from the task at hand. His foresight quirk gave him a clear advantage in predicting their moves and countering them.

"I'm not interested in gossip, villain," Nighteye replied, before swiftly striking Mr. Compress with his stamp, knocking him off balance.

Mr. Compress clutched his chest. "Felt like that attack could crack my sternum..." Nighteye took advantage of the opening and rushed forward, delivering a swift punch to Mr. Compress's gut. The villain doubled over, gasping for air.

"You're too slow," Nighteye said, landing another hit on Mr. Compress's jaw.

Dabi charged forward, but Nighteye sidestepped him easily, delivering a swift kick to the back of his knees. Dabi fell forward, and Nighteye grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back. He had no problems breaking it- he coldly watched Dabi's body fade away.

Mr. Compress huffed. "Damn it..."

"Your friend had a sizable 'cooldown' window due to his quirk. He was going to try and keep me talking to let his body cool down...pathetic stalling tactic." Nighteye frowned.

Monoma watched in awe as Nighteye held his own against two powerful villains. He knew he needed to focus on Twice, but he couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for Nighteye's skill.

Twice growled. "COME ON, TEAM! GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME!" Twice yelled, as he made another clone of Rappa. "I don't wanna get my own damn hands dirty! Toga just did my nails..."

Monoma hummed. Okay, so- he doesn't seem like a fighting type, but his quirk doesn't have any recharge limit besides only being restricted by the number of clones. I wonder...

Monoma saw an opportunity as the Rappa clone charged at him. Without hesitation, he slid between its legs and sprinted towards Twice. As he reached Twice, Monoma slapped the guy across the face, causing Twice to fall back. After the attack, Monoma felt a strange sensation wash over him. It was like a surge of power, as if he had tapped into a new source of energy.

"Looks like I've got a new trick up my sleeve," Monoma said, smirking at Twice. Twice's eyes widened, as Monoma started to use the quirk. "There's no one I know better than myself- so, how about this?" He activated the "Double" quirk and made two duplicates of himself. The two extra clones quickly made copies of themselves, until a good group of sixteen Monomas had Twice cornered. The clones surrounded Twice, causing him to panic. Monoma couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction as he watched Twice struggle.

"Let's see how you like it," Monoma said, before announcing his improvised Super Move. "Main Character Syndrome: One Man Show!"

"K-kid, come on. Don't do this to yourself! My quirk is-" Twice tried to yell, but it was too late. The clones started to move in sync with each other, attacking Twice from all angles. Twice was now on the defensive, barely dodging the constant barrage of attacks from the Monoma clones. He could feel his anxiety rising as the number of clones continued to increase.

"STOP! STOP IT, PLEASE!" Twice cried out.

Monoma just laughed, feeling a sense of superiority. "How does it feel? To be attacked from all sides like this?"

Twice yelled- the kid didn't realize it, but...

This was Twice's worst nightmare. Over and over and over again.

He needed to get...out of here.

"I...I need...your help...I know you're gonna be mad that I copied you, but-!" Twice quickly produced a copy of Cass, who immediately frowned upon formation.

"Tell me to kill you when you get back from this mission." The Cass clone huffed. The squad of Monomas immediately swarmed her, as she took their attacks with ease. As the Monomas continued to strike her, she absorbed the kinetic energy of their attacks.

Once she had absorbed enough energy, Cass released it in a burst, sending the Monomas flying. Monoma himself managed to dodge the attack, but his squad of Monomas was obliterated by the attack. He stared at Cass in confusion.

Who the hell is this lady? I haven't seen her mentioned in the news… Monoma thought. The Cass clone spun around, and picked Twice up by the collar.

"Jin. One of the requirements for Double is knowing the precise measurements of the copy. How the FUCK do you know my foot and chest measurements?!" The copy demanded.

"A-ah, well, uh- you see!" Twice said. Crap! I wish I could despawn these things.

Cass glared at him, but quickly softened her expression. "Nevermind. We can talk about it later. Where's Toga?"

"I...I dunno, maybe in one of these rooms?" Twice shrugged. Cass held up her hand, and launched a blast of kinetic energy at a wall. She made a giant hole in the wall- she turned her attention towards the group of heroes in that room- Ochako, Izuku, Aizawa, Tetsutetsu, and Blake. Toga was all tied up.

"There she is." Cass said, suddenly rushing at the group, despite Twice's screams for her to put him down. Blake flinched at the sight of Cass.

She's here too!? Blake thought, sending two of her shadow doubles at Cass. The two shadow clones collided with Cass, but she effortlessly grabbed them by the necks and slammed them together, dispelling them. Ochako tried flinging some metal off the ground launch at Cass, but the copy was too quick- she ducked under the attack. Cass launched herself towards Ochako, and punched her stupid metal head out from in between the two shoulder spires.

Izuku tried to jump in and help, but Cass was too strong. She caught him by the ankle mid-jump and slammed him into the ground. Tetsutetsu charged at her, only to be smacked away like a fly. She quickly snatched Toga's wrapped up body, and dashed to the other corner of the room. Blake and Aizawa gave chase, but Irinaka activated his quirk- a giant wall suddenly formed in between the heroes and villains.

"They got away," Blake muttered, frustrated.

Monoma and Nighteye rushed over to the group. "Is everyone alright?" Nighteye asked.

"We're good!" Ochako's head yelled, as Izuku yanked her out of the wall. Tetsutetsu steered her wandering body back to meet Izuku, who gladly put the head back where it belonged. "Who was that lady?"

"That...was Cass." Blake said. "She's the one who cut off Bakugou's arm during the Raid."

Izuku and Ochako shared a frightened look. That lady was crazy, seeing as she just managed to rip and tear her way through a bunch of pros with ease, and escape with Twice and Toga.

"She was a duplicate, summoned in by Jin." Nighteye frowned. "She was oddly on the defensive, though."

Monoma scoffed. "Of course, she was. She probably didn't want to waste energy fighting us when her goal was to get away with Twice and Toga."

"I think we might have to let them go. They're not our problem right now." Aizawa said. "We still have Irinaka to deal with..."

And just like that, the room started shifting again. The heroes braced themselves as the walls and floors began to move and shift around them. They had to keep their balance as the room started to tilt and spin, forcing them to hold onto each other and nearby objects to avoid falling.

"How the hell do we take him down!?" Monoma yelled. "Where's Albedo!?"

Good question, Monoma. Sadly, I'm gonna have to break away from you guys to focus on the other group...

Sorry not sorry.

As Momo and her group descended through the hole in the floor, the unease grew. This trap was leading them somewhere, far far away from the others. Momo had a terrible feeling in her stomach, like it was a sixth sense for a premonition yet to come.

Eventually, the group was led down to the tunnels the Hassaikai used for quick getaways. Momo set the group down, and looked around. The tunnels were dark and damp, with the only light coming from the dimly lit bulbs hanging from the ceiling. The air was thick with the stench of mold and mildew, and the walls were slick with moisture.

"This is bad," Alan said, his voice echoing in the tunnel.

"I know," Momo said, her voice barely above a whisper. "We need to find a way to get back to the surface, and fast."

"Agreed. Thankfully, I've been in this sort of situation before." Kevin bragged. "I probably know where to get back up."

"Probably?" Alan frowned.

"It worked like 80% of the time." Kevin shrugged.

"...we'll take it. Come on." Alan said.

Momo nodded, and the group followed Kevin as he led them through the winding tunnels. They turned left, then right, then left again, all the while trying to keep their bearings as the tunnels seemed to shift and twist around them.

As they walked, Momo couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. She could hear the faint sound of footsteps echoing through the tunnels, but every time she turned to look, there was no one there. The unease in her stomach grew, and she couldn't help but feel like they were walking into a trap.

Suddenly, Kevin stopped in his tracks, causing the others to nearly bump into him.

"What's wrong?" Alan asked, looking around nervously.

Kevin pointed to a nearby door. "That's it. The exit."

Momo looked at the door skeptically. "Are you sure?"

"Positive." Kevin replied confidently.

As they approached the door, Momo's 'danger sense' flared up again. The exit seemed...convenient to just be here, right? Momo watched in horror as the door swung open, revealing a figure standing on the other side. "Kevin, wait-" She started to say, but before she could finish her sentence, the figure stepped forward and blasted Kevin and Alan with a strange, glowing spell.

Momo and Neo watched in horror as her two comrades disappeared in a flash of light. "No!" Momo screamed, her heart racing with fear and panic. Did they just-?! No! She quickly reached for her pre-made weapon (a staff), ready to defend herself, but the figure simply stood there, watching her with a sly smile on their face. Momo took a step back, her hand shaking as she tried to regain her composure.

The figure stepped forward, revealing herself to be Sunny Tennyson. "Well, well, well. What do we have here?" She said with a sinister smirk.

Momo's eyes widened. T-this is the girl from the Hassaikai meeting at my parents house!

Neo stepped forward, her fists clenched tightly around her umbrella pommel. What have you done with them?! She demanded.

Sunny chuckled. "Relax, they're not hurt. Just teleported them to random places in the Hassaikai base. They'll be fine...I hope." Her attention turned to Momo. "So...you're the girl who got Gwen's spellbook. Figured...you remind me of her. Not in a good way..."

Momo's grip tightened on her staff. "What do you want from me?" she asked, her voice steady despite her fear.

"For now? Just to see what I'm working with. I was hoping for more of a one on one personally but, meh, I can handle this," Sunny shrugged.

"To see what you're working with?" Momo repeated.

Sunny didn't answer; she just smirked and enveloped her hands with dark purple magical energy. Neo drew her blade and was about ready to charge forward, maybe even cut down Sunny before she could even try anything, but she was too slow. Sunny slammed both of her hands down to the floor and sent a pulse of magic through the stone.

At first, it was like a small tremor, one that even Irinaka felt. If he could, he would've shouted at her for that. But then came the actual purpose of her spell. Black energy tendrils, each one with a purple aura outlining it, erupted from the floor and walls. Three of them lashed out at Momo, trying to restrain her, but she swatted them all aside with some expert moves. Three tried to grab Neo as well, actually succeeding and wrapping around her. The mana tendrils constricted around her before Neo shattered entirely. The glass shards of the illusion cut right through the tendrils.

Sunny raised a brow at that, surprised that Neo managed to get off an illusion like that so quickly. She didn't even need to look over her shoulder, she knew that Albedo's partner was behind her. She spun on a dime and brought up a shield of mana, blocking the strike from Hush.

"I think you'll find my barriers a bit stronger than normal," Sunny taunted.

Momo threw out an Eradico, which she hoped would destroy the barrier with ease- but instead, the magic attack seemed to bounce off of the shield. Momo and Neo ducked for cover as the blasts struck the hallway around them.

"Reflection Hex." Sunny explained. "Did you not learn that yet~?"

Oh, would you shut up, Neo said.

"What? I thought you were all about teaching now," Sunny quipped, "And if she hasn't learned the Reflection Hex, I bet she hasn't seen this either."

Sunny snapped her fingers and the remnants of the tendrils began to squirm and expand. The energy began to make up a new form, morphing from small chunks into a recognizable humanoid shape. Rocky armor appeared on the shoulders, elbows, knees, chest, and across both arms and legs. A rocky mask slid over the figures' barren faces before the lines carved into it glowed a dark violet.

"What?!" Momo gasped.

"Took the basic Construct Conjuration and modified it a bit. Lesson One for you: when it comes to magic, never go by normal laws and rules," Sunny bashed back at Neo, making the multicolored former villain stumble. The shield shrank in size for a moment, half of the energy moving to Sunny's free hand and forming up into her mana blade. Neo glared daggers at Sunny; if she could, she would totally sue this girl for copyright. Her little mana blade was an exact replica of Hush.

Momo focused, taking a deep breath and centering herself. She had to stay calm and focused if she wanted to defeat this construct. She raised her staff and concentrated, channeling her energy into a powerful blast of magic.

The blast hit the construct head-on, causing it to stumble back a few steps. Momo took advantage of the moment and charged forward, twirling her staff and landing a solid hit on the construct's arm.

But the construct was tougher than she thought. It shook off the blow and swung back, its rocky fist connecting with Momo's stomach and knocking her back several feet. Neo's eyes widened as she watched Momo fly back.

"Hmmm. Disappointing..." Sunny sighed.

Neo rushed back into the fight, Hush thrusting forward to try and pierce Sunny. Her mana barrier was brought up to quickly block the strike and, to counter, Sunny thrust her own mana sword forward. Neo and Sunny engaged in what could only be described as a good, old fashioned, duel. Metal and mana clanged and sparked against each other as the two managed to expertly counter or parry the other's strikes.

As for Momo, the three constructs began to menacingly approach her. Seeing as how they were made of pure energy, it wasn't really a surprise when the trio morphed their hands into weapons. One sharpened its hand into a serrated blade, another morphed both hands into maces, and the third morphed both hands into cannons. The cannon construct took aim at Momo, energy charging up in both barrels.

As the cannons fired their energy blasts, Momo raised her hands and cast an absorption spell, drawing in the energy blasts and converting them into her own magical energy. The maces and blade constructs rushed forward, but Momo was ready. She twirled her staff and unleashed a flurry of magic enhanced strikes that shattered the constructs into nothingness.

Sunny paused in her duel with Neo, eyeing Momo with a newfound interest. "You're more skilled than I thought," she said, smirking. "But don't get too cocky. I have more tricks up my sleeve."

Hey, where are you looking? Neo taunted, managing to land a demeaning smack to Sunny's face with the umbrella sheathe of Hush's straight blade.

The rogue mana manipulator staggered as a result of the hit, coming to a halt and turning on her heel to fire an array of smaller energy strands to wrap around the umbrella. The strings wrapped around the sheathe, and Sunny's next attack was certain to hit due to Neo's refusal to let it go. Sunny was shocked as black lightning flashed from her fingers, down the strands, and into Neo's body. Momo exclaimed and dashed in, but first she had to get past the cannon construction. It unleashed a barrage of low-power shots in rapid succession. Two shots were blocked, two were absorbed, and the next two were also blocked.

Pink mana channeled into the end of Momo's staff before she plunged it forward into the construct's face. The stone mask shattered as the staff pierced through its head and exited out the back, leaving a hole where the construct's nose would be if it had one.

Sunny took advantage of the distraction to close in on Neo, swinging her mana sword in a downward arc aimed at Neo's shoulder. Neo quickly raised her umbrella in defense, the sword striking the metal and causing a shower of sparks. Neo gritted her teeth as she tried to push back against Sunny's strength, but it was clear that the rogue mana manipulator had the upper hand.

Momo rushed to Neo's aid. She raised her staff and sent a burst of magic energy towards Sunny, hoping to force her back. Sunny deftly sidestepped the blast and turned her attention to Momo.

"So, tell me, Momo." Sunny said, her eyes glowing with a dangerous intensity. "Why the hell do you think Gwen really chose you?"

"What about this situation screams 'I should open up to you?!'" Momo asked.

"Well, I might not get another chance to ask!" Sunny answered honestly.

Momo hesitated for a moment before answering. "I don't know." She admitted. "I...haven't really had the chance to ask her directly."

Sunny raised an eyebrow. "You mean to tell me that you haven't even talk to her?"

"Ben just gave me her spellbook a while ago, and..." Momo trailed off.

"...did he tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Tell you that Gwen's spellbook...was once gifted to me?"

Momo's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean, gifted to you?"

Sunny smirked. "Oh, this is golden...let me tell you a fun little fact; a long time ago, Gwen was my mentor...I didn't exactly have the easiest childhood. My parents weren't exactly the most supportive when it came to my interest in magic. They thought it was dangerous, and they wanted me to give it up...so, Gwen secretly went and taught me."

Gwen used to be her mentor...she probably had to stop because of her campaign or something. Don't tell me she joined the League as a way of getting some attention. Momo thought.

"Gwen was the only one in the family who understood me. She taught me everything I know about magic. She was patient and kind, even when I was being difficult. She never once judged me for my abilities. In fact, she helped me embrace them..." Sunny's expression softened, but quickly darkened. "...I still don't get why she got angry when I did some independent research into hexes..."

Dark arts!? Momo thought.

"Some consider it taboo, but I was curious. I wanted to see if I could use it to my advantage. But Gwen...she didn't agree with me. So, I looked into it...and I really, really got invested..." Sunny went on. "And I saw it. I saw the truth. Have you ever heard about Diagon?"

Momo shook her head, curious but cautious.

"There's a realm of dark magic," Sunny continued, her eyes now alight with a fervent intensity. "When I started experimenting with hexes, I stumbled upon some ancient texts that spoke of a way to access the dark one, Diagon. A way to harness its power."

Sunny's voice had grown low and urgent, and Momo couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. "What did you do?" she asked.

"I performed the ritual," Sunny said, her eyes burning with an almost fanatical zeal. "I felt its power coursing through me. It was like nothing I'd ever experienced before. I could feel the magic flowing through me, and I knew that I had tapped into something incredible..."

Sunny's expression twisted.

"And she took that away from me."

"You mean Gwen stopped you," Momo corrected.

"She did not have the right to do that," Sunny defended, "I had found something, something new, something incredible and she was too scared to embrace that new way."

"Rightly so! I haven't looked much into things like that but from what Gwen's written in her notes, it's not something to trifle with! She made mention of all kinds of horrible outcomes! An addiction to draining vitality, like a vampire, the user's body being physically and mentally ravaged-!"

"Because those people never actually took precautions! I wasn't some dumb third-rate witch trying to climb the ranks into godhood, damn the consequences! I just wanted to learn. But of course, if she's not the one teaching it, then it's forbidden, it's taboo. All because she didn't have control!"

"She was trying to save you!" Momo argued. "You don't have the experience she does! What if something happened and-"

Sunny's face contorted with anger as she snapped back at Momo. "You don't know anything! You're just like her, too scared to take any risks. Too scared to actually learn anything new. You're just a pathetic little girl playing with your new magic toys!"

With a furious flick of her wrist, Sunny sent a hex flying towards Momo. The hex hit her square in the chest, causing her to double over in pain. Momo gritted her teeth and tried to stand up, but Sunny was relentless. She continued to hurl hexes at Momo, one after another, each one more powerful than the last.

Momo tried to defend herself with magic blasts, but it was no use. Sunny was too skilled, too powerful. She knew every trick in the book and wasn't afraid to use them.

"There's the truth! Gwen Tennyson ditched me because I dared to venture beyond her reach!" Sunny yelled. "She's nothing but a control freak…and the fact she's president…just makes me so…"

Sunny's hands lit up.

"Damn…"

Sunny clenched her fists.

"ANGRY!"

Momo's eyes widened as Sunny launched the hex, feeling the chaotic energy tearing up the hallway. Quickly, she raised her staff and cast the Reflectum spell, creating a shimmering barrier that reflected the hex back towards Sunny. The hex hit the barrier and exploded in a shower of sparks, leaving both Sunny and Momo unscathed.

Momo huffed. "This is what you joined the League for!?"

Sunny paused, her hands still crackling with energy. She took a deep breath, her anger simmering down. "I joined the League because I believe in magic," she said, her voice calm but firm. "I believe that it can do amazing things, things that science and technology can only dream of. But Gwen...she's holding us back. She's too afraid to take risks, to explore new ideas. And that's why I had to leave."

Momo shook her head. "You're mistaken. Gwen is trying to keep us safe. Even though I've never met her, I know she isn't a control freak; she's a hero. She's not a bad person just because she tried to help you.

"Your parents kept their dirty little secret from you, right?" Sunny inquired.

Momo's speech ended there. Her face turned dark as she glared at Sunny with anger, shaking her hands. Sunny laughed.

"Don't drag my parents into this," Momo growled.

Sunny gave a shrug. "I'm just saying, sometimes people withhold information from us because they think it's best for us."

"You know that's not the same thing," Momo shot back.

"Is it?" Sunny had a smile. "Your parents are in cahoots with the yakuza. Pot calling the kettle black her, missy."

Momo's hand was clenched in fury.

"Oh, please. Please don't get mad, Miss Moneybags." Sunny teased her. "Are you mad at yourself for knowing? Don't you wish you didn't know?"

Momo's anger was growing. "I don't blame myself for knowing," she said strongly. "And I don't want to stay clueless. Ignorance isn't a good thing. That's a flaw. And I'm not weak-"

"You aren't weak!?" Sunny gave an eye roll. "Oh, don't. You've never had to work hard for anything in your life because you came from a good family. You have no idea what it's like to be in my shoesI don't feel bad about who I am or what I do. I don't need a protector, certainly not some self-righteous person like Gwen."

Momo straightened up, her eyes lit up with determination. "Same for me- You don't know what I've been through or how hard I've had to fight. I've been knocked down many times, but ever since I got this spellbook, everything feels so...right." She extended her hand and then utilized her Quirk to fashion some featherweight armor for herself to wear around her arms and legs. "I only came here today for one reason: to save a little girl. But I don't mind if you and I have a 'spelling contest'."

Sunny laughed. "Oh, you think you can compete with me? Honey, I've been studying magic for a long time. I'm better than you."

Momo didn't flinch. "We'll see about that."

Momo and Sunny stood a few feet apart, both ready to attack. Momo raised her spellbook and took a deep breath. "Turbo!" she yelled, creating a gust of wind that knocked Sunny off balance.

Sunny stumbled back, but quickly regained her footing. "Frenzy Flames!" she shouted, and flames erupted from her hands, spreading chaotically across the floor. Momo jumped back.

"Camouflat Vaporis!" Momo yelled, creating a thick cloud of steam that obscured Sunny's vision.

Sunny coughed and tried to wave away the steam, but it was no use. "Unpredictable Uproar!" she yelled, unleashing a blast of energy that disrupted the steam and sent Momo flying. Momo made a 'cushion' of magic behind her, that managed to break her fall.

"ERADICO!" Momo yelled, casting multiple beams of energy- they went flying towards a pile of nearby rubble and causing it to blast towards Sunny.

"Chaosphere!" Sunny yelled. The spell created a sphere of chaotic energy that distorted and warped everything within its range. The beams of energy from Momo's spell were caught in the sphere and redirected back towards her. In a swift motion, Momo utilized the spell "Forcis nebuli," erecting a barrier of mana that absorbed the energy of the beams and safeguarded her from harm.

"Not bad for a rookie." Sunny scoffed. "But I've got PLENTY of experience over you, kid. Allow me to show you one of my favorite hexes...Atrophia Red Sun!"

Sunny's hex struck Momo directly, and she immediately felt a searing, burning pain all over her body. It was as if her entire being was on fire, with every nerve ending screaming in agony. Her skin felt like it was melting off, and she could barely stand the pain. Momo gritted her teeth and tried to focus, but the pain was overwhelming. It felt like hours, but it was only seconds.

Sunny grinned wickedly as she raised her hand, conjuring a chaotic sphere of energy. With a malevolent laugh, she hurled it towards Momo, who had just recovered from the excruciating pain caused by the Atrophia Red Sun hex.

Momo's eyes widened as she saw the sphere hurtling towards her. She quickly raised her spellbook. "Imperium Sphaerae," Momo spat out, creating a force field to protect herself. But the Chaosphere was too powerful, and it shattered the force field with ease, engulfing Momo in its chaotic energy.

Momo felt like she was being pulled in different directions at once as the Chaosphere distorted and warped everything around her. She tried to resist, but it was no use. The chaotic energy was too much, and she was thrown back, slamming into a nearby wall.

Momo slumped to the ground, panting heavily. She could feel her body aching all over, and her head was pounding. She looked up at Sunny, who was grinning triumphantly. Momo knew she had to get back up and keep fighting, but her body felt heavy, and her mind was foggy.

"So, so sad." Sunny sighed. "This is the power of dark magic, in all its glory. Gwen wanted to hide this- can you believe it? It's so useful..."

Momo listened to Sunny's rambling, waiting for an opportunity to strike. As Sunny continued to talk, Momo created a Netgun out of her body and fired it at Sunny, catching her off guard and trapping her in a net.

Sunny struggled to break free, but the net was too strong. "You seriously think this can hold me!? Pathetic."

Momo stood back up. "I know...but I need to pause for a moment." Momo huffed. "Besides...you forgot about her, didn't you?"

Sunny raised an eyebrow, before she freed herself. "Forgot about wh-"

Suddenly, a small figure appeared behind Sunny, and before she could react, it attacked her. It was Neo, who had been hiding and waiting for the right moment to strike. Neo used her semblance to create multiple illusions of herself, surrounding Sunny from all sides. Sunny tried to defend herself with her magic hexes, but the illusions were too many and too fast for her to keep up.

Sunny blasted one of the illusions with a powerful Chaosphere, but it turned out to be a decoy that shattered. The real Neo appeared from behind and landed a solid kick to Sunny's head. Sunny stumbled forward, and grimaced. The clones began attacking Sunny from all sides, confusing her as she tried to defend herself with magic.

Sunny's hexes caused chaos, but it was difficult to tell which Neo was the real one. She swung her arms wildly, sending blasts of energy in all directions, but the clones were too quick. Momo watched from the sidelines, waiting for her moment to jump back in.

Momo gritted her teeth and focused, using some restorative spells to mend her wounds. She couldn't afford to make any mistakes in this fight. She took a deep breath and unzipped her costume, pulling out her spellbook and flipping through the pages until she found what she needed.

She concentrated and used her quirk to create a large cannon, causing the ground beneath her to shake with its weight. Momo immediately began writing some runes on the cannon with some chalk she made. She occasionally looked back over to see how Neo was doing. Neo was still holding her own against Sunny's attacks, deftly dodging her spells and delivering her own blows with impressive speed and skill. She glanced over at Momo and nodded in encouragement.

Do it.

Momo took a deep breath and aimed the cannon directly at Sunny. She whispered a spell under her breath, causing the runes on the cannon to glow with a bright light.

"Reperio vestri target et excommunicare eam..." She whispered. Momo needed to repeat the charm a few more times to ensure its success.

Neo's clones started to surround Sunny once again. Damn it...this one's more annoying than I thought. And I dunno what Momo's planning. She took a deep breath and focused her magic. Then...there's no time to waste.

Sunny slammed her foot on the ground. "Unpredictable Uproar!" She yelled, causing the clones to scatter in different directions. Neo was caught off guard by Sunny's attack, and before she could react, Sunny was on her, launching a flurry of hexes that sent Neo reeling. Neo tried to dodge and weave, but Sunny was too quick for her, anticipating her every move.

Sunny could see that Neo was starting to tire, and she knew that this was her chance. She lunged forward...

And Momo fired the cannon.

The cannonball shot out of the cannon, shimmering with magical energy. Momo's runes glowed, giving the projectile a life of its own. The cannonball flew towards Sunny, seeming to chase after her as she tried to dodge it.

Sunny quickly tried to conjure up a hex to deflect the cannonball, but the magical enhancement on the cannonball was too strong. It smashed through Sunny's hex with ease, hurtling towards her with incredible force. Sunny gritted her teeth and raised her hands to block the attack, but it was no use. The cannonball slammed into her with a deafening boom, knocking her off her feet and sending her skidding across the ground.

Sunny grumbled, as she tried to stand back up. Momo and Neo approached her.

"Fine," Sunny spat, "You win this time. But next time..."

"There isn't gonna BE a next time." Momo frowned, making some handcuffs with her quirk. She scribbled some inscriptions on the cuffs with her chalk. "You're gonna be coming with us, and-"

Before Momo could finish her sentence, Sunny's eyes began to glow with an ominous light. She began chanting a spell, and the air around her began to crackle with dark energy. Momo and Neo stepped back, bracing themselves for whatever was about to happen.

Suddenly, Sunny vanished into thin air, leaving behind only a faint trail of black smoke. Momo tried to scan the area for any signs of Sunny, but she was nowhere to be found.

"Damn it," Momo muttered, frustrated.

She got away...but, whatever. Neo huffed. Not important. We gotta regroup with the others.

"Right!" Momo said. "Let's hope Kevin was right about that doorway..."

As they pushed open the heavy door, Momo and Neo were met with a grand staircase that spiraled up into the darkness above. They exchanged a brief look before Momo stepped forward, her hand extending as she used her magic to create a flat platform beneath their feet.

"Get on," Momo instructed Neo, and the two of them stepped onto the platform, which levitated them up.

As they ascended the staircase, Momo couldn't help but reflect on her battle with Sunny. She couldn't shake off the feeling that she could have done better, that there were more tactics she could have used. Sure, she won, but...

But nothing, actually. She could live with that win.

Her thoughts soon turned to Gwen- she wondered if everything Sunny said was true. Momo couldn't help but feel curious. She wondered if Gwen could have helped them with the fight against Sunny, or if maybe she would have found a way to prevent it altogether...

Momo made a mental note to try and contact Gwen soon.