Chapter 15: Might and Mercenary

The air around the ruined USJ trembled. The stench of blood and smoke coiled into the cold air, mingling with the distant cries of battle. A suffocating silence fell over the battlefield, broken only by the wet squelch of the Nomu's regenerating flesh.

Cloud stood still, his wolf mask gleaming under the flickering emergency lights. The massive Buster Sword rested on his shoulder, its steel stained black with the Nomu's blood. His steady breath fogged behind his mask as he analyzed the creature, watching it rise again after being crushed through walls.

It wasn't slowing down.

Before Cloud could advance, a booming voice split the sky.

"FEAR NOT! FOR I AM HERE!"

A gust of wind, powerful and commanding, swept across the battlefield as All Might, the Symbol of Peace, landed with an earth-shaking crash. Dust and debris exploded outward from the force of his landing. His vibrant red cape fluttered behind him, the ground cracking beneath his feet.

Cloud didn't flinch. He stared at the towering figure of All Might, unimpressed.

But All Might's piercing blue eyes weren't on him.

They were locked on the Nomu.

All Might's gaze darkened as he scanned the scene—the bloodied ground, the bodies of countless villains strewn like ragdolls.

"What… what madness is this?" he muttered.

His eyes narrowed as he watched the black, hulking figure of the Nomu screeching at the masked swordsman before it.

All Might's fists clenched.

"That creature… it must be responsible for this carnage!"

Without hesitation, All Might surged forward.

"SMASH!"

A fist, stronger than a cannon, collided with the Nomu's face.

BOOOOOM!

The Nomu was sent hurtling through the air like a missile, slamming through walls and vanishing into the distance.

The ground quaked.

Cloud barely turned his head, watching the Nomu disappear into the rubble.

"Tch... idiot." Cloud muttered under his breath.

Shigaraki's Twisted Joy

From his perch, Tomura Shigaraki's cracked lips curled into a jagged smile.

"Yes, YES!" he cackled, scratching his neck raw.

"You fool! That punch won't save you, All Might! That Nomu was created to kill you!"

All Might turned sharply, glaring at Shigaraki.

"What did you say?"

Shigaraki spread his arms, laughing with childlike glee.

"It's not just some mindless beast. That thing was engineered to withstand everything you throw at it!"

His bloodied fingers twitched with excitement.

"Shock absorption. Super strength. High-speed regeneration. Every quirk tailored to end you."

All Might's expression darkened.

Cloud scoffed behind his mask.

"Figures."

Cloud's Warning

All Might turned towards Cloud, his eyes narrowing.

"You there. Stay back. This creature is dangerous."

Cloud didn't move.

His grip on the Buster Sword tightened.

"Stay out of my fight."

All Might blinked.

"What?"

Cloud's voice dropped lower, colder.

"I was about to kill that damn thing before you got in the way."

All Might's brows furrowed.

"You mean defeat it. Not kill."

Cloud tilted his head, the wolf mask casting a menacing shadow.

"No. I meant exactly what I said."

The two stood in silence, tension crackling between them.

All Might's fists slowly tightened.

"You're not a hero."

Cloud's voice was steady.

"I'm not. I'm a mercenary."

All Might's eyes hardened, but before he could respond—

A deafening roar tore through the air.

The Nomu burst from the rubble, even angrier, its body twisting and growing thicker. Its muscles bulged unnaturally, its claws lengthening.

Cloud's eyes narrowed.

"Great. Now it's stronger."

All Might's expression twisted in shock.

"My punch… made it tougher?"

Cloud slowly brought his sword forward, resting it in front of him.

"That thing absorbs damage. The more you hit it, the stronger it gets."

All Might gritted his teeth.

"Then we'll have to outpace its regeneration."

Cloud glanced at him.

"We?"

All Might smirked.

"You're right. Killing it is off the table, but defeating it isn't."

Cloud sighed, annoyed.

"Fine. Just don't slow me down."

Mercenary and Hero vs. Monster

The Nomu roared and lunged, its massive claws swiping with blinding speed.

Cloud dashed forward, leading the charge. His Buster Sword carved through the air, striking the Nomu's arm at the joint.

CLANG!

The creature's bones cracked, but it didn't fall.

All Might blurred into motion beside him, driving a devastating uppercut into the Nomu's stomach.

BOOM!

The Nomu stumbled but regenerated instantly.

"Damn it, it's learning!" Cloud growled.

"Then we hit it harder!" All Might roared.

"No."

Cloud ducked under a swipe, slamming his sword into the Nomu's knee, forcing it down.

"You can't brute-force it. It'll just get stronger."

Cloud's mind raced.

It regenerates. It absorbs shock. It doesn't feel pain.

But every body has limits.

"All Might!" Cloud barked.

"Focus on its head and joints! Break what it can't heal fast enough!"

All Might nodded, launching himself high.

"CAROLINA SMASH!"

His fists pummeled the Nomu's skull, cracking it.

Cloud spun, his sword cleaving deep into the beast's shoulder.

CRACK!

Black ichor exploded.

The Nomu shrieked, stumbling.

But then it began to heal again.

Cloud clicked his tongue.

"This is going to take a while."

Clash of Titans

For every punch All Might threw, Cloud's sword followed with a slash.

All Might's speed. Cloud's precision.

They attacked relentlessly.

The Nomu faltered but wouldn't fall.

Cloud suddenly lunged forward, driving the Buster Sword into the Nomu's knee, pinning it.

"All Might, now!"

All Might roared, fists slamming down on the Nomu's exposed skull.

BOOM!

The Nomu howled in agony, bones snapping.

For a brief moment, it didn't heal.

Cloud grinned behind his mask.

"There it is."

Shigaraki's Panic

Shigaraki's grin faded.

"No, no, no! This wasn't supposed to happen!"

Kurogiri shifted nervously.

"They're pushing it past its limit."

Shigaraki screamed in frustration.

"Nomu! KILL THEM!"

Cloud narrowed his eyes.

Enough playing around.

A faint blue aura began to shimmer around him, wrapping his body in a veil of energy. It pulsed like a heartbeat, steady and growing stronger. The ground beneath his feet cracked and splintered.

All Might turned his head sharply, sensing the sudden surge of power.

"What... is that energy?" he muttered.

Cloud didn't spare him a glance. His gaze remained locked on the Nomu.

"Let's mosey, asshole."

Before All Might could react, Cloud's fist shot out, striking him in the chest. The blow wasn't lethal but forceful enough to send the Symbol of Peace skidding backward several feet, out of immediate harm's way.

"All Might!" Aizawa shouted, eyes wide.

But Cloud was already moving.

In one smooth motion, he launched himself into the air, the Buster Sword aimed downward.

"Meteorain."

The words were cold, final.

From above, the air trembled and tore apart.

Five. Six. Seven. Eight.

Flaming, molten meteors materialized in the sky, each the size of a small car, burning with searing heat. They plummeted like judgment itself, smashing into the Nomu with apocalyptic force.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ground ruptured, waves of fire and molten rock swallowing the Nomu whole. Its inhuman screams cut through the destruction, limbs flailing as it was pummeled into the earth.

Flesh melted. Bones shattered.

The Nomu's regeneration sputtered, struggling against the intense heat and crushing impact. Its body couldn't compensate for damage on this scale.

Cloud landed amidst the wreckage, dust and smoke swirling around him. The Buster Sword rested at his side, glowing faintly from the heat.

He stared at the charred crater where the Nomu's body twitched feebly.

It wasn't getting back up.

Shigaraki's Breakdown

High above the chaos, Tomura Shigaraki stood frozen in disbelief. His hands trembled violently, clawing at his neck.

"No... NO! This isn't right!"

He stomped the ground, flailing like a child denied a toy.

"HOW?! HOW CAN SOME SWORDSMAN DO THIS?! YOU'RE CHEATING! THIS ISN'T FAIR!"

His raspy voice cracked into a scream.

"I was supposed to kill All Might! The Nomu was made to crush him, not get destroyed by some no-name CHEATER!"

Kurogiri loomed behind him, his misty form rippling anxiously.

"Tomura Shigaraki, we need to retreat. The situation is no longer in our favor."

Shigaraki's fingers twitched violently.

"I... I'll KILL HIM! I'LL—"

Kurogiri interrupted, his tone sharper.

"We cannot risk further losses. More heroes are approaching."

Shigaraki growled but yanked his hand away.

"Fine! But this isn't over!"

With a frustrated shriek, Shigaraki and the remaining villains vanished into Kurogiri's dark mist, retreating into the shadows.

A Mercenary's Departure

Cloud watched the mist dissipate, his expression unreadable behind the wolf mask.

"Tch. Cowards."

His sharp senses picked up on something else.

A shift in the air.

Footsteps.

Multiple. Fast.

More heroes were on their way.

He turned to glance at All Might, who was slowly rising to his feet, a strange smoke curling from his body. Cloud's eyes narrowed.

Something was off.

But before he could analyze it further, he felt the approaching presence of heroes closing in.

Cloud exhaled through his mask.

"You heroes are slow."

In a blur of speed, faster than the eye could track, Cloud disappeared into the shadows, leaving behind only the faint shimmer of his blue aura.

The Aftermath

All Might stared at the spot where Cloud had vanished, his breath uneven. The smoke from his body intensified, forcing him to steady himself.

"Who… was that?" he muttered, grimacing.

Aizawa approached him cautiously, his scarf ragged and torn. His single visible eye was sharp, wary.

"That masked swordsman... I don't think he's human."

All Might turned toward him, surprised.

"What do you mean?"

Aizawa's jaw tightened.

"I tried erasing his Quirk."

All Might blinked.

"And?"

Aizawa shook his head slowly.

"Nothing happened. Not even a flicker of resistance. When he summoned those meteors, I focused everything on shutting him down. But it was like… there was nothing to erase."

All Might's expression darkened.

"That's impossible. No one can just—"

"I don't think it was a Quirk," Aizawa interrupted, voice low.

All Might's eyes widened.

"Then what was it?"

Aizawa looked back at the crater where the Nomu's remains smoldered, the earth scorched and broken.

"I don't know."

The silence between them deepened, broken only by the distant sirens of approaching reinforcements.

In the Shadows

Far from the wreckage, Cloud stood atop a high-rise building, staring back at the devastated USJ.

His blue aura flickered and faded.

The Buster Sword rested on his back once again.

Cloud closed his eyes briefly.

"That wasn't even a challenge..."

His mind drifted to Bakugou.

How far have you come, kid?

The thought passed as quickly as it came.

Cloud turned from the battlefield, the city's cold wind brushing against him.

There were bigger fights ahead.

And he would be ready.