-. My Hero Academia: 180 degrees. -
37. Where Izuku faces the villain, noticing something unusual, Kai Chisaki and Redestro hold a meeting, and Uraraka rescues people from the train but ends up unconscious and dreaming about Deku.
The muscular villain stood still, watching as the young students scrambled to escape the chaos. He calmly turned his head, his eyes scanning every corner while his henchmen blocked the escape routes. Finally, he stepped forward, ready to resume his task.
"Well. I think I've given them enough of a head start," he muttered to himself, casually adjusting the unconscious boy he carried under his arm.
Suddenly, a figure with green hair emerged from the crowd, advancing directly toward him instead of running away. The villain smiled under his mask, his excitement growing as he recognized his opponent.
"Of course! I wouldn't expect anything less," he thought, savoring the boldness of the young man.
As the boy approached, the villain had enough time to notice his expression. It was a strange smile—forced and strained—as though masking nervousness behind a fragile facade of bravery.
"What a smile!... But what do you plan to do now?" he wondered, raising a hand and pointing his palm toward the boy. "Don't expect any special consideration from me."
Midoriya came to an abrupt stop, quickly assessing the potential attack the villain seemed to be preparing. Before he could act, however, an unexpected voice called out from behind the villain.
"Hey, villain! Are you looking for a fight?" someone shouted.
The muscular man slowly turned his head back, intrigued by the interruption. Instantly, he seemed frozen in place. From his position, Midoriya managed to spot Shinso, who stood at a distance and appeared to recognize him as well..
"He must have some kind of paralyzing quirk," Midoriya deduced, recalling notes from one of his notebooks as his legs moved instinctively. "If it's like similar quirks I've studied, it probably has a time limit. I have to move fast!"
Sensing Midoriya's intentions, Shinso raised his voice urgently.
"Wait, Midoriya!" he shouted, just as Izuku's hand was mere inches from touching the captive boy. "Don't move the villain too much, or my brainwashing will stop working!"
Midoriya froze, retracting his hand in shock.
"Brainwashing?" he murmured, processing the situation.
Without wasting time, Shinso barked another command at the villain with authority.
"Release the hostage and walk out of the combat area!"
Midoriya's eyes widened as the villain obeyed, dropping the boy he had been holding. Izuku immediately dove forward, sliding on the ground to catch the boy before he hit the floor. He barely managed to cushion the fall, feeling the weight of the boy in his arms before quickly standing and running toward safety.
From where he stood, the villain watched Midoriya flee with the boy alongside Shinso.
Under his mask, a grin spread across the villain's face—until his gaze shifted to a nearby exit. In the shadows of the corridor, he noticed seven figures watching him, their presence marked by faint flashes of light.
Suddenly, the villain's body was engulfed by glowing red marks, and an enormous burst of energy erupted from him uncontrollably.
The force of the energy wave sent both Shinso and Deku flying toward a wall. With practiced reflexes, Midoriya twisted in midair, managing to rebound off the wall with his feet while keeping the boy in his grasp. Shinso, however, wasn't as nimble and slammed his back into the wall with a thud.
"Dammit..." Shinso groaned, struggling to push himself off the ground but failing.
With his hands full, Midoriya couldn't offer Shinso assistance. Turning around in search of support, he noticed that the others were already engaged in fights against different villains.
One boy appeared to be trapping a villain's head inside some kind of air bubble, while a girl was making mushrooms grow on another villain, who clutched at his throat. For a brief moment, Midoriya wondered how their quirks worked.
Trying to refocus, he glanced back at the muscular villain. The man was still standing, now at the center of a trench carved by his own explosion of power. He was holding his head as though in pain.
"What happened to him? Was it Shinso's quirk?" Midoriya thought, his mind racing as he tried to piece together what was going on.
...
Scenes of chaos played on the television screen, captured at various bullet train intersections. The footage showed people coughing as they exited stations, some stumbling and others being helped to stay upright. The ground was littered with bodies, creating a haunting tableau. In front of the screen, a man smirked calculatingly before slowly turning his chair to face the person standing on the other side of his desk.
"When I asked for a preview of the project we're helping fund, I must admit, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind," commented Re-Destro, his light tone contrasting with the sharp glint in his eyes. "Although, if I'm not mistaken, this could also be a strategy to divert police attention and avoid another raid on one of your properties."
Kai Chisaki, unfazed, responded with his usual calm.
"I see you're well-informed."
"Don't be too surprised," Re-Destro continued, smiling. "As you know, our organization's sympathizers are growing in number. Naturally, we have eyes and ears everywhere—even in places you'd least expect."
Chisaki held Re-Destro's gaze, as if the two were waging a silent battle of wills. In the end, it was the leader of the Meta Liberation Army who broke the silence with a soft chuckle before continuing.
"But what am I saying? I can't forget I'm speaking to the head of Japan's most powerful yakuza. Having infiltrators in the police is just another day for you. Though, I imagine it gets much harder when heroes form small teams to take you by surprise." Re-Destro leaned forward on his desk, lacing his fingers together as he spoke. "Still, I've already told you—if you're truly concerned about the girl's safety, we'd be happy to take her under our protection. We undoubtedly have far more facilities and sympathizers than you do. And the police aren't investigating us."
Chisaki replied immediately, his tone firm and cutting.
"I will not be separated from Eri."
Re-Destro smiled, a mix of satisfaction and amusement playing on his lips.
"Naturally, I expected that response. Quite fitting for someone with paternal instincts."
"That child is not my daughter," Chisaki corrected, coldly.
The tense exchange was abruptly interrupted by the sudden entrance of a small figure into the room. Eri ran in, clutching Chisaki's legs tightly as she sobbed. Behind her, a man stopped in the doorway, exhausted and visibly nervous as he realized who he had interrupted.
"It hurts… I don't want this anymore…" she cried, tears streaming down her face. "I don't want them to poke my arms anymore."
"Eri, what have I told you about acting like a spoiled child?" Chisaki reprimanded her, his voice cold and devoid of empathy.
"No, no, no. That's not right," Re-Destro interjected, rising from his seat and walking around the desk to crouch near the child. With an unexpectedly gentle gesture, he touched her shoulder. "You can't scold her without explaining why we do all this. Can't you see how scared she is without understanding?"
"She's too young to understand. All she needs to know is that if she misbehaves, someone else will suffer," Chisaki retorted, casting a frosty glance at the man in the doorway. Taking the hint, the man withdrew immediately.
Re-Destro ignored Chisaki's comment, focusing entirely on Eri. Gently holding her shoulders, he spoke in a voice filled with persuasion.
"Don't underestimate children, Chisaki. We all need to understand the reasons for our suffering to accept our destiny. I learned that lesson at her age. Isn't that right, little Eri? You just want to know why you're being put through all of this."
Eri could only murmur through her tears, "I don't want this anymore…"
"Listen to me, little Eri," Re-Destro continued, his artificially sweet smile never wavering. "Thanks to you, we've been able to create something extraordinary. Your blood's cells are helping us develop a component that will change the world forever. We live in a dark age, full of ignorance and resentment, but your sacrifice could be the light humanity needs. I know the tests can be… 'unpleasant,' but they're nothing compared to what your guardian had planned for you initially."
He cast a pointed look at Chisaki, who remained silent. Re-Destro turned back to Eri.
"Your suffering has a purpose, Eri. You could become a symbol of hope for everyone enduring injustice daily. Your story will be remembered as that of a martyr who bore humanity's pain to ease its suffering."
Still crying, Eri looked up at him, her expression a mix of confusion and sadness.
"I… I'm helping them?"
"That's right, little Eri. Among all the false heroes, you will be the true savior of humanity," Re-Destro declared with a conviction so strong it was almost contagious. "Just wait, and you'll see."
...
Uraraka was crouched in front of a woman with a fox-like face who wore an expression of pain. The concern in her gaze was unwavering, but something strange began to catch her attention. For a moment, she wasn't sure if it was the exhaustion from pushing the limits of her Quirk or something in the air of the train car, but she had the strange, blurry impression that the woman was shrinking. Shaking her head, she dismissed the thought as a delusion caused by her fatigue.
Frowning, she activated her Quirk again to lighten the woman's weight and lifted her into her arms. Struggling, she ran out of the train car, battling the nauseating churn in her stomach. She barely made it to the stairs leading out of the station when her legs felt weak at the sight of how much farther there was to go. Then, an idea struck her.
Pulling down the makeshift mask she had fashioned from her pink shirt, she shouted with all the strength her voice could muster:
"Please! If you can hear me, grab the hand of the person next to you!" Her voice trembled slightly, but she kept it strong. "It's the only way I can get you all out of here!"
Though most of the rescued people kept their eyes closed, their faces reflecting the same inexplicable pain, some instinct for survival seemed to push them forward. Slowly, trembling hands reached out, finding and clasping others. They gripped tightly, forming a human chain.
Uraraka exhaled a sigh of relief as her plan began to work. With renewed determination, she grabbed hold of the woman leading the line. Using her Quirk to lighten everyone's weight, she charged up the stairs, the chain of people trailing behind her like paper dolls.
When they reached the surface, and she made sure everyone was at least a few inches off the ground, she deactivated her Quirk. The people landed gently, finally inhaling the fresh air outside.
"Incredible! She got all those people out by herself!" someone in the crowd exclaimed, prompting murmurs of admiration.
Uraraka braced her hands on her knees, panting, fighting to catch her breath and suppress her nausea. Without hesitation, she stood again and ran back into the station. The crowd, watching her, began voicing their concerns.
"Where are the pro heroes? And the police?" asked a woman, her voice trembling.
"They say this is happening at other bullet train stations too!" someone replied. "They probably can't keep up with it all."
The murmurs of uncertainty grew until a visibly frustrated man raised his voice:
"We should be ashamed of ourselves! One girl is doing all the work while we just stand here watching!"
His words echoed through the crowd.
"But this is hero work!" a woman countered.
"Someone will show up soon to help! We shouldn't get in the way!" added another.
"And how can you be so sure?" the man pressed. Without waiting for an answer, he tore off his shirt and fashioned it into a makeshift mask like Uraraka's. Then, he headed toward the station. His action was enough to inspire others. Slowly, more people began to follow, determined to lend a hand.
Inside the station, Uraraka was touching the arm of another unconscious person when the same man appeared by her side to help. More volunteers joined the effort, moving through the corridors and carrying the afflicted toward the exits.
Outside, with the sound of ambulance sirens announcing their arrival, Uraraka collapsed to her knees, too drained to stand. The man who had first stepped up caught her before she fell entirely, gently laying her down. She closed her eyes, tears slipping free as a thought crossed her mind:
How was Deku doing in his exam? And had Saito made it to work?
...
Night had fallen. Uravity, now 22 years old and still wearing her hero suit after a long day of work, hurried down the street, trying to reach Deku.
"He's still not answering," she murmured with concern, lowering her phone and snapping it shut with a disappointed motion. "And I can't think of anywhere else he could be."
Her eyes landed on Hatsume's workshop door. She hesitated for a moment, her fist raised in the air, ready to knock. However, a muffled sound from inside stopped her.
"Ha-Hatsume… W-what are you doing?" Izuku's nervous voice filtered weakly through the door.
"Relax, Midoriya. You just have to trust me," Hatsume replied with a calmness that only heightened the tension in the air. After a brief silence, she added, "Or is it that you don't want to improve your skills to impress Uraraka?"
"I-I don't think this is the right way to do it," Izuku stammered, sounding more nervous than before.
Uraraka's eyes widened, and her nails dug into the wooden door. Her heart raced at the words she had just heard, but curiosity held her in place.
"What was that?" Izuku asked suddenly. "I think it came from the door."
"I'm only hearing the sound of your fear of success, Midoriya. I just don't get your attitude right now, and so suddenly! You've always been such a good boy, doing everything I asked," Hatsume exclaimed in her cheerful and persuasive tone.
When there was no response, Hatsume pressed on.
"Come on! Don't make me force you!" Hatsume threatened more firmly.
Her warning was followed by the sound of scuffling, accompanied by the clatter of tools and parts of some invention falling to the floor. Uraraka couldn't take it anymore. Imagining a scene of harassment—or worse—she burst into the workshop.
What she found was entirely different from what her mind had conjured. There was Izuku, clinging with both hands and feet to the frame of a metal door, while Hatsume maneuvered a robot armed with a plunger, unsuccessfully trying to push him inside.
When both of them noticed her presence, they froze for a moment, as if someone had hit the pause button in the middle of the chaos.
After a long explanation from Hatsume, Uraraka, still confused, repeated what she had just heard to make sure she had understood correctly.
"So… this machine can increase a person's physical strength by modifying their DNA?"
"Well, more or less. I have to admit, I'm impressed you managed to grasp part of the idea so quickly, even if it's a very simplified version," Hatsume responded, her tone a mix of enthusiasm and condescension. "Though I suppose that's normal coming from someone who's still using that technological dinosaur," she added, pointing at the phone Uraraka was still holding in her hand.
Uraraka squinted, holding back her annoyance.
"I don't think my summary was that bad, considering all the unnecessary jargon you used," she muttered to herself.
Meanwhile, Izuku was busy examining a series of records on a tablet and didn't seem to have paid attention to what either of them had said.
Uraraka didn't miss the fact that he was wearing a white lab coat and a pair of goggles matching Hatsume's. For a moment, they looked like a pair of inventors working together, and the thought irritated her more than she was willing to admit.
"Look at this!" Izuku suddenly exclaimed, pointing at the tablet's screen and breaking her chain of thoughts. "This risk percentage is insanely high!"
Hatsume, however, didn't even bother to look.
"There's always a margin for error in great inventions. If we stopped at every little inconvenience, we'd never move forward," she said nonchalantly. "And this is the fastest way to unlock your full potential. Or is that not still your dream? To become the strongest hero?"
The inventor reached a hand toward Izuku's abdomen, as if she were about to convince him with a touch—or maybe push him toward the machine—but Uraraka acted before she could.
"If he doesn't want to do it, you shouldn't force him!" Uraraka intervened, stepping between them with her hands raised. "I also think it's way too dangerous!"
"Uraraka…" Izuku murmured, surprised by her sudden intervention.
Hatsume didn't back down.
"Now I see why Midoriya is acting like this. But I'm surprised, after everything I've done for him."
"Putting him at risk to test your inventions isn't something he should be thanking you for," Uraraka replied firmly.
Izuku stepped forward, leaving the protective space she had created.
"I'm sorry, Uraraka, but… the truth is, I think Hatsume is a brilliant inventor. And she's always been careful with my safety," he said, looking at Hatsume with a glimmer of trust.
"But…"
"See? That wasn't so hard, was it?" Hatsume said triumphantly, placing a hand on Izuku's back and guiding him toward the machine.
Uraraka opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. By the time she managed to gather the courage to stop them, it was already too late.
Hatsume pulled a lever with a decisive motion, and the machine lit up with an intense green glow. White smoke began to rise from its base, filling the air with a mechanical hum. When the door opened again, the silhouette that emerged left both girls stunned.
Standing before them wasn't just one Izuku—but two.
...
Author's Notes:
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