Chapter IX: Gods Among Heroes
Momo peaked under the insulated blanket when the sounds of fighting stopped. She saw most of the villains in their vicinity unconscious, meaning their plan worked. The only problem though was that Kaminari shorted his brain.
"Is the coast clear?" Jiro peaked right beside her.
"Yeah." The Creation user got out of the blanket but found her classmate staring at her with a blush. "Is there something on my face?"
"Um…no," replied the rocker girl. "It's actually what's not on you," she said while pointing a finger at her friend, specifically the scraps of what used to be Yaoyorozu's costume. She was practically topless.
"Dughhhhh."
The sound of a brain-fried Kaminari made Yaoyorozu cover herself with the blanket she made.
"Hey, did you short out your brain or something?" Jiro sarcastically asked the boy who turned his head towards them. "Hey! Don't you dare look over here!"
She was about to grab Kaminari when something hit her in the face.
"JIRO!"
Not caring about decency, Momo quickly caught Jiro before she hit the ground. Her eyes grew wide when a new villain appeared out of thin air and grabbed Kaminari by the head, dangling the teen in front of them. It became even direr when around ten more of the intruder's associates appeared.
"I must say, I was quite impressed when you kids managed to subdue these buffoons," the man who held Kaminari praised.
"Ughhh…where did he come from?" Jiro massaged her cheek after asking.
"I don't know," Momo replied, worry evident in her voice. "He just came out of nowhere and more just showed up."
"You want to know how I got here undetected, right?" The villain was enjoying the desperation on the two girl's faces. "My quirk allows me to manually turn myself invisible."
"Just like Hagakure's," the two girls muttered.
"All I did was stay out of the shock radius and take this idiot hostage." The villain's grip on Kaminari grew tighter but the blonde was still in a daze to do anything.
"Let him go!" Jiro shouted. She would never want to see one of her classmates like this, especially Kaminari. "Please, he can't fight as he is."
"Oh? Begging now. Well, how's about this…" the lead villain pointed at the two girls. "Show us a good time and we might let the human Pikachu go."
"Ooh, that girl with the black hair has a wonderful pair of tits!" a random villain remarked while eyeing the topless Momo.
The girl in question wasn't just embarrassed but felt violated. These pigs were looking at her like a piece of meat and thinking of multiple ways of defiling her. It just made her sick.
"I'm too tired," thought Momo. "My lipid stores are running on empty that one more creation, I'll pass out. But we need to save Kaminari. If these lecherous bastards want to have their way with us, I'm not backing down until I'm completely exhausted."
Grabbing her staff, Yaoyorozu wobbly stood up and fell into a battle stance. "Like I'm just gonna stand here and let you!"
Jiro did the same, her fists up and ready. "We're gonna save Denki and beat your ass to a pulp."
Their intimidation was only laughed at by the villains. The leader of the group squeezed Denki's head harder, making the pain groan in pain despite still being out of it. The threat had the desired effect as the two defiant girls grew hesitant.
"Look girls, we love the tough act, but you can't do anything against us while we have your classmates as a hostage. So, why don't you just do what we say be our nice little bitches."
"Damn it!" Frustrated, Momo was left with no other choice. If they can't rescue their friend through force, then maybe a trade would. "How about a deal?"
"A bargain? I'm listening."
"Let Kaminari go…" Yaoyorozu paused, taking a deep breath before continuing, "Then, you can have me."
Jiro gasped. "MOMO! ARE YOU INSANE!?"
"I wish there were another way, Jiro, but if they want us, it'd be better if it was just me."
"NO! Fuck no! I refuse to let them take you! We can save Kaminari together!"
"Eh… while not the two bitches we wanted, you're more than enough to satisfy us." The leader of this group of villains eyed Momo up and down, taking in the sight of such a young and fine teen with a nice body. "Heh, deal."
"Darn it, Momo, don't do this!" Jiro cried once more, tears threatening to spill.
"Please, Jiro, don't make this any harder." Momo couldn't help it anymore. She was beginning to cry while her purpled-haired classmate tried to dissuade her.
Yaoyorozu stepped forward, Jiro's grip loosening as the heiress slowly made her way toward the band of criminals. But she stopped for a moment to look at Jiro.
"Tell everyone I'll be fine," she told the girl. "Also, tell Kazui that I'm sorry."
"You don't have to."
Momo's eyes grew wide when she was enveloped in a warm embrace. Slowly, she turned her head to see none other than Kazui in his hero costume.
"K-Kazui?"
"It's okay now, I'm here," the reaper assured. He unclipped his cape and wrapped it around the raven-haired girl to hide what little dignity she had left. "I hope you don't kill me if I accidentally glanced at your chest."
"No, it's fine. It's just, I was about to throw myself at them that any dignity left would be meaningless."
"You don't have to do that now." Kazui looked at the other girl and asked, "You good, Jiro?"
"Umm…yeah. Thanks for coming."
"It's a good thing I came in time because I would never let any of my classmates, especially Momo, lower herself like this." The hybrid said those words with fury it made Yaoyorozu blush.
"Looks like another punk we need to teach a lesson," the lead villain scoffed, not liking the bravado Kazui was showing. "What are you, some kind of white knight? Are you her boyfriend or something?"
"I'm more than that," said Kazui with resolve. He pointed his katana at the villains. "I'm her protector."
Again, the leading villain scoffed. This is what he hated about heroes – the self-righteous and morally high act. It sickened him to the point that he wanted to throw up. At least, he had the upper hand in this confrontation.
"That's sweet of you, oh mighty protector," the villain said in a mocking tone. "Too bad we still have your– huh?"
Kazui already had Kaminari, gently laying him down next to Momo and Jiro. As for the villain, he looked at his hand and found only a stump with blood gushing uncontrollably. It took a few seconds for the pain to register, but when it did, he screamed at the top of his lungs.
"What the hell just happened?" Jiro only blinked once, and Kaminari was already safe thanks to Kazui. "I didn't see him move!" Her eyes were now focused on the young reaper, with bewilderment and hope to battle for dominance as her current emotion.
"Don't worry about me," Kazui assured. "I'll set up a barrier where no one can harm you." Before he could leave, he felt a tug on his sleeve.
"Kazui, be careful." Momo's grip grew tighter. She didn't want her best friend to go out there and risk his life even though she knew he was more than a match for any villain. "Come back safe."
This made the young hybrid smile. He placed a gentle hand on her cheek and wiped the tear stains away. "I will," he promised. "I'll come back to you."
Finally, he held a palm out. A small black box floated toward his classmates while he chanted. "Modified Caja Negación."
Momo and Jiro almost jumped when they, along with Kaminari, were encased inside a cube of light.
"You'll be safe here," Kazui told them and turned to the villains with a scowl that'd make his father proud. "As for all of you, you're gonna pay dearly for making Momo cry."
"KILL THAT PUNK! FUCK HIM UP!" the leader ordered furiously.
The villains yelled as they charged, weapons drawn, and quirks activated. However, Kazui wasn't afraid. He tossed his blood-stained sword in the air, caught by the tassel with his index finger, and spun it around a few times before throwing it and impaling one of the villains in the head.
The two girls gasped, and the charging criminals were stopped in their tracks. This was the last thing they expected. A hero student killing a villain? Nobody saw that coming.
Kazui flashed to his first victim, riding the dead man by the chest as he pulled out his sword. He flickered again, appearing next to another enemy, and slashed the guy across the shoulder to the waist. He let the upper half fall to the ground while the lower half of the torso and legs remained standing.
A villain with reptilian skin charged at the boy but blocked the incoming attack with a mix of Hierro and Blut Vene. He then plunged his sword into the mutant's chest and slashed upward, splitting the upper torso and the head.
"Bala."
Two quick shots of the fast-moving energy blast punctured holes into two unfortunate villains, dropping them dead. Kazui wasn't done, however, as three foolish villains tried to gang up on him. The first was about to strike him with a metal bat but he caught the weapon mid-strike. The boy then kicked the attacker's leg, bending it in an abnormal direction before gutting the poor sod. The second one had a scorpion tail about to hit the young reaper, but it bounced off his skin. Kazui severed the appendage, pulled the remaining tail of the villain, and cut said villain in half. The last one tasted a kick so hard to the head that it got blown away.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!" the now one-handed villain yelled at the others. "WHAT ARE YOU FUCKING DOING!? HE'S JUST ONE KID! KILL HIM! ATTACK ALL AT ONCE! OVERWHELM HIM!"
They did just that and it amounted to nothing but a gruesome fate.
Momo and Jiro just watched with a horrid fascination with what could be described as a complete slaughter. Kazui's black eyes hinted at no emotion whatsoever. He was completely apathetic toward his enemies. The two girls watched him like he was dancing on the battlefield, killing one villain after another with so much grace and purpose, and yet, full of unpredictability and instinctual motion.
Jiro's hands slowly covered her agape mouth. She had never seen anyone get killed before now, but this? This was an utter massacre and it was one of her classmates, her class representative, who was expertly taking the lives of these villains.
She was scared.
Kazui was dangerous – maybe even the most dangerous in the entire school. He did say that he will protect Momo and her but seeing him commit murder so easily made her think otherwise. What if he comes after her next? What if–?
"He won't hurt us."
Jiro felt Momo whisper into her ear as she embraced her.
"He won't ever hurt us, Jiro; so, don't worry."
"How can you be so sure?" Jiro questioned. "What if he turns on us? What if…?"
"Because he is our protector," Momo answered with certainty. "That's his nature. He will protect us because, despite being only classmates for a week, we matter to him."
"I thought he said he was your protector?"
Momo blushed. While the innocent jab came out of nowhere, it did assure her that Jiro was now at ease, even for a little, and that Kazui was there to protect them.
As for the leader of the villainous group, the confidence he had earlier was now replaced by absolute fear. He and his cohorts came here with the idea that these children would be easy pickings and yet, they were more than just a handful of upstarts. What's worse was the sudden arrival of this student who mercilessly cut down his forces. The kid, whoever he was, is a monster.
"There's no other way to describe this kid. This isn't what I signed up for!" His mental fortitude finally snapping, this group's leader began running away. "I've got to get out of here!" Sadly for him, he barely even got to ten steps when his head exploded.
The girls turned to the cause of the villain's demise and found Kazui with his left hand, fresh smoke hissing from his fingertips after firing a quick energy blast. He then disappeared and reappeared right in front of them, startling the girls a bit. He snapped his fingers and the barrier protecting the three students shattered like glass.
"Are anyone of you injured?"
Kazui's voice was a little off-putting for Jiro, yet she nodded and gestured to her, Momo, and Kaminari's bruises.
"Stay still while I'll heal you three." The first person Kazui healed was Momo, seeing she was the most exhausted of the three. He placed both hands over her as green energy wrapped around his hands.
There was this cooling sensation sweeping over Yaoyorozu's body like her energy was slowly being restored and her fatigue was gradually disappearing. Her eyes were wide as she stared at the concentrating Kazui, her thoughts of him filled with bafflement.
"Just how many skills does Kazui have?"
This was also the same question that Jiro had in her mind when her class representative finished healing Momo and switched to her. But, unlike the other girl who was aware that Kazui was spiritually aware, the Earphone Jack user concluded that Kazui has multiple quirks.
"If he has multiple quirks, then he could be the most powerful human on Earth."
This thought kept plaguing her mind as Kazui switched to healing Kaminari. Jiro was correct in that the boy was the most powerful. What she didn't know was that Kazui was more than just a human.
"This is why I hate pro heroes," the main leader of the villains muttered while observing Eraserhead. "Casual thugs and no-name crooks are no match for them."
Lemillion gut-punched one crook sending the guy crashing to the nearby fountain. Eraserhead had already taken down a significant number of villains, but fatigue was already setting in. It didn't help that the leader of the villains, the one with severed hands on his body, was observing him.
"You and that blonde kid are mini-boss material; I'll give you that. However, even final bosses have move sets that can be figured out."
Without warning, the villain leader sped towards Eraserhead and grabbed his elbow. Upon contact, bits of skin and flesh began rotting away.
"I just needed to find out the duration of your quirk."
"Decay!?" Aizawa thought as he jumped away. "He must be the one responsible for breaking into UA on that day."
Just as he was about to engage the leader again, the hulking humanoid with the exposed brain grabbed his head and slammed him into the ground.
"Eraserhead!" Lemillion cried. He ran to the walking experiment to attack but was countered by its punch. "What!?"
The behemoth did a hammer fist on Togata. The blonde managed to block it but the force was strong enough to make him buckle over. The next thing he knew, he was grabbed by his head and legs before being slammed into the floor and kicked a few meters away.
While this was happening, Izuku, Tsuyu, and Mineta were watching the exchange, and, suffice it to say, things were not looking good.
"We're gonna die. We're gonna die!" Mineta kept on muttering in a panic while watching the beatdown his teacher and senior were experiencing.
"Someone needs to help Aizawa-sensei," Izuku said, gritting his teeth in anger at the villains.
"Are you mental!? There's no way we can do anything to help. We're just kids, for Christ's sake!"
"We can't just let him die, damn it!"
"Hey, guys, look."
Tsuyu got the two arguing boy's attention and directed it at the leader who calmly walked towards the down Eraserhead.
"It was a good effort from your end, but you heroes are fighting fully-specced players." The villain taunted while staring at the incapacitated hero. However, his attention was now elsewhere, specifically on the three students hiding behind the ledge that led to the Shipwreck Zone. "You know, I love to use some of my skill moves on weaker mobs to add a bit of drama. So, how would you like to see your precious students crumble to dust!"
He suddenly pounced, quickly coming upon three students. His hands were aimed… toward Tsuyu.
"NO!" Izuku quickly got in front of the villain and activated his Infinity. As expected, the hand stopped just inches away from his face.
"What!?" the leader of the villains exclaimed. He tried to push his hand further but something was stopping it. "The heck!? Nobody told me some students had hax!"
Taking the chance, Izuku fired a quick shot of Blue, flinging the hand-ridden villain far away from him. He then looked at Tsuyu and Mineta and ordered, "You two get Eraserhead and get out of here! I'll cover you!"
Rather than argue, Asui jumped and carried their teacher to safety. Mineta was right behind her holding Aizawa's legs, so they don't get dragged onto the ground.
"Damn brat!" the villain growled as he stood up. He wiped the dust off his clothes and glared at the Limitless user. "I never expected to encounter hidden bosses in the dungeon. You even managed to chip off some HP. I guess Nomu can use you to build up some much-needed XP." He tilted his head towards the beast and shouted. "Nomu! Leave that damn brat and kill this punk!"
Izuku heard a roar behind him. he turned around and saw the brute from before – Nomu, he presumed – charging at him with the intent to kill. Right behind the monstrosity was Mirio who had a few bruises and trying to catch up to the monster.
"Freshman, get out of there!" he shouted at Izuku. "It's too strong!"
Despite that warning, Izuku stood his ground. he needed to stall the villains so that the heroes could come and catch them.
"This is gonna hurt." His eyes bled again as he used his cursed techniques. "Curse Technique Amplification: Blue!"
There was a sudden crunching sound. The villain leader and Mirio were surprised to see the limbs of Nomu bending and twisting into a gruesome meld of blood, flesh, and bones. The Nomu itself roared in the pain it just experienced before falling into the ground, all limbless.
Thinking that it was all over, Izuku dropped to his knees. Blood trickled from his eyes and nose. While his curse energy was barely touched thanks to Six Eyes, his brain, and eyes were suffering from the constant use. He needed some rest but now was not the time. However, there was one glaring problem he faced…
He can't use Infinity at this point.
A mist suddenly appeared next to the leader of the intruders and from it, emerged the teleporter, Kurogiri.
"Tomura Shigaraki, there have been some… complications," he told the leader, now identified as Tomura Shigaraki.
"What is it, Kurogiri?"
"Thirteen won't be a problem but one of the students managed to escape the facility to warn the school faculty of our intrusion. It's best if we leave and let our henchmen deal with these brats."
"You want us to leave!?" Shigaraki sounded outraged. He then noticed a dent in the mist villain's metal collar. "What the hell happened to you."
"My apologies, Shigaraki. Two of the senior students managed to land a decisive blow on me when a first-year used her quirk to take away my gravity."
"Tsk. If you weren't so important, I would've just offed you. Besides, we haven't encountered All Might and these mini-bosses are providing us with some experience points."
"Why isn't he concerned?" Izuku thought while watching Shigaraki and Kurogiri talking. "Don't they know the Nomu's dead?"
"Izuku!"
The jujutsu sorcerer turned to the voice and found Ochako along with some of his classmates. They looked tired but otherwise fine. They must've defeated the villains they encountered when they were transported to the different parts of the facility.
"Oh god!" Uraraka cried upon seeing his bloody nose and eyes. She quickly ran to his side. "Your eyes… what happened?"
Most of them got down including Tamaki and Nejire, ready to help in any way possible. There were still a handful of villains present, but in terms of quality, the students will be able to hold up in a fight.
"I overused my quirk," he replied. It wasn't the whole truth, but he indeed exhausted himself from using his power. "It's alright. The monster's down."
"Oh, is it?" Shigaraki questioned; a grin plastered on his face. "Nomu has special skills that make him much more dangerous."
"FRESHMAN, LOOK OUT!"
Out of instinct, Izuku pushed Uraraka away just in time before a fist slammed into his side, shattering his right arm and ribs on contact. He was sent flying away and landed heavily on the ground with a loud thud. Blood began pooling around his body as he lay there on death's door.
"Midoriya!" the entirety of Class 1-A screamed in horror.
"Oh god, no," Mirio cursed as he ran to the bloodied sorcerer.
Uraraka followed right behind the blonde third-year. Once reaching Izuku, she broke down and desperately called his name. "Izuku! Izuku! Izuku… Izuku… no."
Shigaraki laughed at this. "Call his name all you want; he won't be coming back." He called his remaining forces and ordered them to attack the students. "Alright, pawns, kill them all starting with that girl next to the blonde and dead kid."
Uraraka saw the villains approaching and stood up to face them. her face was stained with tears, yet her eyes were filled with fury. "I'm not afraid of you, you bastards! I won't let his sacrifice amount to nothing!"
The villains were about to attack the defiant gravity girl when suddenly, a sword landed between her and the attackers.
"What the!?" Mirio shouted while tending to the fallen freshman.
A figure in white appeared before the blade and grabbed the weapon. There was no mistaking the white militaristic uniform and the orange hair of Class 1-A's class representative.
"Kazui!" the whole class said.
However, the boy's posture and gaze were different from his usual demeanor. Where white sclera once lay was now replaced by black with golden irises. His look alone says it all.
He was absolutely pissed.
The reaper wasn't alone. Momo, Jiro, and Kaminari joined the rest of the classmates. When the three saw the state of Midoriya they were left horrified.
"What happened to him?" Momo came to Uraraka and Izuku with some bandages she created.
"He fought the monster and got injured," she answered between sobs. "He thought he had it but somehow, that thing managed to get recover and hit him."
Momo examined Midoriya's condition and didn't like what she saw. There were broken bones and he lost a significant amount of blood.
Meanwhile, Shigaraki was annoyed that another challenger came. "How many surprise bosses are we supposed to fight? Nomu, kill that brat like you did the last one!"
Right before charging at Kazui, the brute was encased in solid ice. After that, powerful explosions bombarded the area.
"I told you to stay out of my way, Icy Hot! I can handle these weaklings on my own!"
"I didn't hear any complaining earlier."
"That's because I was busy beating the shit out of some punk that tried to jump me!"
Bakugō and Todoroki argued while stepping into view; neither one was injured. Behind them, Kirishima pointed to the first casualty of the battle.
"Shit! What happened to Midoriya!" the redhead shouted.
The two squabbling teens found Izuku who was being tended to by Mirio, Ochako, and Momo.
"You three!" Kazui called, gaining their attention. "Make sure you keep them safe while they heal Izuku. I'll deal with these lowlifes."
Kirishima and Todoroki seemed to agree that protecting the injured was the priority. However, the ash blonde grew incensed that he was being sidelined.
"The fuck did you say, Baby Face!?" yelled Bakugō. "You think I'm just gonna let you hog all the fun!?"
"THERE IS NOTHING FUN IN THIS!" A sudden wave of pressure followed the rebuttal. Everyone felt the air leave their lungs but soon, it disappeared as Kazui got his point across when Bakugō stopped. "Just shut up and protect Izuku while he gets treatment." His glare returned to Shigaraki, Kurogiri, and the collection of hired villains "As I said to the others earlier… playtime is over."
"I don't know what you did, kid," Shigaraki spoke while taking deep breaths. "It won't be enough to intimidate us. Attack him!"
(Bleach OST – BL_86)
The villains charged. Kazui flickered out of sight and reappeared in the middle of the group. He swung his katana and lopped off an enemy's arm then stabbed the said enemy in the head.
Except for Momo and Jiro, everyone from Class 1-A, and the seniors gasped. Kazui just killed someone. Unluckily for them, the boy was far from over.
The reaper grabbed the head of another villain and began squeezing. His arms glowed in red with Blut Arterie, giving it more power until the skull was crushed. He threw the carcass into a group of villains before grabbing someone's leg who tried to kick him. The hybrid pulled said limb up, causing the man to land head-first into the ground before having his neck snapped with a vicious stomp.
"Wha-What's h-happening?" Mina asked, shuddering at the gruesome sight.
"Kurosaki is utterly merciless," Tokoyami expressed with wide eyes. "Such darkness."
"He… He's killing them! He's killing them!" Mineta shouted.
Nejire couldn't stand the sight of so much death and blood. Tamaki quickly hugged the girl while he fought tooth and nail to not throw up.
With the unconscious Izuku, Uraraka and the four boys stared in shock at the brutality the seemingly innocent class rep is showing. There was no mercy in his black and gold eyes as he cut down one villain after another.
Kirishima took a step back. "Shit. Holy Shit!"
Todoroki couldn't keep his eyes off Kazui. While every action was brutal, there was also an erratic yet full-of-purpose finesse with each strike. There was no hesitation, and each attack had the intent to kill.
"Kazui Kurosaki… is the deadliest person in this class."
As for Bakugō, he just couldn't believe what he was seeing. "He fucking killed them. Baby Face is actually killing them without breaking a sweat. Holy fuck."
The last brave villain met her end when her whole torso was cleaved in half. Kazui threw the upper part of the corpse and tossed it to those who hesitated.
Shigaraki was shocked. This boy – he never thought he would encounter someone like him. Was this the kind of heroes this school was producing? He growled, glaring at the white-robed boy who was now smeared in the blood of his pawns.
"This is why I hate heroes!" the irate villain shouted. "Just because you have a moral high ground doesn't mean you get to have the right to do whatever you want! Heroes aren't supposed to kill, yet you killed them! What kind of hero are you!"
"I am no hero." The reply shut Shigaraki's mouth while leaving the students in shock. "I am a necessary force in the world; one who doesn't fall to the petty squabbles of heroes and villains. My role is to protect the innocent by any means necessary. I am the one who upholds balance on a plane far beyond your comprehension." Kazui pointed his sword at the two leaders. "I am a Soul Reaper."
Suddenly, the ice encasing the Nomu shattered, freeing the hulking beast from its icy imprisonment. Seeing this, Shigaraki found some confidence.
"Hah! You think you can scare me with your speech, Mr. Soul Reaper!? Nomu, crush him!"
The brute did as it was ordered. It jumped at the reaper at blinding speed, right arm already drawn back and poised for a deadly and destructive strike. The students shouted at Kazui to escape, dodge, evade… whatever as long as he doesn't hurt. However, the hybrid wasn't the least bit concerned. When the creature's fist came closing in, he casually parried it to the side, creating an opening that he used to slice the beast's neck.
Once again, looks of bafflement over to those who witnessed the exchange.
The Nomu tried to attack with its left fist but Kazui raised his sword in a reverse grip and blocked the attack using the flat side. The monster roared, clearly agitated that its prey did not fall, and tried hammer fist the boy with both hands. Kazui just held his left hand up, now glowing with Blut Vene and reinforced with Hierro, and caught the strike. The impact caused a powerful gust of wind that almost blew away everyone nearby.
"That's… unreal," Ojiro expressed while in complete bafflement.
"That was as strong as All Might," Tōru said, feeling the same.
Shigaraki, on the other hand, was in complete denial. This creature, Nomu, was bio-engineered to be the Anti-symbol – the one to kill All Might. This kid just comes out of nowhere and blocks a full-powered punch that could make even the Symbol of Peace kneel.
"HOW!? THIS THING WAS MADE TO BE STRONGER THAN ALL MIGHT! HOW ARE YOU STANDING UP TO IT, DAMN YOU!"
Unseen by everyone, a sinister smirk crossed the reaper's face as it stared at the Nomu.
"This is where the fun begins."
Izuku opened his eyes and found himself drifting into the domain of limitless. He would've admired the mesmerizing expanse had he not remembered that he was going to die.
"It was fun while it lasted," he muttered. His tone was sullen. Many thoughts came to him; thoughts of the things he wanted to do that now seemed so far away. "At least I managed to save Ochako. I'm just disappointed that we may never be more than just friends."
"Oh, are you confessing your love for your cute gravity girl?"
The teasing voice startled Izuku which made him jump. Next to him with a devious smirk was Gojo.
"Gojo-sensei! How long have you been here?"
"I've been here since you became my vessel." His cheery expressions turned serious. "Well, you surely overexerted yourself."
"I know," admitted the boy. "But it was the only way I knew that could save my friends."
"I know, and I'm proud of you."
"Huh? You are?" Izuku was a little bewildered. "But I thought you'd be mad at me for wasting your power."
"You never wasted my power, Izuku. You did what you think was right. Even if it was for the sake of your classmates, it was what you wanted – their well-being. If that isn't the most heroic yet selfish thing I've ever seen, I don't know what is."
Izuku just stared at his mentor after hearing those kind words. A few tears streamed down his cheeks while basking in the praise of the Honored One. "Thank you, sensei." However, the reality of his predicament returned. His mood returned to the melancholic one he had before. "But I'm going to die."
"Yeah, no. Like hell I'm going to let you die," the ancient sorcerer said, surprising Izuku.
"You won't?"
"Of course! That said, I may take over your body to begin the healing process."
From the sad acceptance of death to the hope of return, Izuku's own Six Eyes glimmered in anticipation. "Really!? How would you do that, though?"
Gojo held up a finger. "I'll be using Reverse Cursed Energy. Do you still remember how to harness it?"
The novice sorcerer nodded. Reverse Cursed Energy was obtained when one multiplies two sources of cursed energy together. Like Mathematics, if you multiply like-signed integers, you always get a positive integer. This was how Izuku always viewed the process and Gojo approved of the comparison.
"Since regular cursed energy stems from negative emotions, it is always in a negative state. Reverse Cursed Energy is the opposite, so it will have a positive state. That positive aspect is what gives it healing properties."
Izuku fully understands the concept. This is his chance to get healed and letting his master take over his body was a small price to pay.
"Alright, sensei, let's do it."
"Great! Now, just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!" Before he could go ahead, he turned to his student and said, "I'm going to apologize in advance."
"Why?" Izuku asked in confusion.
"You might not like what I'm planning to do to the enemy."
Before getting a chance to ask further, Izuku saw his master vanish.
Uraraka was a lot of things. She was cheerful, optimistic, friendly, and compassionate. Seeing her best friend so bloodied and beaten broke her heart so much that one more unsavory event would crush it. She had every chance to help Midoriya earlier like taking him out of the fight so he could recover. And yet, she was saved, again, by the boy closest to her heart.
"Izuku," she whispered. She interlaced her finger with that of the unconscious boy. "Please be alright."
What Ochako didn't know was that green energy faintly flowed throughout the beaten body of Midoriya. Momo and Mirio who were busy tending to the boy noticed that his injuries were quickly healing. The older blonde's eyes widened in disbelief while the raven-haired girl knew exactly what was happening.
"This…is Reverse Cursed Energy!"
"Izuku?" Ochako spoke, now noticing the injuries fading. "He's healing?"
The answer was proven correct when Midoriya opened his eyes and slowly stood up.
"Hey, freshman," Mirio called, concerned for the boy. "You were pretty banged up. You need to rest."
However, Midoriya didn't listen. He just continued walking to the fight between Kazui and the Nomu. Kirishima, Todoroki, and Bakugō noticed him moving to the battle.
"Dude! Thank God, you're alive!" the redhead cried in relief.
"Midoriya," Todoroki called yet he was dismissed.
Bakugō gripped the greenette's should and stop him. "Where the fuck are you going, shitty nerd?" To his surprise, Izuku grabbed his hand and easily pried it off.
The successor the Limitless turned and faced his classmates and replied, "I'll be off to do some damage."
Uraraka and the others were surprised at his response. His voice sounded different like there was somebody else sharing it. His stare wasn't meek and conscious but cocky, confident, and determined.
Once he reached the fighting zone, he pulled the Nomu from Kazui and blasted the thing with a shot of Red. The monster went crashing into the fountain.
The reaper turned to Izuku and found something different about him. There was much more of this strange reiryoku emanating from his friend and the way he moved didn't seem like Izuku at all.
"I'm guessing you know that your friend is resting, right?" spoke the entity in control of Midoriya's body.
"You're the source of his power. Are you an enemy?"
"To them, yes. I've got a bone to pick with those asshats that did my precious student dirty."
The hybrid relaxed a bit. Whoever this entity was, he was on the side of Izuku and that was more than enough of an assurance. Suddenly, an idea just came into his head that made him grin. "Want to take a crack at them?"
The entity in Izuku grinned back. "I thought you'd never ask."
"YOU!" Shigaraki suddenly shouted. He was pointing a finger at a revived Izuku. "You were supposed to be dead. How are you not dead?"
"Well…" the entity in control of the boy shrugged. "I guess you're just weak."
Something must've snapped inside Shigaraki as he went into a fit. "YOU FUCKING CHEATER! YOU USED A REVIVE SPELL TO BRING YOURSELF BACK, HAVEN'T YOU!? ADMIT IT!"
"Well, you're not wrong," he said nonchalantly.
"Hey, Deku!" Bakugō called his middle school victim. "What the fuck are you doing acting all high and shit!?"
Instead of cowering in fear like he used to, Izuku instead grinned while facing his former tormentor. "Sorry, Baku-bitch, but Izuku isn't here, and he's definitely not interested in hearing you whine."
"What did you say!?"
"Are you deaf or something? I said Izuku isn't here. I've taken over since he needed some time away from someone like you."
Sparks began popping in the Explosions boy's hands. He won't just let this nerd get away with insulting him. However, the cooler heads stopped him when Mirio and Kirishima grabbed him from doing anything unnecessary.
"If you want to know who I am, then I am the manifestation of Limitless," the entity revealed, gaining the attention of everyone, even the villains. "I'm the split personality that resulted from the ten years of torment you put this poor boy through, Katsuki Bakugō, and it was when he awakened Limitless that I gained sentience."
Kazui and Momo knew that was a lie to hide the truth.
"You're different from Izuku?" Uraraka questioned the entity. She was worried about her best friend's mental health and was shocked at the revelation revealed to her.
"I am. And, thanks to the hot head over there," he pointed at said explosive hot head, "Izuku just obtained the greatest power in the world."
"You're lying!" shouted the ash blonde. "How could you say Deku is the strongest? Who are you anyway?"
"Limitless is the manipulation of space at an atomic level and the power to bring forth the concept of infinity into reality. It doesn't get any more O.P. than that. Compared to me, your Explosion is complete dogshit."
Bakugō wanted to show him a lesson, but Mirio and Eijiro prevented him.
"If you want a name though, then you can call me… Satoru Gojo."
When Momo heard the entity within her friend reveal its name, she was completely stupefied. She had her suspicions, but she never expected the one possessing Midoriya to be Honored One himself. Satoru Gojo, the most powerful human in history and by accounts a god among men, currently resides within Izuku Midoriya and blesses the boy with his godly powers and techniques.
"This… This will change the landscape of the current world." She then glanced at Kazui who himself was an anomaly. "Both of them will bring about drastic change to this world."
The entity known as Satoru Gojo floated into the air, now looking down upon the collective audience of both heroes and villains then proclaimed…
"I am the strongest." Gojo pointed his right hand to the sky while his left pointed toward the ground. "For throughout Heaven and Earth, I alone am the Honored One."
Meanwhile, the students of Class 1-A, their three seniors, and two teachers were absolutely lost. They had never expected this day to turn out like this. First was the villain attack. Next, was Kazui doing the unthinkable and killing some villains - all without any remorse. Finally, this Satoru Gojo being possessing one of their classmates. Only Momo and Kazui knew the truth about Gojo but, it was agreed that this day cannot get any more fucked up.
As for the villains, some of the weaker ones began backing up after Gojo chucked the Nomu like a fly. Shigaraki, however, just grew more and more pissed.
"Damn it!" yelled the bratty villain. "This isn't how it was supposed to be!"
Kazui just stared at Shigaraki. If this was the leader of these villains, then they drew the short stick. The person was acting like a man-child throwing a tantrum.
Gojo, however, saw this as an opportunity. "Alright, students." He turned to the heroes-in-training and their teachers. "Class is in session. Today, we will be learning 'How to Beat Someone's Ass 101.' I would like to thank our volunteer right here, uhhh… I don't even know his name, but he and his friend who's practically a living fart will be used as a demonstration."
Kurogiri was insulted at the name. "I beg your pardon?"
Shigaraki had enough. "All right, that's it! Nomu, use your strongest move and waste these punks!"
From the fountains, the Nomu jumped and closed in at the in-control Gojo. The class shouted for him to get away, but he didn't listen. He wasn't worried. No scratch will come upon Izuku's body while he's driving. And, just as the ancient spirit predicted, the Nomu didn't get a hit on him. In fact, the beast stayed suspended in the air like a frozen statue.
"What the!? What have you done to Nomu!?"
"As I said before, I'm the strongest. I'm untouchable. But, since you hurt this poor boy and tried to hurt his girl," Gojo pointed at Uraraka, making her blush, "I've decided that, for today, I'm choosing violence." He held an index finger out, a sphere of compressed Reverse Cursed Energy forming and condensing into an unstable, ever-expanding Bomb. "Convergence. Divergence. Have you ever wondered what would happen if someone touched this void?" On Izuku's face came a sadistic smirk. "Curse Technique Reversal: Red."
Everything went bright, then, a massive explosion blasted toward the villains after producing a shockwave that blew everything without prejudice. Anyone caught in the blast was blown into pieces, leaving nothing – even a blood splatter. The part of the U.S.J. that was in the direct line of fire of the attack was decimated with only a giant gaping hole where the Landslide Zone used to be and uprooted trees going forward.
Suffice it to say, it was a spectacle.
"Huh… I thought it'd be weaker since I barely used enough power."
"Is he serious!? That was weak?"
"That Gojo guy is an absolute menace," Kaminari muttered, still reeling from the shock of such an over-the-top attack.
"For real." For once, Nejire only managed to say two words and not a whole book's worth.
"Ribbit," Tsuyu croaked.
Unfortunately, the three main villains survived the blast by using Kurogiri's quirk just in time. They promptly returned to finish what they started.
"Fucking hell!" Shigaraki spat. He was so frustrated that everything he planned was falling apart. Now, he just wanted these two U.A. brats to die, screw All Might! "Nomu, kill those two. I don't care how bloody or brutal you have to be, just kill them!"
Just when the Nomu was about to charge at the two, its arm was suddenly sliced off by Kazui. Before it could retaliate, the beast's lower right abdomen was blown away by a shot of Red.
(Jujutsu Kaisen OST – Self-embodiment of Perfection)
Even if the creature had regenerative abilities – which it does – it won't matter if the healing itself wasn't able to catch up with all the damage it was receiving from the two supernatural combatants. Try as it might, the Nomu cannot lay a single hit upon Kazui and the possessed Izuku.
The Nomu violently smashed the ground, leveling a great deal of the flooring to dissuade Kazui and the possessed boy from continuing their assault. The two jumped back and landed side by side a small distance away from the creature. They made eye contact, then at the Nomu.
"Tag team?" Kazui asked.
"Tag Team," Izuku/Gojo answered. "I'll go high."
"Then, I'll go low."
Both teens vanished. Kazui appeared next to Nomu's left leg and stabbed the knee. The creature roared in pain and tried to retaliate. The possessed Izuku grabbed the arm which was ready to attack punched the elbow with a fist crackling with Black Flash. The Nomu tried to swat the sorcerer away but again, he flickered before getting hit only to appear over the brute to deliver a savage kick to the beak. Kazui twisted his sword and blew up the kneecap. He took it out and slashed the abdomen and gutted the thing open.
The slash wound healed and, again, the Nomu tried to get even but the hybrid caught the incoming fist and severed it. Not giving the creature any room to breathe, Kazui vanished and flickered behind the abomination. He viciously cut the tendons of the beast's heel, causing it to fall to its knees. Gojo/Izuku capitalized on this and twisted the broken arm from the Black Flash strike until it was ripped off the shoulders.
The jujutsu practitioner used a wordless Blue and twisted the other arm into nothingness. He then placed his right hand on the Nomu's pectoral and blew a hole through it. The other boy did an upward diagonal slash, lopping off the beasts remaining arm before disemboweling the creature again.
The creature had a healing factor, given that it was still alive and trying to recover. However, it was too much for the Nomu that its regeneration wasn't keeping up with all the damage the two boys were dealing with.
And that was the thing; Kazui and Izuku, or rather Gojo, were moving so fast that they seemed like blurs. They were quick yet precise with each strike and every blow was surgically devastating. But, what truly caught the attention of everyone, was the expressions the two were wearing.
They look crazed…insane even, and they were smiling as they butchered the beast into a shell of its powerful self.
"Heh… heh… hehehe… hahahahaha! AH~HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
A chill rushed along the spines of the people witnessing the brutality. The laughing echoed through the remaining walls of the U.S.J as Gojo/Izuku and Kazui continued their relentless attack on the Nomu with unbridled excitement and glee.
Class 1-A was deathly afraid. Were these two still their classmates? What they were seeing in Kazui and Izuku was more than terrifying than villains because even the remaining leader and his subordinate were shaking. Only one word could describe them; a word that goes above the concept of heroes and villains.
Monsters.
"It's time to finish this," Kazui declared. He went for the jugular of the Nomu, cutting a gaping opening in the neck that caused a fountain of blood to spurt.
The possessed Izuku went above the beast and grabbed its head. He pulled, a sickening crack reverberating through the area as Kazui went in and dug his hand into the abomination's back and grabbed its spine. Finally, with an ungodly series of snaps, they ripped the head off of the Nomu's shoulders along its spine.
"HOLY FUCK!" Bakugō gasped along with the others.
Izuku, under Gojo's control, unceremoniously tossed the head and spine of the Nomu at Shigaraki and Kurogiri. The pair of villains were both shocked and frozen when their most prized creation's head and vertebrae landed in front of them. Kazui, meanwhile, fired a Sōkatsui at the remains of the abomination which burned it to ashes.
Shigaraki was too stunned to say anything. Nomu, their ultimate weapon to kill All Might, was killed so brutally by two hero students. His eyes looked down to the head of the exposed creature whose expressionless eyes stared back at him. The monster they created…was killed by actual monsters in human skin.
Suddenly, the doors of the U.S.J slammed open to reveal an enraged All Might with the rest of the school's pro-hero teaching staff.
"WE HAVE COME, VILLAINS! SURRE– GOOD HEAVENS!"
All Might's declaration was cut short when he laid eyes upon the many corpses littered on the floor. The other heroes gasped at the sight some even managed to throw up. Even Tenya, who came with the heroes, couldn't help but gag at the horrendous sight. Worst of all, it was the look of trauma etched on the faces of their students and the splattered blood on both Izuku and Kazui.
Kurogiri knew they lost. Their weapon was gone and the heroes outnumbered them, the only thing to do now was an escape and plan their next move.
"Tomura Shigaraki!"
The dry-skinned leader of the league stared at the mist teleporter, still in shock.
"We need to go!" Quickly, Kurogiri surrounded himself and his master in his cloudy dome and vanished from the facility.
Once they were gone, the teachers, after regaining their bearings, immediately tended to the students while police came in and began investigating the break-in. All Might was about to approach Kazui and Izuku when the latter suddenly lost consciousness. The hero didn't waste any time and caught the fainted sorcerer and cradled him in his arm while his friends ran up to him. Yagi stared at the reaper in concern considering all the blood on his hero costume.
"Young Kurosaki, you come and get yourself treated."
Kazui glanced at the Number One hero and began walking away.
"Wait! You need to be treated for your injuries!"
"I'm not injured, All Might," answered the boy. "And… this isn't my blood."
The answer caused the adults present to look at the boy in surprise. "Wha…?" All Might stuttered.
Kazui simply performed Chiburui and sheathed his sword. After that, he proceed to the injured and offered to treat those who were wounded.
All pro heroes present knew what the hybrid implied. Though it was in self-defense, killing is frowned upon if one was to become a hero. However, going by Kazui's expression, he seemed to have held no remorse for committing such an act. This made the faculty conclude that there must be something wrong with the boy's psyche.
Midnight, who was among those who arrived, approached Yaoyorozu who covered herself in a blanket. "Yaoyorozu?"
"Yes, Kayama-sensei?"
"Have you seen what Kurosaki did during the attack?"
Momo shook her head yes. "I did. Jiro, Kaminari, and I were saved by him from a group of villains."
"Tell me, did he kill them?"
Momo was silent for a moment, yet replied, nonetheless. "Yes, he did."
"Could you describe how he did it?"
Nemuri Kayama listened intently to Yaoyorozu's recounting of her rescue. The further the story went, the more graphic it became. The girl described it as a slaughter; one-sided and utterly brutal. If nothing else, Kazui Kurosaki was more dangerous than the villains. Her suspicions were still unfounded, but this info was beginning to paint a bigger picture of how Kazui's mind works.
Not only that but there was also the case of Satoru Gojo. The separate entity within Izuku Midoriya was brutal as the witnesses say when he had control over the boy's body. Furthermore, he had more mastery over Limitless compared to Midoriya, making him more dangerous if he ever resurfaced again as evidenced by the gaping hole in the U.S.J. and the decimated forest outside.
Kayama sighed. Too many things were happening, and she can't make sense of it all. "I hope this is the last time we face those villains." She then looked at the two boys who were responsible for wiping out the villain group and forcing its leaders to retreat. "We've got our own worries to deal with."