Conviction Arc 3 - Chapter 22: Awakening
Reviews!
Nathair1: Thank you! I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter. You are right; I do need a Beta, but I wouldn't know where to find one. Anyway, I hope you Enjoy this Chapter as well. Once again, Thank you!
Harleking31: Of course! No problem and I hope you enjoy this chapter much like the last one! Thank you!
Guest: If you don't like it, please kindly move on and find something you might like, thank you
A/N: Once again, I want to apologize for the long wait for this chapter. I don't mean to keep you all waiting; however, IRL things have kept me increasingly busy recently. With my apartment redecorated and fixed, my job is working me harder and harder each day. I try to write as much as possible for this story and others, but as you can see, my writing/posting of chapters has become more spaced.
Again, I apologize for my recent lack of writing and for keeping you all waiting. I know you all are eager to read more and more, and I thank you for your support and enthusiasm.
I Can't promise that things will go back to how they used to be, with me posting chapters more frequently, but I promise to always get a chapter out sooner or later, and I promise to keep you all updated on things, such as if I have writers block or decided to take a break, but nothing of the sort will happen yet, it's simply life getting in the way.
Again, thank you all for understanding and I hope you have a good day/night!
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As Nomu attempted to slink away, Izuku's blade descended with force, cleaving through its skull and reducing it to a gruesome pulp. The hallway they had traversed was littered with the lifeless forms of Nomu, testaments to the ferocity of their battle. Each group member appeared worn and weary; their breaths labored from the relentless pursuit through what seemed like a twisted laboratory corridor, where Nomu lurked at every twist and turn. Some proved to be mere nuisances, while others demanded the collective effort of the team to kill.
"Do you reckon that's the end of them?" Itsuka gasped, her chest heaving with exhaustion.
Izuku, too, struggled to catch his breath. "I can't say for sure," he replied, his tone grave. "In my experience, these creatures are like vermin; there's always more lurking in the shadows,"
"Let's pray we find the civilians soon," Tetsutetsu remarked, his voice tinged with urgency. "If we don't make it out of here soon, we're as good as done for,"
Izuku nodded in agreement. "Agreed," He replied, "Let's move on down this corridor and see if we can locate the people who were taken," he declared, determination etched into his features.
They all exchanged silent nods of agreement, their footsteps echoing down the hallway under Izuku's lead. Encountering more Nomu along the way, they were relieved to find them less formidable than their previous adversaries. They efficiently dispatched what they assumed were stragglers before reaching a room at the end of the hallway.
Awase, frustrated by the locked door, groaned as he stepped back, then delivered a forceful kick with his right foot, breaking it open.
As they rushed inside, they were met with a startling sight – civilians trapped behind glass cells, each young hero shocked by the sheer number of people. Upon realizing their mission to save them, the civilians' faces lit up with grateful smiles, pleading to be freed.
Itsuka, acting swiftly, attempted to operate the controls, only to find them unresponsive. Frustration dripped from her words as she declared the malfunction. Itsuka groaned in frustration, "Damn!" She cried, "None of the controls are working! The cell doors won't open!" She cried.
Recognizing Garaki's interference, Izuku growled in frustration. "Garaki did it," He said. "Bastard wanted to make it hard for us!"
Stepping forward, Ibara utilized her quirk to grow her hair, which dug deep into the walls of every cell. "Move back," she said.
They all stood behind her as Ibara poured every ounce of strength into her quirk and ripped the cells apart, freeing the civilians. The civilians quickly rushed to the students, looking for guidance to escape this wretched place.
Itsuka stepped forward, rallying the crowd. "Everyone follow me! We know the way out! Don't let anyone get left behind!" She cried. "Ibara, Tetsu, Saetsuna, guard the front; Izuku, Awase, and I will guard the rear!" She said.
Setsuna nodded, "You got it, big sis!" Setsuna replied.
The three led the crowd out of the room, with the other three making sure no one got trampled over and that there wasn't any surprise from the back.
"Izuku?"
Hearing his voice, Izuku turned to look at the civilians and instantly recognized the person calling out. It was Toru's aunt, Luca!
Izuku's eyes widened with astonishment. "Luca!" he cried out. "Is Toru with you?" he asked with hope.
However, the woman shook her head. "No!" she cried with worry. "I thought she got away!" she cried.
Izuku shook his head and explained what had happened, and Luca's face turned to absolute horror.
"You have to find her, Izuku!" Luca pleaded, "Please!"
Izuku nodded. "I promise!" he said. Now get going with the others! Quickly!" he cried.
Luca did as she was told and ran out of the room with the final gaggle of civilians. Izuku, Itsuka, and Awase followed after them, a few feet behind the large group. However, as they were making their way down and past a few of the hallways, the young UA students each caught glimpses of something... devouring the bodies of the deceased Nomu.
Awase glanced behind him, and his eyes widened with shock. Behind him and his friends, a sludge-like substance was absorbing the carcasses of the Nomu and quickly gaining on their tail. "Guys! Behind us!" he cried.
Itsuka and Izuku turned around only to see the very sigh that shook their classmate.
"What in the world is that!?" Itsuka cried in horror.
"Don't know! Don't care! Just keep running!" He cried.
As they continued to make their way to the exit, Izuku looked around rapidly, trying to find a room where he was sure Toru would be kept. If she wasn't with the civilians, she had to be in some test room... and perhaps he was, too.
Suddenly, as the Sludge behind them grew more prominent with each passing moment, the underground lab shook and crumbled around them.
'Damn it!' Izuku thought. 'If this keeps up, I'll never find Toru!' He cried to himself.
As they ran past one room, Izuku heard crying and groaning, which sounded familiar. Without hesitation, Izuku stopped and quickly turned back around, running back to the room just as the Sludge approached them.
Seeing him turning around, Itsuka grew confused and worried, "Midoriya!" She cried out.
"I found Toru! Go! I'll catch up," He quickly said.
Izuku busted the door open, and once inside the room, his eyes quickly fell on Toru, who was strapped down to a chair. She cried and whined as she struggled against her restraints. Izuku quickly acted and went for the straps that held her down, unbuckling them and picking her up, bridal style. However, just as he was about to go to the door, he saw the Sludge entering the room.
His glare expressed anger as a bead of sweat fell from his face. "Shit..." Izuku said in a slightly defeated tone.
The Sludge surged into the room with alarming speed, causing Izuku to whirl around in a panic. Reacting instinctively, he dropped to his knees, enveloping Toru in a protective embrace, shielding her from whatever impending danger lurked within the sludge's form.
To their astonishment, the Sludge seemed to pay them no heed. Instead, it gathered around a pod behind them, a detail that had escaped Izuku's notice until now.
As the Sludge enveloped the pod, its demeanor shifted, its form quivering with an unexpected reverence. The slime's eyes, if one could call them that, gazed upon the pod's contents with a passion that spoke of awe and wonder as if staring at something of profound significance.
Amid chaos and uncertainty, this unexpected display of reverence from the Sludge left Izuku momentarily bewildered, his mind racing to comprehend the significance of the mysterious pod and its contents.
"So... Lovely," the slime uttered distortedly, echoing eerily through the room.
Izuku strained to glimpse the pod and its mysterious contents, but the Sludge obscured his view as an impenetrable barrier. Frustration gnawed at him, but he knew there was no time to dwell on the enigma before him. With determination fueling his actions, Izuku swiftly rose to his feet, his mind set on reuniting with the group and ensuring everyone's safety.
As he exited the room, a sense of urgency gripped him, urging him forward. However, his departure was interrupted by a sudden, ominous sound – the Sludge slamming onto the pod with a deafening impact. In an instant, the viscous substance began to seep through the tiny crevices of the pod, its dark tendrils intertwining with whatever lay within.
A shiver of unease raced down Izuku's spine as he watched the unsettling scene unfold. Though he couldn't discern the exact nature of the pod's contents, the ominous fusion between the Sludge and whatever lay inside hinted at something far more sinister. With a foreboding lingering in the air, Izuku quickened his pace, his heart heavy with the weight of unanswered questions and the looming threat of the unknown.
As that was happening, Izuku managed to catch up with the others as they were nearing the exit, and just as they were, the entire place shook more violently than before. The violent rumble of the place caused cracks in the wall and pieces of the ceiling to fall.
Setsuna grumbled at the destruction that was now occurring. "What the hell is going on!? Does that wacko have some self-destruct sequence or something!?" She cried as she ran
Ibara's gaze turned to her classmate, "If what Izuku said about these people is true, I would not doubt they did indeed have a plan to erase this entire base from existence," she said.
At last, they reached the lab's exit, retracing their steps back to where they had entered. As they emerged into the fading light of dusk, the sight that greeted them was far from comforting. The sun hung low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the scene, but what caught their attention was the ongoing struggle that unfolded before them.
Despite their ordeal within the lab, they were met with heroes still locked in fierce combat with the remaining Nomu and a handful of villains. The air crackled with tension when suddenly, a deafening explosion reverberated through the air, originating from the lab's depths. Setsuna sprang into action, swiftly detaching her mouth from her face and sending it hovering above the chaos.
EVERYONE, EVACUATE THE AREA!" Setsuna's voice pierced through the chaos, her urgent plea echoing. "THE BASE IS GONNA BLOW!"
Her words sent a jolt of panic through the assembled heroes, who wasted no time heeding her warning. They scrambled to retreat, urgency driving their movements as they raced to safety.
At that moment, as he retreated, Gutz silently prayed that everyone had made it out alive, his hope resting on the shoulders of Izuku and his comrades. They were the last line of defense against the looming threat, and Gutz could only trust that they had the strength and resolve to stop whatever disaster awaited them, even if it meant facing it head-on.
Meanwhile, the Nomu stood frozen in confusion, their vacant eyes scanning the chaos around them.
However, upon hearing the young student's proclamation, Stain's attention snapped toward the base, a malevolent grin stretching across his lips. 'So, you've finally made your move,' the hero killer mused, anticipation flickering in his eyes.
As if in response to his thoughts, the lab erupted into an explosion, flames licking at the air and shockwaves rippling through the surrounding area. Debris was hurled into the sky, casting ominous shadows over the chaos below. Large chunks of rubble rained down indiscriminately, striking Nomu, heroes, villains, and civilians alike with devastating force.
The aftermath was catastrophic, leaving behind a trail of destruction and carnage. Amidst the chaos, cries of pain and anguish pierced the air as injured and fallen individuals lay sprayed across the battlefield. It was a grim reckoning for the villains, with some meeting their demise under the weight of the falling debris.
However, as the dust settled and the debris cleared, the UA students stood victorious, successfully rescuing the civilians and stopping the villains' plans. Their base lay in ruins, and the Nomu they once commanded now lay lifeless.
The day seemed to be saved... or so they thought.
Amidst the wreckage, a lone figure emerged. His once-short blond hair now cascaded past his shoulders, and his piercing blue eyes shimmered with renewed determination. Clad in nothing but the form-fitting suit provided to him by the doctor, Monoma stood tall, a symbol of resilience amidst the chaos.
Surveying the scene before him, Monoma watched as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting an orange glow across the destruction. With a serene smile, he spoke, his voice carrying an air of quiet resolve.
"Today marks the end of what once was," he began, his words tinged with anticipation. "But tomorrow... tomorrow marks the beginning of my journey to fulfill my dreams,"
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Two chapters left before we finally arrive at the fourth Arc, called "Black Summer" and so much has happened in such a short amount of time!
Monoma is back, and he's ready to fulfill his dream... which will spell trouble for our Heroes! Will Izuku see Monoma's return? What did Garaki do to Toru!? And for god's sake, will I post the next chapter soon and not leave you all waiting!?
I guess you'll have to sit and wait... but hopefully, for not too long. Trust me, I don't like not writing for you guys; it makes me feel like I've done nothing, and I hate that feeling.