UA Multiverse Peek

Chapter 40

Hero's Horizon in a Strange Tale

This will just be a short one and then back to our regularly scheduled cartoon shenanigans. But I liked the Log Horizon story when I discovered it and I'm a bit sad that it didn't get more love while it was running. Especially since it was a rival to SAO in a way. Though Log Horizon was more of an actual isekai story. SAO was never an isekai, just people trapped in a game. But anyway, on with the show.

(No POV)

"What the heck was up with that ending stinger?" Kaminari asked while coming back from his room. "How the hell would I know? The lead character though looked like Deku, so I guess we're following him again." Bakugo said in some annoyance but also curiosity. While still blushing from having to excuse himself just like everyone else after seeing Nemuri Rabbit.

The teens and teachers were considering many of the same questions (as well as trying to cover up what they had to take care of between videos) as they filed back in. Izuku himself hums and thought that some of the images looked familiar. 'But I can't really place why.' Izuku thinks as the TV starts up again.

In a cavern deep in the mountains and far underground, a voice cried out in pain and panic. Crashing into a wall of the cave was a warrior clad in lighter armor and wearing large punching gauntlets. "Ah. Damn. That hurt. Not a lot, especially compared to other pains I've endured. But still. How the heck am I supposed to fight this thing?"

The warrior stood and sized up his opponent. Coming from a different tunnel was a massive beast and the target of the quest he was undergoing. Namely a huge dragon that was breathing lightning and wind. The warrior took a drink from a potion and tried to stand. Only to be blasted by a new foe. Another dragon that he'd accidentally wandered into the territory of.

A number of the audience wince at seeing Izuku's probable counterpart hitting a wall. Though Kirishima and Kaminari joke about the pain part. "Guess that guy or version of him has had to deal with getting hurt too. But I wonder if its for the same reasons?" Kaminari ponders while watching.

"Welp, he's dead." Kamakiri quips upon seeing the second dragon appear and the hero being stalked by the beast. Izuku agrees with him. Saying, "yeah I don't know if whoever this is can handle both opponents."

"Seriously? How bad can my luck be today? I was just looking to do a fun little class change quest! I don't even know how the Hell I got here!" the warrior said with a grunt while taking stock of the foes before him.

The warrior is of a taller solid build, with impressive gear, and behind his green eyes is a fairly cunning mind. At least when he has all the facts running around in the head that is topped with fluffy black, green hair. This warrior is Mido Might, a level 90 Monk in the MMORPG Elder Tales. But he is also Midoriya Izuku, a hero student and player of the game. "To think the day or even week started pretty normal. At least for me." Izuku thought aloud while staring up at his foes.

Izuku taps his fist into his palm before saying, "I think I've heard of something similar. I'd looked into when I was younger but didn't really go about learning more." Bakugo calls him a nerd again and scoffs that he'd thought about playing some RPG. "I don't know, looks kinda fun to me." Mineta said with a shrug and a few others agreed.

Ida meanwhile was surprised by the level mentioned and wondered if it would be easy to reach that state. "Probably not. If it's like a regular RPG, then it would take hours upon hours of grinding to reach that level." Juzo said. While Setsuna and Tsuburaba snorted at the nose less teen's phrasing.

He reminisces about a number of things. The first and foremost being that the world he was from was one where a majority of the population were born with powers known as quirks. They ranged from super strength to animalistic traits to even just extending fingers to greater lengths.

But in this world of powers, he had been one who was part of the minority. Those born without powers. And it led to a miserable existence for years. It wasn't until he followed up on a suggestion from his mother that he'd sort of had some friends. Namely, by playing Elder Tales. It had been an active MMO back right before the advent of quirks. But thanks to the absolute Hell that came about due to their presence, the servers and much of the code from the game had been lost for 200 years.

Everyone who had a quirk from a young age looked down in shame again. As well as glaring at Bakugo given his role in Izuku's misery. But they smiled a little upon seeing that he'd been somewhat able to connect with people through the game. "I wonder if there were possible villains or those like me who've done the same thing?" Shoji thinks aloud.

It wasn't until about 20 years prior that some developers had found the old details and some of the code for the game. With much of society stabilizing, they had started the old game up again. Though roughly from scratch. It was about 16 years after that, Izuku had started playing on the Nakasu server.

Since clubs were of no interest to him and most ignored or bullied him, Izuku had taken to the cyber world. Growing in skill and understanding as an exceptional Monk. For four years he'd played daily. Sometimes not sleeping to get in a bit more fun and time with his friends online.

Sympathetic smiles were sent towards the gamer Izuku's way. While also being intrigued more by the game and how he'd grown in skill there. "Not like he could do much in this world." Bakugo snidely commented. Only to get a smack upside the head from Aizawa.

The other teachers though saw the way he acted with his online teammates as similar to how a group of heroes would deal with villains. "Maybe we could consider the idea of using these to teach teamwork? Could work for some students. If we did do this, we should have them consider it from a few perspectives," the teachers say while watching in curiosity. Nezu himself admitting the description of the Enchanter seemed interesting to him and similar to what he would do as a hero.

But a few things changed in his last year of middle school. He'd awakened a quirk of his own and it helped him to truly become the hero he'd played at times in the game. Though not without the benefits that came from the system and his clearly sturdier body from the game.

Snorts of laughter were had, and Kaminari commented that, "yeah don't we all wish we had that. Might keep me from short circuiting. Yaomomo and Sato from being exhausted by their quirks. Among other things." Aizawa then brought that up as a reason not to encourage the use of a game for teaching. "One fault does not make a bad idea Aizawa." Nezu says with a raised eyebrow at the man.

Thus, he prepared and trained, and then trained more once he started attending UA High School. The foremost school that trains heroes in the nation. While he had been focused on that for months, Izuku had taken some time to log in at points. Especially true once he'd actually gotten into UA. Seeing playing the game as a way to relax even while he worked out at his desk.

"Damn no wonder you're buff Midoriya. If you were doing things like that to get ready for school." Kirishima complimented him with a thumbs up. Izuku chuckled but was surprised by the dedication of his counterpart. 'Then again…. I'd probably do almost anything for these guys. They are the first friends I've really had for a while. So I guess that's the reason he's still logging on,' the green teen thinks with a smile.

He'd also made IRL friends while at UA. Though he never brought up his old gaming habits and times. That was at least until one moment after a terrifying couple of weeks. Namely, the aftermath of the Battle of Kamino. With the retirement of All Might and the rising of villains, new trouble and danger had been enough for the school to bring the students onto campus full time. Putting them up in the Heights Alliance dorms.

It was during a little competition his classmate, a pink girl named Ashido Mina, suggested. Namely checking out all of the rooms. While most paid attention to his utterly massive collection of All Might memorabilia, the invisible girl Hagakure Toru noticed his computer. And the fact that the sign in for Elder Tales was up.

"So this is set a little after All Might's fight at Kamino huh? Figures Ashido would be sticking her nose into things. Hagakure is in the same place with poking around on his computer. Still, I wonder how he ended up in the game."

"So, you played MMO's?" she asked before clicking on the sign in icon. Izuku tried to stop her and brush it off as not playing that much, his character select screen said otherwise. "Uh Deku. You have two characters there that are at…. Level 90!?" Ochaco said in both surprise and disbelief.

A few eyebrows raised at the fact the other Izuku had two level 90 characters. "Guess that shows how much time you spent playing the game." Sato said with a chuckle. Ida meanwhile noted that both characters had very different play styles. "Perhaps that is some of the appeal of these types of games?" he pondered while adjusting his glasses.

Izuku grunted before noticing the looks from everyone. "Hey no judging man. It's just kind of surprising given how focused on heroics you are," the spiky haired Kirishima Eijiro said with a shrug. The pervert of the class, Mineta Minoru, though was checking out the pair of characters. Or rather, he was looking at Izuku's alt. A female sorcerer. Who was fairly busty herself.

When the alternate Kirishima supported him, Izuku gave his world's Kirishima a smile and thumbs up. Mineta though was given a side eyed glare by the green teen. Especially since his version was eying up the alternate character. "Really?" he asked with some electricity from his quirk flowing around him. And the purple pervert quickly turned and tried to avoid getting punted across campus. For now at least.

The green teen dragged the purple teen away and asked if they could not talk about it and reminded them about checking out the other rooms. Mina initially agreed, but after it was done (with Sato Rikido winning the impromptu competition) she brought up his gaming again.

"You must have been doing it a while to have not one but two level 90 characters right?" she asked with a teasing lilt. Izuku groaned before admitting he'd been playing for a number of years at that point. "It…. Was a way to interact with people. People who weren't….. like Kacchan. I was able to have fun and, even if they were online, some friends."

"And back to some sad again." Mina said in both a concerned and teasing tone. Then giving Bakugo the stink eye for his treatment of apparently many versions of Izuku. And that was replied with a snarl from the explosive teen.

A few of the teens looked at him with sympathy before some decided to ask a few questions about it. How it worked, what the classes were, and what some of the places within looked like. And while still a bit embarrassed, Izuku was happy to share what he'd learned from playing. Even if he didn't expect them to join in playing.

But they eventually did. A few felt like he did in that the game was a fun distraction. Others were just curious about a part of Izuku's life that they had never known. Within a week, half of class 1-A and half of class 1-B had started playing Elder Tales.

Aizawa's eye twitched on the thought of all of the students wasting time as he saw it. "I stand by that it could be good training. Maybe not in direct combat, but it could be a good teamwork training idea." Present Mic said with a funny look to his old friend. Nezu again agrees and seems to be considering the idea more. Or maybe even a faster game like a MOBA to practice some ideas.

"It was strange enough that you wanted to play. I didn't think a video game would be something a girl like you would like Yaoyorozu." Izuku said while helping some of his classmates in game. Momo in this case being an enchanter. He had been partied with her, Ochaco (who was learning the arts of the miko in a close combat state), and Kamakiri Togaru from 1-B (who went with an assassin build).

"Hey, don't assume gender matters Midori!" Mina says with a pout. Izuku flinches before noting that he was probably talking about someone of Momo's stature. "I mean, she is an heiress after all. She might see it as beneath her. Or at least I would guess that's his thoughts." Izuku says while tapping his fingers together. Momo in the background though gives him a look to say "you presume too much" or similar.

The heiress pouted behind her screen and called him rude for a moment. "The strategy element to this intrigues me. Especially the potential of an enchanter; if the wikis and your description are accurate." Other members of his class thought the same and he would partner up at times to help them grow with the teacher system.

All Might nods before respecting how that Izuku was handling things. "In some ways its rather like how we went about the final exams. With the weights we were slowing ourselves down and making it harder to fight. All to help the others truly improve." Bakugo scoffs and notes that it still didn't work or was pointless in some situations. With Sato agreeing, given the weights wouldn't have really affected Cementoss.

But just before the two classes would be taking their Provisional License exam, Izuku had left them to learn alone. While he took up a quest for a special type of subclass. 'I'd just been looking to change my explorer class to dragon warrior for fun! And now I have to deal with this?!' Izuku thinks while in his Mido Might body.

"Ah so he'd been trying to relax between studying for the exam. That makes sense. I read between study sessions." Ida said with a contemplative nod. Shoto admitted to painting calligraphy from time to time. "Definitely gaming for me," Kaminari said with a shrug.

Upon hearing the class or subclass that Izuku's counterpart was aiming for a few joked it was like his panda self. "Or maybe not. Maybe this version would get dragon powers." Jiro postulated with some intrigue directed to the Bard class in the game.

He racked his brain trying to remember and figure out what happened. But all he was coming up with was the newest update that had been downloading while he was playing. "And now all of the sudden…. I'm here. Getting attacked and my ass handed to me by not one but two dragons!" he thinks aloud while looking up at the creatures in question.

Heads tiled to the side as the other Izuku was piecing together what had happened to him during the day. "How does a game update drop you into the world you were playing in?" Shoda wondered as he shook his head a bit.

Izuku had initially been fighting the yellow lightning dragon but while he was in the middle of his attacks, he suddenly found himself in his game body. Right down to the epic and above class equipment he'd had equipped before the quest. The attack from the dragon he was hoping to gain power from sent him flying and drawing the aggro of another dragon. This one being a red dragon that blasted him with fire and lava.

Whistles were let out seeing the numbers and stats that Mido Might had for his gear. "Guess it makes sense. At the same time, that's gear that you have to work with others for. So he's probably got a whole party to back him up." Kaminari analyzed while scratching his chin. His classmates looked at him with incredulity. Given he actually sounded somewhat intelligent.

"Think he just wanted to challenge this dragon to test himself?" Tokoyami asked while taking stock of the other Izuku's situation. Noting that this type of creature might be one to take a team on with. "I mean from what the other me said, Monks are supposed to be a popular and pretty capable solo player class." Izuku thought while worrying for his counterpart.

The monk took another hit before dodging another attack and trying to find an opening to get away. "Good thing monks have high elemental resistance. And my armor improves that. Now where is…. there!" Izuku says before feeling his subclass's abilities kick in. Letting him find the safe exit. Running to it as quickly as he can.

The group observed in worry and intrigue as Mido Might suddenly seemed to know where to go. "Subclasses huh? I guess that makes some sense. Not what I'm used to when it comes to subclasses. His was listed as explorer so I guess it gives him knowledge of where he's at. Elemental resistance huh? He probably wouldn't get stuck like you did Sero~!" the teens say while watching the Monk dodge dragons by himself.

Only to faceplant on what he could only describe as a wall of air. "And stronger than Tsuburaba's type of wall. What the hell is this?!" Izuku looks up and suddenly sees an alert. Namely that he couldn't leave unless he died or completed the quest. "ARE YOU SHITTING ME?! Izuku shouted before seeing the elemental blasts of both dragons coming for him.

The solid air teen winces hearing Mido Might say his wall was weaker but could see what he was getting at. "Huh. Guess that world acts like a game at some points." Awase says while adjusting his headband. "Yeah apparently at the shittiest points or just in the weirdest ways." Bakugo retorts while laughing at Mido Might's failures.

'If only I could use, Lynx Tumbling!' Izuku shouts in his mind. Only for his body to take over and cast the very skill he was thinking of. Jumping and rapidly bouncing away from the attacks. Izuku looks to his legs and then his hands before thinking of something. Griping his fist tight, he called out "Wildcat Stance!" and felt his body shift and could feel his speed increasing. Even if slightly.

"Ah ha! That seems similar to our ultimate moves. Perhaps that will help this Midoriya out." Midnight analyzes with a scratch of her chin. Aizawa agreed and could suddenly see more of how this would work with hero training. To his chagrin.

He hummed before taking off towards the initial dragon and easily leaping from a few raised stones. "Tiger Echo Fist!" Izuku called out before impacting the center of the first dragon with his shockwave blow. As the second dragon was attacking, Izuku charged up his leg and gave the lightning dragon a "Wyvern Kick" to the chin. Not only doing damage but avoiding the attack.

All Might laughed a bit before noting the Tiger Echo Fist was just like his Texas Smash attack. "No wonder this Midoriya picked that class. It basically let him play as All Might before he got his quirk." Sato said with a laugh. Ochaco then noted that the Izuku was able to use attacks just like the Wyvern Kick as is. "Huh. Never thought about a straight kick one like that. Maybe call it Miami Smash?"

"I get it. If I know the name of the attack I want to use, and have the will to use it, I can fight and use skills like in the game. Not picking and selecting, but just attacking!" Izuku says before leaping down and using a Grizzly Slam to knock his original opponent to the ground. Namely using a powerful throw over his shoulder.

Groans were sounded upon seeing the throw Mido Might used. "Looked like a stronger version of what he hit you with Bakugo!" Sero said with a wry grin. The explosive teen snarled while remembering the first attack he tried to hit Izuku with while in school. "So what do you call that one Midoriya?" Shinso asked since he also had experienced that type of attack. "Uh maybe Cleveland Smash?"

He's then hit by the claw of the fire dragon and sent spiraling. But he recovers quickly and grits his teeth. Trying to figure out what his next option is. That's when he notices something odd while he's looking around. Izuku shakes his head while looking up at the ceiling.

After a few blinks, he sees something pop up. "Breakable point? That wasn't part of the game. Then again, I'm in my game body rather than my true self. Guess it couldn't hurt. Aura Saber!" Izuku called out before swinging his leg around with a kick to make a shockwave that hits the large stalagmite above the fire dragon.

"Okay now that should be an attack you'll use eventually. Right?" Koda asked as he saw the counterpart launch a kick at the surroundings. Izuku agreed and wondered what that was with his sight. "My guess, its something that has to do with the fact your counterpart's explorer skills. It lets him see more of the terrain and what could be used to fight back." Ida analyzed with a hum.

It shifts and then falls atop the dragon. Doing massive damage and giving Izuku some more breathing room. Especially to engage the reawakened lightning dragon. "Okay, let's do this!" Izuku says in excitement before rushing in with an Orion Delay Blow on the first dragon and comboing that into a Phantom Step, then a Triple Blow, and finishing with a strong Silent Palm blow.

Ojiro and Itsuka are practically bouncing with excitement upon seeing each of Mido Might's attacks. "Definitely a kung fu fighter!" they say as the blows land upon the body of the dragon. Even the non martial arts inclined members of the audience were impressed by the way the monk fought. All Might himself couldn't help but remember when he'd do similar types of attacks to villains and use them in combos just like that.

Which in turn finishes the first dragon from the damage Izuku had initially put into it. The boy assumed that the quest and mission was done. However, he heard the growling and then roar from the second dragon before it tried to fry him with its breath.

"What the Hell? How…. This should be done…. In the game. But this isn't a game anymore. Okay. Time for dragon number 2." Izuku says before drinking another potion and squaring up with his opponent. It took what felt like hours upon hours, but Izuku eventually finished the fight and gained his reward.

"Huh. Guess that part isn't like a game. Gotta wonder if that'll mean more if he actually beats the other dragon. Maybe? Still pretty awesome how he took that one down. But bigger question: why is he there in the game? And why is it….. real?" the teens murmur among themselves while watching. The teachers wonder much the same and questioned if there would be other students who got brought to that world.

Though it was different from what he expected given what little he knew of the subclass. Looking down at his fist as he opened and closed it. "Okay. That'll take some getting used to. I didn't even have a chance to check on anyone else. I wonder if anyone from my class was brought here?" Izuku thought before checking his friends list.

Aizawa chuckled slightly and said, "he was thinking the same thing we were. But if he has his game body and no quirk….. what does that mean for the others brought there?" Present Mic hummed before saying, "it likely means that they also don't have quirks. That is if they had them at all. Look at Midoriya in this case."

He scanned it and saw that all of his classmates were lit up on the screen. He hummed before choosing to check in with someone else. An old friend who he thought could give him more of an idea of what was going on. "Let's see. Tsumugu! That's good to see. I hope this works." Izuku says before "clicking" on his friend to open the telepathic link.

Mina pouts before saying, "hey why wouldn't you check with or on us first!?" Izuku flinches and says that he's not sure. "But it might have to do with just checking in on someone who plays more. Maybe they'd have more of an idea?" Nezu nodded and noted that it was likely Mido Might needed advice in this unsettling situation. "Don't forget, he'd been fighting a pair of dragons in a cavern for who knows how long."

"Mido? That you?" Izuku's friend answers and they both let out some happy sighs. Tsumugu advises Izuku to meet him at Ohorikoen park. "We can compare notes there. See you soon," the somewhat older players says before cutting off communication.

Shoji's eyes widen when he realized where Izuku was within the game. "So he's in my home region. I wonder… If I took to playing as well in that universe?" he said quietly before feeling his mask once more. Questioning if his counterpart wanted to escape what he'd endured in his youth as well.

Izuku nods and starts making his way back to the major Adventurer server town of Nakasu. Once there, he notices that many of the people are panicking or desperately looking any way to get out of the situation they now find themselves in. 'Can't really blame them. This is beyond terrifying. I mean for crying out loud, I had to fight a pair of dragons before,' the young man muses while hurrying to meet his old friend.

"I have to slightly agree with my counterpart but also disagree. It's not just that they are in a game world. They're all now in a world so completely different from what they understand that it's making them lash out that way." Izuku surmises while watching the screen. The others in the audience agree and Setsuna remarks that it was similar to what happened in the Monster Hunter world. "I was so scared that I hid in my room. But these guys likely don't have that option."

Going to switch to calling Izuku by his game name now. It makes more sense given that is what some of his friends in game would know him by.

He reaches the lake and spots one of his old partners in questing and raids. Tsumugu, a capable level 90 human swashbuckler coachman Adventurer. "Mido! Oh man it is good to see you," the slightly taller player says fist bumping Izuku. He had pale purple hair and black eyes on a face that was originally scarred as part of the character. Now it was relatively normal.

"Hm. Think the former scarring was removed because its not a game anymore?" Shoto questioned. Kaminari shrugged and acknowledged it was likely. "Maybe because they are now in that world, they got some of their real-world appearances?" Kirishima thought with a shrug.

"Huh. Think it's because your IRL self had no major injuries?" Mido asked while taking stock of his friend. "Probably. Sure, plenty of us could end up with scars or cuts, but more of us gamers were fairly safe. At least those who didn't have to deal with persecution from mutant haters."

"Let's not start that right now man. Doesn't really matter here anyway." Mido says while holding his hands up slightly. Tsumugu sighs but agrees before asking if his old friend had an idea on what was going on. All the younger man could say was that they were clearly in the Elder Tales world, but it was real. Given they could smell, feel, and somewhat taste things.

As Shoto's point was somewhat proven, the others complimented his insight. But he wasn't too happy as, "it also means that some like me or anyone else who's been hurt might have new scars in that world." Shoji looks down again and pondered if it was that way while watching on in curiosity.

Tsumugu snorts at the last point before noting, "all the food tastes like mushy rice crackers man. Doesn't matter how good it looks." Mido hums before questioning if that was a side effect from it originally being a game. He then asked if anyone had been revived before he got back to town.

"THE HORROR!" Sato shouted upon thinking how terrible all of the food must taste and feel like if eaten. And while the others were not quite the foodie like he was, they also agreed that the idea of all food tasting like mushy crackers was unsettling. But the last part made many worried.

The older gamer looked down and admitted they had. "Someone couldn't take it and….. they tried to kill themselves. And just like the game, he revived in the cathedral. So, we're not getting back that way." The sad thought hit both of them while Izuku wondered what other ways the world they were in was just like the game.

All of the audience looked down at hearing that and wondered how they would take it themselves. "I mean on a bright side….. at least they don't have to worry about dying." Mineta said somberly. Melissa hummed before saying, "maybe so. But that makes me worried for a variety of other reasons."

But before more of that could be questioned, Izuku asked if his elder had tried using weapon skills. "No way. I can't operate the controls like this. It's like trying to jump while holding both of your feet behind your head." Izuku raised an eyebrow at the weird analogy before demonstrating some of his skills.

The swashbuckler's jaw dropped as he saw Izuku use a number of attacks. "Okay! Let's try this." Tsumugu says before drawing a two-handed long sword from his back. The weapon in question was a special element focused blade, capable of using two elements at once. And the element could be swapped out depending on the enemy he was facing.

A few snorted out laughs at hearing the analogy, but then questioned why the other thought they had to pick and choose their attacks. "It's how it works in most MMOs. You set up your skills on hotkeys and use them in proper patterns and the like to fight monsters." Kaminari explained. Jiro gave him a sideways look once more and commented that it was still weird how he was the "intelligent" one in this situation.

"Let's try Viper Thrash!" Tsumugu calls out before using said skills and attacks on an imaginary foe and then uses a couple more attacks and skills. "Okay, that's pretty cool. Guess that's how we get it done. Still though, I wonder what else could have happened here," the experienced gamer said to his young friend.

Before he could say much, both heard someone screaming just outside of the city. Mido immediately went into hero mode and ran towards the distressed voice. Tsumugu groans before following along. And just beyond the perimeter, they find a character they both know.

Upon seeing Mido Might ready to jump into action, all of class 1-A smiled. "Just like you man. Willing to dive headfirst to save someone." Kirishima said with a thumbs up. Izuku smiled and returned it before turning back to the screen. Mineta and a few of the perverts meanwhile were interested in who they would be seeing next, as they were certain the one screaming was a woman.

It was a level 90 cleric girl who was wielding a mace and shield to fight with. She was fairly muscular, fairly busty and a bit taller, but the two knew her as Kenni. Another friend they often would go on raids with. And she was currently being attacked by a group of six in the low 80 level range.

Mineta seemed ready to make a comment, but he was stopped by a knife hand above his head. "Not in the mood for any of that right now man. Even if you maybe want to bring spirits up after all of the dreary stuff we've seen." Shoji said with a look towards his classmate. Who made a motion to show he was "zipping his lip".

"Why are they overwhelming her? She's higher level, right?" Shoto questioned with a tilt of his head. Kaminari speaks up again and noted that teamwork was often key in MMOs and that a well-organized team could defeat enemies of higher level. "Kind of like how it works here at times."

"Let's give Kenni some help!" Mido says before Phantom Stepping in and then using Covering to intercept a set of spell attacks from the sorcerer and summoner. "You want to get to her! You go through me!" Mido says before putting his hand forward and using a Rafting Taunt to get them all to focus on him.

Itsuka and Ojiro are excited again at seeing the martial arts that Mido Might was using. Especially the stereotypical taunt the monk used to get their foes focused on him. All Might and Nezu meanwhile applauded the way Mido Might had jumped right in to protect a friend. "Worthy of being a hero indeed." All Might said before whispering, "and my true successor."

The guardian leader snarls before engaging with his sword and shield. And getting a few blows to the head for his trouble. The rest of his team try the same, but they can't thanks to Mido's taunt. So, they each try to take out the monk.

But he's not alone in more than one way. "Viper Thrash!" Tsumugu calls out before crippling the assassin and swashbuckler in the team. And then a Thrust Joker to impact the stomach of a druid and keep him from casting heals. "I've got you Mido Might! Heal and Healing Light!" Kenni calls out before stepping behind him and blocking with her shield.

Izuku fist pumped at seeing how his counterpart was handling the attacks thrown his way and dishing skilled attacks back out. "A well timed assist from his friend there! Well played indeed!" Ida said while chopping his hands. Ochaco smiled as the cleric character came in for a save as well. "I wonder what the other healers are like?" she questioned given her counterpart was apparently a healer type as well.

"Keep them taunted. Sanctuary!" the cleric says while holding her mace before her face. And beneath her the square of holy protection expands. Giving Mido greater defenses, as well as boosting Tsumugu's when he darts through the field.

After a few minutes, Tsumugu had defeated the druid and summoner. So, their foes' healing potential had been taken. While Mido had beaten the guardian and the swashbuckler with help from Kenni. For the last two, Mido smiles before telling his friends he's got something special he wanted to try.

"Oh! Are we gonna see that whole dragon thing now?!" Kamakiri asked excitedly. Izuku and all of the other teens were interested to see what would happen if Mido Might got serious with his new subclass.

He let his hands drape to the side before a mixture of energies flowed alongside his body. Part fire, part lightning, and new features grew upon his body. Namely, a spectral lizard-like tail from his back, black stone-like hands with claws, scales on his face and pointed ears, and two pairs of dragon wings from his back.

Jaws, drinks, and snacks were dropped upon seeing Mido Might's transformation. "He looks like…. A half-transformed Ryukyu!" Tsuyu said in surprise. Ochaco agreed but noted that her mentor couldn't do a hybrid form. "It's only human or her dragon form. This though, its like being a werewolf. Or weredragon," the brunette noted with somewhat excited surprise.

Mido reeled back slightly before unleashing a roar of lightning and fire. Taking out the assassin that had been crippled thanks to Tsumugu. His teeth were razor sharp as he smiled at the sorcerer and then rushed his foe with a "Dragon Spear Thrust!". Reducing his foe to nothing in a strange type of explosion.

"Hell yeah! That's the way to get it done Deku! Or Mido Might whatever!" Bakugo roars after seeing how Izuku's counterpart dealt with his foes. Izuku was a little uneasy, but he couldn't deny the epic feeling upon seeing how Mido Might dealt with his foes. "Especially with that dragon beam!" he said with a big smile. Shoto then noted that the monk was actually using two elements in the fight. "And not needing to alternate. Impressive."

With the battle done, Mido Might could relax his new form and reflect more on what was going on. How this world had once just been a game. A place where he and others could have fun with fellows who didn't want to interact with more of the world. And now, it was their world and reality. "And I got my friends from school mixed up in it. I have to find them." Mido Might thinks while looking out over Nakasu from the top of a ruined building.

Izuku's eyes were wide and he could only imagine what his counterpart would have to do to help his friends. "I just hope my online friends would be willing to help them," he says in worry. Many from 1-A and 1-B were also concerned about their counterparts.

But before they could think about it more, the screen showed Shouta Valiant again and a few other details of what would be coming. "Back to LA, I guess. Eh it was funny. Might be a nice shift after how somber this last chapter was. I'm more concerned about the situation with Midnight and Nezu."

The two in question blanche at the thought and pray that whatever is shown next won't be embarrassing or explicit. 'Whoever is showing us these has been avoiding the dirty bits. While I'd normally be upset or saddened by that, I'd prefer that we don't see me like that!' Midnight thinks while reclining on the sofa.