Posting this early because I have an early drive. And some thoughts on MHA's ending.
No spoilers, but…I'm ultimately satisfied. I don't usually get frustrated at the story or anything- most I got was when Hori kept killing women but said "oh no Bakugou gets a pass." But…I don't mind where Izuku ended up. My Hero Academia was my anime. The one that I will be forever passionate about. I'll never truly say goodbye to any of them because I have Carry On.
What can I say about Carry On's future? Well, in the future, Ochako and Izuku will be multiversal heroes at Age 45, helping others in more unfortunate realities, alongside Ship, and their two kids Akihiko and Ai. But that's a different story.
I will forever treasure My Hero Academia. And if there is a sequel, I'll be there.
Anyways, please enjoy this chapter. Here's the Discord: /cgFmXz3qJ5
The gathering of heroes and officers at the police station the next morning was almost like an army being mustered. Outside of the main agencies of Fatgum, Ryukyu, Omniworks, and Nighteye, and the smaller heroes that Nighteye had brought in as extra help, the police had mobilized a force of about a hundred officers, at most, many of them equipped with riot armor and shields. The Hassaikai themselves numbered in a similar hundred, but even then, the upper echelons of the group were the real threat.
The commissioner and leader of the investigation took center stage.
"Alright. Our main targets in this raid are Kai Chisaki, AKA Overhaul, and the young girl, Eri. But we're hoping to capture every last lowlife that wears the Hassaikai emblem and toss them behind bars. Thanks to Sir Nighteye's Quirk, we have a bit more insight, including intel on an underground complex that Hassaikai uses for a majority of their operations. He didn't take any stops or detours, so we don't know how expansive the complex really is, but we know the path he took to get to Eri. Standard procedure at the start, inform them we have a warrant, but the minute things go south, the Pros have authority to use their Quirks. "
Ochako hummed. She knew that using Quirks in a civilian setting was always a sensitive topic, but in this case, there was no other option. The fact there were some normal houses around made the need to contain the raid even more serious. A situation like this had to be done with caution. They had to make sure that no innocent bystanders were caught in the crossfire.
"Students will only be allowed to use quirks when around a Pro, or when left with no other options." Albedo added.
"We'll be splitting up into teams. Sir Nighteye will be leading one team, with Fatgum and Aizawa backing him up. The police will be with them as well," the commissioner continued. "The other team will be led by the Omniwork agency, with Blake and Ryukyu backing them up."
"Commissioner," Izuku asked. "I noticed we're missing some people…Gran Torino, Pierce, Cooper… Where are they?"
"I'm afraid they won't be joining us for this operation," The commissioner said. "They've all been assigned to an equally as important mission."
"What mission is that?" Izuku asked.
"I'm afraid I can't disclose that information," The commissioner replied, his tone serious. "But trust that they're doing their part to help keep society safe."
The group nodded, understanding the importance of secrecy in their line of work. They had all learned that lesson the hard way.
"Alright, get ready to move out," the commissioner said, signaling for everyone to start preparing. The heroes and officers began to move into position. Ochako took a deep breath and adjusted her helmet. She was feeling so unbelievably nervous right now, her heart was beating so fast and so hard...
The time currently was 8:00.
At the Hassaikai headquarters, Overhaul gently closed one of the traditional sliding doors to the room he'd just entered. He was wearing his usual outfit, the green jacket with purple collar. This room was one of the few places where he could drop his guard. Not because it was the most secure, but rather because of who was in it. The steady beeping of a heartrate monitor filled the room as Overhaul walked up to the medical bed. A few different pieces of medical gear, a few IV tubes, and even an oxygen tank were hooked up to an elderly man resting in the bed.
"Hey...pops," Overhaul said, the last word actually tinged with regret, "My plans have been...going at my own pace. Managed to make some good allies, I think. You wouldn't approve of course. But...I didn't come here to apologize for what I'm doing. I came here to apologize for what's gonna happen. Nothing I can do about it... Things are gonna get loud."
The time was 8:30.
Time for the raid to start.
The officers and heroes were gathered outside the Hassaikai compound, ready to charge in at a moment's notice. The commissioner went up to the intercom, warrant in hand. Before he could even press the button, the doors to the compound exploded off their hinges, slamming into the front line of officers. Time slowed down as the brute of the Eight bullets, Rikiya, barreled forward to start the fight.
"A bit early for guests, isn't it? We don't let in visitors until NINE!" Rikiya roared, swinging his heavy fists around and knocking away several officers as if they were nothing more than effigies made of sticks.
The attack caught everyone off guard, but their reaction time was anything but slow. Aizawa's capture cloth, Amajiki's tentacles, and Izuku's Blackwhip caught the police officers, and brought them safely to the ground.
"You okay?" Izuku asked the cops he saved.
"Y-yeah." One cop muttered. "I'm good. Just got winded..."
"Thanks, kid." Another said. "Get back in there!"
"Just stay here and don't move, okay?" Izuku asked.
Ochako avoided some wild strikes from Rikiya, who was going on a rampage. They've got one of the big guys at the door? Why? Were they expecting us this? She wondered.
"We gotta pin him down or something!" Kevin yelled. "He's making it impossible to approach the gate!"
Ochako hesitated. One of her aliens could easily take this guy, but...the way Ryukyu was pushing her way to the front made her think otherwise. Rikiya leapt high into the air and prepared to deliver a devastating punch to the ground...
When Ryukyu transformed.
As Rikiya prepared to strike, Ryukyu stepped forward with a determined look on her face. Suddenly, her body began to glow with a bright golden light, and her features contorted and changed.
Her body grew larger and larger, scales erupting all over her skin. Her fingers elongated into razor-sharp claws, and her teeth grew into sharp, menacing fangs. Her once-human face twisted into a fierce, snarling dragon's maw. Ryukyu's wings erupted from her back, stretching out to a span wider than her own height. She let out a deafening roar that shook the very ground beneath their feet.
In a matter of moments, Ryukyu had transformed into a magnificent dragon, standing tall and proud before the stunned mooks. She flapped her wings, sending Rikiya flying backwards with a gust of wind. He smashed into the wall of the base, giving the others an opening.
"GO!" She roared. "The Ryukyu agency will deal with this one!"
Albedo nodded. "You heard her!" He pointed his finger towards the entrance. "MOVE IN!"
The Omniworks, Fatgum and Nighteye agencies moved in, with at least two hundred police officers following them. Setsuna and Tsu stayed behind, watching the others run in.
"GIVE EM HELL, LIZARDY!" Tetsutetsu yelled.
"AND DO YOUR BEST, FROPPY!" Ochako yelled.
"CATCH YOU GUYS LATER!" Alan yelled.
"Save that kid!" Setsuna yelled, as her body started to split apart. "Tsu- watch my back. I'm gonna be using THAT."
"S-so soon?" Tsu asked.
"I'll be fine." Setsuna frowned. Her arm split off, but the limb quickly regenerated. The extra parts swarmed around her body, ready for...something.
Keep on splitting. Setsuna told herself. More and more parts of her body split, floating around her. The pieces soon started to merge together, forming into a pair of giant fists that floated behind her. The flesh had created a giant constrict of her own hands.
"Special Technique: RegenScales!" Setsuna yelled, as Rikiya got back up. Setsuna rushed forward, and unleashed a flurry of punches with her giant fists, each one hitting him with incredible force.
As Setsuna kept Rikiya occupied, Nejire stepped forward and focused her quirk into a concentrated beam. She then shaped it into a whip-like form, allowing her to strike her opponents from a distance with precise and powerful attacks.
"Let's see how you handle this!" Nejire exclaimed as she swung her Wave Motion whip at Rikiya.
Rikiya attempted to dodge the attack, but the whip connected with his shoulder, sending him flying back. He quickly regained his footing and charged at Nejire, but she was ready. She swung her whip again, this time aiming for his legs. The attack connected, and Rikiya stumbled, giving Nejire the opening she needed to launch a powerful blast of energy at him.
The blast hit Rikiya square in the chest, sending him flying backwards and crashing through the wall of the base. The attack had been so powerful that it left a massive hole in the wall.
Nejire smiled triumphantly as she lowered her whip. "Looks like that takes care of him," she said.
...She couldn't be more wrong. Rikiya shot back up, and grabbed a cop. "I need a snack..." He huffed, starting to activate his quirk.
The cop struggled and tried to break free, but Rikiya's grip was too strong. As he started to absorb the cop's vitality, his muscles grew in size. The cop's skin turned a sickly pale color, as life left his eyes. Rikiya's eyes glowed with a dangerous intensity as he threw the now lifeless body aside.
Rikiya Katsukame! Quirk: Energy Suck! Rikiya's Quirk allows him to siphon away other people's stamina by inhaling their strength away from them. He can use the stolen stamina to increase his size and strength greatly, like a weirdo cross of Parasite and Humungousaur! However, he's gotta be touching the target.
Ryukyu bared her teeth and launched herself at Rikiya, her powerful jaws aiming for his neck. But he was too quick for her and dodged, landing a heavy blow to her side.
"Ryukyu!" Setsuna yelled. She unleashed another flurry of punches with her giant fists, but Rikiya was now much larger and stronger, and he was able to block or dodge most of her attacks. Suddenly, he spotted an opening and swung a massive fist towards one of Setsuna's giant fists, shattering it into pieces.
Setsuna stumbled back, shocked. He...he broke it with one hit! He couldn't do that before, could he? She quickly tried to reform the destroyed fist, but it was taking longer than usual. D-damn it...my stamina's getting shot from doing this damn move- I should've waited, but...
Her eyes darted back to the other agencies. They'd just mowed their way through a bunch of other men, and were just getting inside. Setsuna's eyes focused on Ochako for a few moments.
I just wanted...to repay the debt.
Rikiya took advantage of her daze and charged towards her, his size and strength making him nearly unstoppable. As Rikiya charged towards Setsuna, Tsu appeared from behind the wall she was hiding behind and launched her counterattack, flipping upside-down and spinning with her legs outstretched. She flew towards Rikiya, slamming him with a series of spinning kicks. Rikiya, on the other hand, was too big and strong, and he barely felt the attacks.
But Tsu didn't stop there. As she finished her kicks, Nejire joined in with a powerful attack of her own. She blasted Rikiya with two giant spiral waves from each hand, hitting him with incredible force. The waves collided with Rikiya's body, causing him to stumble backwards.
Thanks to the hit stun, this gave Ryukyu another opportunity to strike. Ryukyu took a deep breath, and from her massive jaws, she unleashed a devastating stream of fire onto Rikiya with her super move, "Dragon Breath." The intense heat caused the air to shimmer and the ground to shake as the flames engulfed Rikiya. He tried to dodge, but the fire was too fast and too hot.
Ryukyu continued to breathe fire, determined to get him to go down quickly. Couldn't waste too much time here. After Rikiya's screams died down, Ryukyu stopped, her chest heaving from the exertion. Rikiya lay on the ground, his body charred and blackened from the flames.
Setsuna huffed, as her remaining fist started to fall apart. She dropped to the ground, breathing heavily. The parts that hit the ground started to shrivel up and die. Setsuna gripped her leg in frustration.
But before anyone could take a breath, Rikiya began to stir. His body started to expand and grow, and he let out a menacing roar. "You...you little pests!" he growled, his eyes flashing with anger.
Setsuna quickly looked up, her eyes widening in horror. "Oh no...he's getting bigger!" she yelled, her voice laced with fear.
"H-how?!" Tsu yelled. "He's not...touching...anyone..." Tsu began to sway, before feeling tired. "W-what's going on?"
The officers around his body started to also shrivel up, like the last fallen officer. Rikiya's injuries were starting to heal, too. "Looks like...the Trigger's kicking in..." Rikiya grinned from underneath his mask.
Tsu staggered back, feeling her strength leaving her body. "The Trigger...?" she repeated, her voice weak.
Nejire's eyes widened in horror as she watched Rikiya grow even larger. "He probably dosed himself up before he came out here..." She muttered to herself.
Setsuna gritted her teeth, anger and frustration filling her body. "How is this possible?" she growled. "You nearly burnt him to a crisp!"
"Some forms of Trigger activate under duress. They really wanted us to struggle to get in..." Ryukyu let out a low growl, eyeing Rikiya warily. "We need to take him down before he gets too big."
The officers around Rikiya's body continued to shrivel up, their energy being absorbed by him. Rikiya's body continued to grow larger and larger, his muscles bulging with power. The ground beneath him began to crack under the sheer weight of his body.
"GET BACK!" Ryukyu said, her voice urgent.
Setsuna huffed and puffed. I won't let him get an inch bigger. I need to help the raid out, I need to do what I can-!
I...need to thank Ochako for what she did.
Setsuna Tokage was born to Pro Hero Godzillo and his wife in the Saitama Prefecture. From an early age, Setsuna was fascinated with her father's hero work. Inspired by his bravery and strength, Setsuna aspired to become a hero herself.
Of course, with her quirk, things were...interesting. Lizard Tail Splitter- it allowed the user to split their body into several pieces and control them telekinetically. As a child, Setsuna struggled to control her quirk, often accidentally splitting her body into pieces while playing or in moments of high emotion. This honestly made it hard for Setsuna to really 'interact' with anyone, as most people found her ability unsettling and strange. Still, Setsuna was undeterred. She instead focused herself into studying.
Despite being the daughter of a Pro Hero, Setsuna faced a fair share of discrimination due to her father's mutant quirk. People often stared at her and made rude comments about her appearance, comparing her to a lizard or a freak. Even some of her classmates at school would avoid her, afraid of her quirk and what it could do.
Setsuna tried her best to ignore the hurtful comments and focus on her studies and hero training, but it was hard not to feel isolated and alone.
"Dad," Setsuna asked. "I have a question."
Godzillo, real name Daiki Tokage, paused. "What is it?"
Setsuna fidgeted with her hands. "Do you ever feel...different?" she asked quietly.
"...Of course." Daiki gave a nod. "I'm a colossal lizard, Setsuna. My entire life, I've been scrutinized and judged. But that doesn't mean it reveals everything about me or what I'm capable of. Being unique isn't a bad thing. That is what distinguishes you as a hero."
Setsuna slowly nodded, taking in her father's words. She knew he was correct, but it was difficult for her to shake the feeling of being different and out of place.
A year later, Setsuna was accepted into UA, on a scholarship degree. All her hard work had paid off, finally! Finding a good place in Class 1-B, Setsuna quickly learned how...friendship starved she really was. Going from a life of 'ew you're weird' to 'oh you're cool!' was pretty crazy for her. Setsuna was thrilled to finally be surrounded by peers who accepted her for who she was. She quickly bonded with her classmates in Class 1-B, and was determined to make a bright future with all of them.
...But then the summer camp happened.
And Bakugou was taken.
And Ochako took a chainsaw attack meant for her, and got a nasty scar on her arm.
...and people started to lose trust in UA.
...And then All Might retired.
Setsuna couldn't believe what was going on around her. As much as she wanted to believe in UA and the hero society, it was becoming increasingly difficult.
Her mind replayed Ochako's blow for her. Sure, she was in alien form, but if she wasn't...that arm could've come off completely. It was unnecessary for Ochako to take the blow. Her quirk made her immune to all cutting attacks. Ochako just rushed in.
For nothing.
Setsuna couldn't help but feel guilty and responsible for what happened to Ochako. She started to question her own abilities as a hero and whether she was truly cut out for the job.
At least, until the time of the Provisional License Exam. Unlike Class 1-A, who trained with a bunch of teachers, Class 1-B opted to go for a more 'equal' level. They paired up with upperclassmen, mainly third years.
"These kids know what to do for the License Exam already," Vlad King explained. "They passed a WHILE ago, and even though they have a semester before they jump out of the frying pan, they'd like to bestow some of their 'wisdom' onto you."
Class 1-B was excited to train with upperclassmen and learn from their experiences. Setsuna was still sort of in the rut, but was at least attentive enough to listen to the advice and tips given to her by the third years. One upperclassman, in particular, caught her attention. Her name was Nejire Hado, and she was from the Big Three. Setsuna was interested by Nejire's quirk, which allowed her to release powerful shockwaves from her body.
During one training session, Setsuna found herself paired up with Nejire. The two quickly hit it off and began working on their moves together.
"You have a really unique quirk," Nejire said with a smile. "It's super cool how you can like. Split yourself up!"
"Uh, thanks." Setsuna said. She was still a bit 'foggy' in the head.
Nejire noticed Setsuna's hesitation and put a hand on her shoulder. "Heyyyy, is everything okay?"
Setsuna hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I...I'm just not sure if I'm cut out for this, you know? After what happened at the summer camp and with someone...I don't know if I have what it takes to be a hero. I'm more of an...intellectual. If I had more...combat power or something..."
Nejire smiled reassuringly at Setsuna. "I get how you feel! My powers were kind of a drain on me for a while, but sometimes you have to think outside the box." Nejire explained. "Here! Lemme show you."
Setsuna watched in awe as Nejire started to absorb solar energy around her. "So, like, I always thought my quirk used up my own energy! But then I did a work study with the Dragoon hero, and-" Nejire released the energy in a bright flash of light. "Viola~!"
"Woah." Setsuna said. "How'd you even discover this?"
"What we think we know about our quirks can sometimes limit us. It's critical to be open to new possibilities and to try new things, even if they appear crazy at first!" Nejire smiled. "You have a unique quirk that, when used correctly, can be extremely powerful. Don't let one incident cause you to doubt yourself!"
Setsuna looked at Nejire, speechless. She appreciated the words of encouragement, but she couldn't get that feeling out of her head. "But what if something like that happens again? If I can't protect others?"
Nejire's expression softened. "I know it's hard, but sometimes we can't protect everyone. But that doesn't mean we give up on being a hero. We learn from our experiences, and we do better next time! Plus ultra and everything."
Setsuna nodded, taking in Nejire's words. "I guess you're right…"
Nejire smiled. "All you can do is learn from it and move forward. And you're doing that now. You're working hard and making progress! That's all anyone can ask for. And who knows? Maybe one day you'll find a way to come up with something awesome~!"
And that's what Setsuna did.
Now here she was.
Wasting it again.
Wasting that opportunity to repay Ochako a blow she never needed to take.
...Setsuna hated this feeling. She hated how tired her body felt. The lizard girl was about to collapse...when Nejire's words rang in her head.
"If I can't knock him down..." Setsuna growled, splitting her body up again. "Then I'll pin him down for the others!"
As Setsuna split her body up, she quickly began to stack the parts of her body on top of each other, melding them together into a massive construct. Hands interlocked, eyes clustered together, no gaps were left open. Piece by piece, she built up the construct, melding them together until it took the shape of her own face, casting a menacing shadow over Rikiya.
"Woooooah!" Nejire grinned.
"Cool." Tsu noted.
Setsuna had used more than she regenerated... She was just a floating head at this point.
And that was fine.
This move was special. It was dedicated to her father and Nejire.
"RegenScales..." Setsuna declared. "GODZILLA BITE!"
Setsuna focused her mind on controlling the construct, moving it forward towards her opponent. The construct's massive jaw opened wide, revealing rows of sharp teeth as it closed in on him. Rikiya tried to dodge, but Setsuna's construct was too quick and too massive for him to avoid. The Godzilla Bite slammed shut, crushing Rikiya's body between its teeth. The villain screamed in pain as Setsuna tightened her grip on the construct, determined to keep him trapped.
"You're not going anywhere," Setsuna growled, pouring all of her anger and frustration into the construct.
Rikiya struggled and yelled to break free. Even with his Trigger boost, he couldn't break free and that had long since worn off. "D-damn it!" Rikiya yelled. "LET ME OUT OF HERE!"
Setsuna could see parts of her construct falling off. The migraine she had from trying to maintain the structure was getting to her. Still! She had the plan ready.
"NEJIRE! RYUKYU!" Setsuna yelled. "BLAST THIS GUY TO KINGDOM COME!"
With a determined expression, Nejire focused her energy into a single point, forming a bright and crackling beam of energy- a condensed and powerful version of her signature attack. The air around her seemed to warp and distort as she unleashed the beam, aiming it straight at Rikiya.
At the same time, Ryukyu gathered her strength. Flames erupted from her maw, coalescing into a massive fireball that she hurled towards the same point as Nejire's beam. The two attacks collided, creating a brilliant explosion of fire and energy. As the attack pierced through the construct, it exploded into a thousand pieces, showering the surrounding area with debris that quickly faded away.
When the smoke cleared, Rikiya lay on the ground, defeated. His body was badly injured, and he was unconscious but still massive. Setsuna breathed a sigh of relief, feeling breathless but triumphant.
"S-setsuna!" Nejire yelled, as her head started to slowly drift down to the ground.
"Thank you," Setsuna said, giving them a small smile. "I...I got to repay her..."
"Huh?" Nejire asked, as she floated down to the ground.
"I'll...explain...later." Setsuna muttered, before passing out. Nejire and Ryukyu quickly rushed over to Setsuna's side, catching her before she hit the ground. They laid her down gently, examining her head for any injuries. Nejire noticed Setsuna's bloodshot eyes and realized just how much she had pushed herself to execute the attack.
"She went Plus Ultra for sure..." Nejire frowned.
"She's gonna be out of commission for the rest of the fight...but she helped put a stop to Rikiya before he really got out of hand." Tsu added.
"Indeed..." Ryukyu hummed, as the injured police officers from earlier got back up.
"We'll take care of her." One officer said.
"She saved us all from ending up like the other officers...it's the least we can do." The other said.
Nejire handed over the head. "She'll regenerate, but it'll probably be a bit slower thanks to her pushing herself. Thanks again!"
The officers nodded, and with that, Nejire and Ryukyu left Setsuna in their care. "What do we do now?" Tsu asked.
Ryukyu clenched her fist. "We go in."
Of course, that would have some road bumps too.
But let's shift gears for a moment.