Chapter 28: Midoriya Izuku XXV

A/N: Welcome back to another chapter everyone! This time, the whole of the Hosu Incident. Let's get right into it…

He arrives back to find fire and chaos. The city of Hosu is in ruin, crumbling buildings and raging infernos left in the wake of the nomus let loose upon the innocents.

Upon first glance, there are very few civilian casualties, with most people being either out of harm's way, or receiving help from heroes. For that, Izuku's glad. His efforts weren't in vain, and the results show. Both relieved and satisfied with what he sees, he turns his attention to more pressing matters at hand.

He can hear the ongoing fights in the distance — for one, Endeavor is an obvious force on the battlefield with a presence Izuku is all too familiar with. Offhandedly he wonders how much of the raging fires have actually been caused by the man, but shrugs the thought off after a moment's consideration. He shouldn't be placing so much focus on Endeavor — at least, not this early on.

Instead, Izuku focuses on how the number two hero is facing off against two nomu at once; the muscular black nomu tossing around rubble, while its meeker compatriot supports it from the sidelines with stray globs of acid. Izuku doesn't expect the battle to last for long.

Another nomu, the one capable of minor pyrokinesis, is off struggling against Manual and his team. Though a bad matchup for the nomu, the fight is pretty evenly matched.

On the other hand, pale blue and gangly is currently heading off against someone of a largely small stature, who bounces off of surfaces like a pinball and moves like the wind with ease.

Gran Torino, perhaps? Izuku muses. No idea why he'd be here though. Last I heard, the elderly man should be off brooding in retirement a whole prefecture away in Yamanashi.

Izuku doesn't expect that battle to last long either, especially when he considers who else is with the man he presumes is Gran Torino. If Izuku hadn't already known of her and seen her himself, he would have been out of luck as to the identity of the girl. But let it be known that the growing hands indicative of the quirk 'Big Fist' are rather distinctive.

But on that note, why is Kendou Itsuka here in Hosu as well?

Again, Izuku shrugs the thought off for later. He has more important manners to attend to, and said matters are proving themselves to finally be setting into motion.

Izuku kicks off to a run, leaping from rooftop to rooftop with a steady focus of his quirk on his destination. He can hear most of what's going on, and he wagers that he has enough time to arrive before anything regrettable takes place.

Better safe than sorry, though. He picks up his pace as best he can while he concurrently analyzes the situation.

Native is leaning against an alley wall, bleeding heavily from his side. The blood gushing from his wound is leaving his body at a surprising rate, and Izuku wouldn't be surprised if the man were to be dead in a minute or two based on that alone.

The other individuals present in the alley are no doubt aware of this fact as well. Still, that doesn't stop Yoarashi Inasa — and Izuku knows for certain of the boy's identity (once Izuku had learnt of the boy's growing companionship with Todoroki, he took it upon himself to be able to easily and audibly recognize Yoarashi) — from taking the bloodied "hero" in his arms and blasting off up to the sky and out of danger, no doubt towards the nearby Hosu General Hospital.

That just leaves one other individual to fend off the neverending assault being dished out by the infamous Stain.

Todoroki Shouto is bleeding, trails of blood streaming down from his costume and dripping to the ground. Izuku isn't sure why the Hero Killer hasn't yet used his quirk on the blood that no doubt stains his blades, though his best guess has it being something related to strategic timing.

Or maybe Stain just hasn't had the chance to do so, with all the fire and ice swirling and forming within the cramped alley, courtesy of the present Todoroki.

The fact that Todoroki is in the area doesn't exactly surprise Izuku. He has long since known that the boy had taken up internship with his father after the Sports Festival (for whatever reason). As such, Endeavor's presence in Hosu meant that the deduction of Todoroki himself being in the area was a rather simple thing. Izuku just didn't expect that he'd be fighting Stain of all things, however.

Anywho, Stain would have to be certain of when to use his quirk, lest he let knowledge of its conditions be discovered by the student duo. He'd have a severe disadvantage if the secret were to come out, especially with future targets, after all. And he has no actual guarantee of getting out of his predicament without witnesses capable of telling the story.

It's clear that Todoroki is outmatched in both skill and experience. And while he may be able to hold Stain off for the moment, they won't be able to for long.

Todoroki shows signs of exhaustion with his ragged breaths and slowing movements, all while Stain remains energized as ever as he dashes and parries with ease. In a battle of attrition, Todoroki will lose. And Izuku isn't sure that he'll get there in time before that point occurs.

Sure, he could always call out with his quirk, reveal his watchful ear on the fight and all but remove any element of surprise and subterfuge that he still holds. But then again, there's no guarantee that Stain will actually follow his orders.

So he continues to listen. He hears the grunts of pain and the garbled words that clash with the sound of blades and crashing ice. He senses the gradual retreat of Todoroki as he backs further into the alley.

And then it happens.

Hidden behind a recently sprouted outcropping of jagged ice, Stain finally finds an opening to lick at his blade.

Todoroki falls to the ground, crashing at an awkward angle due to the unexpectedness of the event. That doesn't stop his last ditch efforts to launch random attacks to ward off Stain, however.

There's an obvious struggle, of course. Though Todoroki's attacks are sweeping and wide, they can't do much to someone with as much speed as Stain — especially with the lack of actual strategic aim on Todoroki's part. But there's not much he can do in that end considering his predicament.

The Hero Killer makes contact with the ice despite its frigidity and solidity, and he even seems to outright ignore the heat of the flames. He edges closer and closer, Todoroki having to generate more and more ice as he loses more and more ground by the second.

However, before Izuku can ponder possible alternatives and multiple ways to best defuse the situation, something breaches his senses. Not long after do his worries then taper off into smoke once he fully realizes exactly what — who — is approaching.

Running through the streets, at speeds rivaling Ingenium's, is Kendou Itsuka. Her leaps bound her over piles of rubble, and her palms fan away flames in a near instant. And she's heading directly toward the ongoing battle between Stain and Todoroki.

Barring the immediate questions springing into mind — 'Since when can she run so fast?' 'Where did her deftness and agility come from?' 'Has she really improved so much since the entrance exam?' — Izuku is relieved with the occurrence, no matter how mind boggling it is. It isn't long before Kendou joins the fray, and a true battle commences.

For a while it's just Kendou and Stain fighting one on one. But it doesn't last: Todoroki recovers from his paralysis in a relatively short amount of time, no doubt to his O blood type coming into play.

By the time Todoroki can move again, Izuku's arrives, hidden up on his perch on the rooftops where he surveys the battle. With his own eyes he watches; sees the way Stain effortlessly weaves out of the way of Kendou's punches and Todoroki's elemental assault.

Izuku eventually decides that isn't content to let things be. So he hops off the rooftop he's on to the ground, in the space just behind both of the students.

He could just stand there in silence, creep up upon the students and ambush them when they wouldn't expect it. But that isn't his goal; so instead he announces his presence withs simple, loud 'thump' to represent his earlier landing.

"Todoroki!" Kendou calls out, sparing a glance behind her. "That's the villain that attacked your class at the USJ, isn't it?! He's got us at our flank!"

"Hmm," Todoroki hums, shooting out a blast of ice towards Stain. He too spares a glance in Izuku's direction when he finds the solace to do so. He nods in response after a moment. "Let me deal with him."

Kendou looks uncertain, her facing scrunching up in worry at what she no doubt believes are worsening odds. "Are you sure that—"

"Positive," Todoroki readily replies, already turning to face Izuku. "I'll put up a wall between ourselves, just in case. Our battles are best if they are separate. It can get confusing otherwise."

"What?!" Kendou cries out. "But that doesn't even make—" The decision is taken from her. She doesn't have much time for contemplation; her quick reflexes are what saves her from becoming the victim of an onslaught. She winces as she blocks several swipes and slashes from Stain with her hands, but nonetheless is ready to push back with enough force to launch Stain away.

Surprisingly, Izuku notes, her hands seem to be durable enough to prevent any cuts from forming across their surface, thus saving her from letting out any blood for Stain to use.

Before he can further analyze the situation however, Izuku's thoughts are interrupted by a wall of ice that emerges from the ground up. Towering to just over the height of the rooftops, Izuku and Todoroki are essentially cut off from both Kendou and Stain, with only the faint sounds of battle bleeding over to their side.

With that turn of events, Izuku finds himself smiling under his mask. "Looks like you want to talk?" He says it as a question, but doesn't really provide time for a response. He more or less knows what the answer will be. "You don't have to worry about any eavesdroppers; I've already set up a bubble of voided sound around us." He spreads his arms out wife. "And I'll know long before someone is close enough to interrupt us — your good friend Yorarashi included."

"Hmm," Todoroki hums. "We've got to stop meeting like this. On opposite ends of the battlefield, that is. Or people are going to start asking questions."

Izuku blinks, unexpectantly stunned for a few seconds. It takes a bit before he reels himself back in, eyeing the questioning, expectant look on Todoroki's face. "Was that supposed to be your attempt at a joke?"

Todoroki tilts his head to the side. "Was it not good? It took me a week to come up with that."

"Not the point," Izuku readily counters. "It was just… ill-timed, I guess..." He narrows his eyes at his friend. "You actually do have something to talk about, right?"

Todoroki nods. "Is there a reason that you're working with Stain of all people?"

Izuku huffs. "Who says that am?"

Todoroki merely stares back blankly.

"Okay, okay. So maybe I am. But like I've said before, it's all for the greater good. Like… surely you heard of what happened to Iida's brother?"

Todoroki nods. "He got injured fighting Stain."

"Correction," Izuku begins. "He was very nearly irreversibly crippled by Stain. But I stepped up and prevented that from happening. It's a story that I'm not surprised Tensei kas kept to himself. Nevertheless, my intervention is part of a long term plan: I'm planning on curtailing Stain's more… bloodthirsty urges and point him in the right direction. Towards heroes that actually deserve the pain and destruction he wroughts out."

Todoroki lets out a sigh. He closes his eyes for a bit, deep in thought, until he eventually looks back across at Izuku. "I still don't like the fact that you're endorsing the killing of individuals."

"Hear me out," Izuku pleads. At Todoroki's following nod, he begins. "As it stands, the result of me not supporting such drastic measures will be the continued existence of the same rotten apples that will go on to taint the rest of the bushel. There won't be any actual progress — any notion of change for the better — unless they are dealt with in a more permanent manner."

"Don't get me wrong," Izuku continues, "I'd rather much prefer not to kill as well. But the people who are the root of the problem? They aren't the ones to just take down my warnings lying down and gleefully accept them. The people who I have a problem with are too stubborn, too set in their ways of selfishness and glorification. And so if forceful retirement is something that needs to occur to remove such despicable people from off the streets? Then so be it. Native is a prime example: just wait a few days. I have no doubt that he's dead, and it's entirely his fault. He wouldn't be in this situation if he had accepted the police protection detail and all. So when the investigation rolls around, well. You'll see."

"How about all the innocents here in Hosu?" Todoroki asks, his voice rising. "You can't expect me to believe the fact that the nomu attacking the place and Stain attacking in the same night are a coincidence; you played a role in what's happening tonight, I'm sure."

Izuku rubs the back of his neck. "Well," he starts, clearing his throat, "would you believe when I say that they actually are two separate incidents?"

"Now hold on; I know how it sounds," Izuku says wearily, taking note of the disbelieving look appearing on Todoroki's face. He continues on before he loses his ground. "But it's true. Stain and I have only met once, when he was dealing with Ingenium. We haven't talked since."

"And yeah, the nomu are partially my fault," Izuku admits. "I can't rebut that, not after you saw one at USJ. But this whole thing involving Hosu? It's not my plan. It's Tomura's; you know, hand guy? This is his kind of thing. I wouldn't deliberately stir up a plan that's only purpose is to create destruction and death. You know that."

Todoroki purses his lips. "But all of these people, the civilians—"

"Surely you heard of my efforts to reduce civilian casualties in the area?" Izuku interrupts before Todoroki can continue any further. "You know: the bomb threats, the gas leaks, the whole sudden surge of general disturbances to and fro across Hosu since this afternoon?"

"Those incidents are the whole reason I was dragged here in the first place…" Todoroki blinks. "That was you?"

"I tried my best," Izuku says with a sigh. He casts his eyes downward and mutters, "Seems that it wasn't enough to get everyone out though."

Izuku lifts his head up. "Just don't tell Tomura, yeah?" he says with mirth. "He'll be pissed — no, murderously upset if he finds out. I've seen him in such states before. My mere existence itself riles him up halfway there, so I don't need any more reason for him to dislike me, hmm?"

Todoroki nods.

"Still though," Izuku continues, "I find it kind of funny that you and Endeavor were the ones who took the mantle to investigate the incidents here. I mean, people whose quirks focus around fire are the ones who are investigating gas leaks and such? Sounds like a recipe to bring about explosions, don't you think?"

Todoroki shrugs his shoulders. He then sends a critical eye over Izuku's direction. "You told me that you trusted me to keep you under a leash. That I was to strike you down if you ever went against the ideals you set for yourself. I'm… happy that you haven't broken your promises yet. I was afraid of what I would have to do if…"

Izuku finds himself letting out a breath he hadn't even known that he was holding in. "I get it. And I'm just as relieved as you that I haven't descended too far just yet…" He shakes his head. "But that's enough of that. I should go. Yoarashi should be back any moment, and you guys still have Stain to deal with."

Todoroki raises an eyebrow. "You aren't going to bail him out?"

Izuku shrugs, already backing out of the alleyway and preparing to once again fall into the shadows. "I'll see how things play out. Maybe I will, maybe I won't. Till next time."

And with that, their secret rendezvous is over, and Izuku retreats to the shadows.

What he sees before him, Izuku can only describe as a masterful sight. He may be a few blocks away, and on a rooftop far above the ground, but that has little effect on the spectacle. With binoculars and with his quirk, it's like he's standing right in the midst of the action. And that's good enough for him if it means he stays hidden.

–Endeavor… You pretender… – Izuku hears the words stumble out of Stain's mouth. The Hero Killer is lucid as he says those words, even though Izuku thinks that he must be crazy for doing so.

After all, Izuku wouldn't be caught dead saying those words no matter how much he hates Endeavor. At least, not in the scenario where the man is but five feet away, and Izuku is tied up and at the mercy of the heroes. Because that's exactly where Stain is at the moment.

Turns out Kendou batted down Stain enough, whittling him down little by little in a way Todoroki couldn't.

With Izuku's departure, Todoroki was able to join in to add to that — explaining his reemergence in the battle by claiming Whisper to have escaped.

And then it wasn't long before Yorarashi came back from his detour, ragged and bloody (though not his blood) but able to contribute.

With three high-ranking Yuuei students taking a weakened Stain all at once, it wasn't long before the Hero Killer was defeated.

Hence the scene Izuku's gazing upon now, with Stain tied up while heroes like Manual, Endeavor, and (Izuku muses with satisfaction) Gran Torino.

Izuku decides to act now if he wants any chance to work with Stain in the near future.

"Kurogiri?" Izuku says into his phone.

[Pleasure to hear back from you, Izuku. May I ask how your visit went?]

"Not now, Kurogiri," Izuku says. "Maybe later. I have something time sensitive at the moment."

[Of… course. What do you need?]

"Mind checking if Tsubasa's available for just a quick second? Looks like I need his help already, even if he's not done."

[My apologies for my ignorance, but ...Who?]

"Sorry. I mean the winged yellow nomu. The one you brought in a while ago but I brought back to the Doctor? He should still be in the lab and untouched; the Doctor looked busy, so I doubt he's touched him yet.

[… A moment. I shall see]

"Good. Make it quick. I'm not su—" Izuku can't stop himself from gasping.

[Izuku?]

Izuku shakes his head, clearing his throat. "I'm fine, Kurogiri. But please do hurry. Deposit him by my side when you're ready."

[Of course]

Back down on the ground, Izuku finds Endeavor to be holding Stain by the neck. The only reason Izuku isn't worried that Stain will suddenly burst into flames is due to all the witnesses that are present.

Well, that and due to the apparent effect of Stain's aura. The crowd around him is frozen, still as stone and unable to do anything to silence Stain. The fact that Izuku was able to feel even a smidge of the aura's outward expansion despite how far away he is shows how strong Stain's conviction is.

So Izuku's relatively sure that Stain is safe as is.

And, well… There's also the fact that Izuku would rather have the scene play out. Especially when he considers the civilian bystander off to the side, unseen by the heroes, filming the whole incident with undivided attention.

–Blemishes such as yourself must be removed– Stain continues despite the grip constrainting his neck. –Our society has become overgrown with fakes and reckless criminals, and something must be done to curtail such tragedy–

Stain moves his hands up to the hand around his neck, plucking the fingers off one by one until he's free from its grip and falls to the ground. Despite his wounds, he can still stand — though Izuku isn't sure how much of that is through willpower alone.

–Such dangers to our lives should all be purged in order to create a more just society!– He points a finger at Kendou.

–What does it say when a child, still growing into her own shoes, is a much better hero than you?– He points his finger at Endeavor this time, burying it in the man's chest. –The supposed number two, said to be loved by all! Keh."

Meanwhile, on the rooftop, Kurogiri's portal opens to let through Tsubasa. Izuku pats the beast's hide as it takes its place beside him.

"You won't mind a bit of mounting now, will you, friend?"

The nomu responds with a squawk. Izuku subsequently gets atop the nomu's back in preparation.

"That one there. The one still moving," Izuku says as he points down to Stain. "We're extracting him, okay? But only at my say so. Be ready."

Back on the ground, Stain steps back a little, surveying the crowd around him. -So come at me! You will all fail, for All Might is the only one allowed to kill me!–

Then Stain pauses, midstep. The white of his eyes are showing, and Izuku can hear the sound of his ribs puncturing parts of his lungs.

"He's run out of steam," Izuku mutters. "Looks like it's time, then. Go."

The nomu lifts off without another word, flapping its wings and piercing the air in its downward descent. Izuku can barely hold on, but he powers through, tightening his grip and while he places the effects of his quirk around the nomu, making it a silent beast as it rides the winds.

In one fell swoop, right in the midst of a still recovering and confused group of individuals, Stain is torn right from their hands and into the talons of Tsubasa.

But the thought of victory is far from Izuku's mind.

Endeavor is the first to recover, and he doesn't waste a second of time. A fireball is rocketed into the air, aimed directly at Tsubasa.

It's in that short span of time Izuku feels the closest he's ever been to Endeavor since that day at the funeral all those years ago. It's a fleeting moment, and yet it very nearly overcomes him.

Sure, Izuku's gotten taller. Grown into the individual that he is today. But Endeavor in the flesh is still so… imposing. Almost as if nothing had changed since that day, all those years ago, and Izuku is still a meek child in comparison.

And yet…

Izuku knows that he's in control here. Not Endeavor. Not the man scrambling to save face and prevent his catch from slipping away through his fingers.

All it takes is a subtle gesture and a whispered word, and Tsubasa barrel rolls right out of the aerial path of the flames.

It's when all three of them are far enough away, nowhere near any distance to be caught, that Izuku allows his nerves to slip away, a smirk to overcome his expression, and the words plaguing his mind to linger in the air for all to hear.

"Nice try, heroes. Better luck next time."

Unlike before, everyone gets away, flying into the night sky to freedom.

A/N: And there's the Hosu Incident for you all! I hope that you all enjoyed it. Next time — the aftermath.