All right, we're here at Kamino Ward," said Melissa as they all got off the train, "Now before we rush forward, we need to plan carefully."
Just as she was saying this, she quickly sprouted arms to pull Eijiro back from charging forward.
"She's right. We must proceed with caution," nodded Momo, "Don't forget, the villains know our faces now. We could be attacked at any time since we're near their home base."
"This is meant to be a covert operation," agreed Itsuka.
"But that means we won't be able to scout out the area properly," frowned Tenya, "Only Melissa is probably the unknown here."
"About that….. I have a suggestion," said Momo as she pointed to a nearby discount chain store famous for having a wide variety of items.
Ten minutes later
"No, no, no, that won't work!" advised Melissa as she grabbed a few more items, "It's too obvious with your choices!"
"Wouldn't we want to dress up as adults so we don't stand out as kids?" asked Momo as Melissa forcefully made her switch dresses.
"Yes, but you can't be too flashy," argued Melissa, "You guys haven't had classes about this yet, but going incognito doesn't mean just hiding characteristics that make you identifiable. You also have to be another face in the crowd that doesn't attract attention. Back in my support class, we had to help create disguises for heroes with huge mutation quirks so they wouldn't attract attention due to their physical attributes. Luckily, you all don't have such challenges. Not to mention you want to be able to move freely in case of emergency situations."
With Melissa helping to choose their disguise, they were dressed in a much more casual way that made them seem older than their true age. Hairstyles were changed, wigs and other disguises were purchased courtesy of Momo.
"Kirishima, good job with your choice. The horns draw attention away from your face, making people think your quirk might be related to it. Iida, don't be so stiff and out of character as if you're a pervert. Just lighten up from your usual behavior," complimented and instructed Melissa.
While they were finalizing everything, Shoto turned towards Momo with a question.
"Yaoyorozu, wouldn't all of this have been free if you just used your Creation quirk?"
"T-t-that's against the rule!" stammered Momo as she waved her hands around, "If I was to make anything I want with my Quirk, then the circulation of money and….. That's right, as a citizen of this nation, I must increase the flow of money in the economy!"
'Innocent rich girl just wanted to go shopping at a discount store,' chuckled the majority of them.
"Hey, isn't that U.A.?"
They all froze up nervously, slowly turning around to the source of the voice just to see Nezu, Shota, and Vlad all on a big television wearing suits.
"And now, please watch a clip from the U.A. High School's apology press conference that just occurred,' reported a reporter.
Everyone walking in Kamino Ward stopped to watch the clip, including the rescue team. They were shocked that Shota, who hated being on television, was actually dressed up neatly and in an interview. Despite the public apology, one reporter threw a loaded question that despite Nezu answering it calmly, the audience looked at the television with disgust and distrust. The group could feel the mood getting heavier and heavier as people began to lose faith in U.A…. and in heroes. And there was nothing they could do.
"It's so strange, isn't it?" mocked Shigaraki as he powered off the television set, "Why are heroes being criticized? The way they were dealing with things was just a little off the mark. Is it because it's their job to protect? Everyone makes a mistake or two, but I suppose they are supposed to be perfect. Modern-day heroes have some pretty strict standards, don't you agree…. Katsuki Bakugo?"
Sitting on a chair all chained up with heavy-duty handcuffs that sealed up his hands was Katsuki Bakugo, looking pretty pissed off. Katsuki looked around, counting all the villains in the area and chalking up the possible quirks they had. The whole League of Villains were all in the bar, looking at Katsuki.
"Once a hero receives compensation to protect people, they aren't heroes anymore," commented Spinner, "That is Stain's teachings."
"A system that converts people's lives into money or glory to which society clings on so tightly. The citizens who would rather blame the losers than encouraging them. Our fight is to question this status quo: What is a hero? What is justice? Is this society truly just? We'll have everyone thinking about it. We're planning on winning. You like winning, too, don't you?" drawled Shigaraki before looking over to Dabi.
"Dabi, release his restraints," ordered Shigaraki.
"Huh? The guy is going to fight as soon as he's free, you know?" replied Dabi in confusion.
"It's fine. We just need to treat him as an equal since we're scouting him," replied Shigaraki, "Plus, he should be able to tell in this current situation, he won't win."
Dabi looked dubious at that declaration, so he opted for the next option, passing the task to somebody else.
"Twice, you do it," said Dabi heartlessly as he dropped the key into Twice's hand.
"Wait, what? Hell no, I don't wanna," complained Twice before slowly walking towards Katsuki.
"Oh you pansy, I'll do it," sighed Himiko as she jumped over the bar, grabbing the key before heading to Katsuki, "You wouldn't hurt a girl, would you? I'm Himoko Toga."
She slowly leaned forward, pressing her chest against his for a second, her tongue flicking out as she licked a scratch on Katsuki's face. She whimpered as she failed to get any blood out of it, and contemplated on using her knife to open up a wound, but pushed that thought away as she knelt down onto her knees.
"Oh my, is that for me?" teased Himiko, grabbing Katsuki's cuffs as if it was something else. Everyone else just rolled their eyes as Himiko opened the lock and began untying him.
Mr. Compress cleared his throat, "I apologize for the forceful method. But please understand we are not some unruly villains committing crimes without a higher purpose. You were not kidnapped by accident."
"Everyone has different circumstances, but the truth is that we've all suffered. Whether it be by people, the rules, and Heroes holding us back. You, of all, should understand that."
Katsuki merely looked down at his wrist, rubbing it to get some blood flow going before suddenly pushing Himiko aside. As he did, he whispered something into her ears only before rushing at Shigaraki and blasting him in the face.
"Shigaraki!" shouted Twice in concern as the hand on Shigaraki's face flew off.
"I'm tired of you guys endlessly blabbering. Idiots like you always take so long monologuing to finally get to your point. Basically, it becomes 'You wanna harass people, so please join us.' You're just wasting your time. I want to win like All Might does, no matter what anybody else says, and nothing you do will change my mind!"
Due to the explosion and surprise, Twice accidentally hit the power button on the remote control to turn the television on once more to the press conference.
"You spoke about students' safety, Eraser Head, but during the incident, you authorized them to use their quirks to fight. What was your intention behind this?" asked another reporter.
Shota leaned forward to the mic to answer, "I concluded that because we were unable to fully grasp the situation, I gave them permission to avoid the worst possible outcome."
"What do you mean, 'worst possible outcome'?" snarked the reporter, "You don't call 26 victims and 2 abducted the worst possible outcome?"
"The worst outcome I assumed in the situation would be the students would be at their wit's end and killed," replied Shota.
Nezu nodded before adding in, "The gas attack accounts for most of the victims. We have determined that it was sleeping gas from one of the villain's Quirks. Thanks to the quick response of Kendo, Ashido, Tetsutetsu, and Kirishima, there were no serious injuries from that attack. In addition, we are providing mental care to the students, and at the moment, none are exhibiting any serious psychological trauma."
The reporter scowled before lifting his chin up in defiance, "Are you saying it was a bright spot in this tragedy?"
"We believe the worst outcome is one that would have infringed on the future," replied Nezu calmly.
"Can you say the same thing for the two kidnapped students, Katsuki Bakugo and Midoriya Izuku?" asked the reporter, latching onto a chance he saw, "Both enrolled into U.A. High with excellent marks, both coming in first and second for the sports festival. In addition, during the incident with the sludge villain in middle school, Bakugo resisted the powerful villain alone showcasing how tenacious and heroic he can be, while Midoriya managed to accomplish something the heroes on duty couldn't do and not only save Bakugo, but also defeat the sludge villain. On the other hand, the violence Bakugo exhibited in the finals and his attitude at the award ceremony revealed he is not always mentally stable. As for Midoriya, though he has not shown any such things, surely he must be simmering with resentment when the interview from Endeavor hollowed his victory. Not only that, he was guilty of vigilantism at such a young age. What if the villains kidnapped them because of those, and are luring them down the path of evil with deceptive words? What evidence do you have for saying that they have a future?"
While Vlad winced at how aggressive the reporter was being, he was worried about Shota falling for the reporter's trap, knowing how much he hated the media. The said reporter raised his eyebrow when Shota suddenly stood up, thinking he would get something off Shota, maybe even disgracing him and elevating his story. The media loved disgracing heroes, and the reporter had his chance until Shota calmly bowed.
"As an educator, I take full responsibility for Katsuki Bakugo's violent behavior. However, his actions at the sports festival stem from what he considers 'ideal strength'. He is trying harder than anybody else in pursuit of becoming a 'top hero'. If the villains thought they had such an opening to exploit, then I believe the villains are sorely mistaken. The same goes for Izuku Midoriya. He also pursues becoming a hero just as hard, and will never be lured to the path of villainy. The 'interview' never shook Midoriya, only made him stronger. I guarantee both will never become villains."
The reporters were taken aback at the praise Shota was giving out. Out of all his years in teaching, Shota rarely praised any of his students, especially in public. Still, the reporter regained his bearings and scowled, "That is not evidence, just a mere basis of your emotions. I'm asking if you have a plan in place."
"We're not just standing idly around," replied Nezu, taking over the question, "We are currently investigating along with the police. We will definitely get our students back."
Katsuki grinned at that statement, "You hear that? There's no fucking way I'm joining you lot. Deku's just as stubborn as I am when it comes to wanting to be a hero. I don't see him here, I bet you tried and failed!"
Inside Katsuki's mind, he was already compartmentalizing all the information he received. He knew the attack was mounted to kidnap him and Izuku, and even told him what they wanted out of him. Meaning he was an important person for them, and they wouldn't try to kill him if he began to attack. There was his chance of escaping if he could take out two or three of them in the process. Not to mention he 'technically' had the authorization to use his Quirk. He never heard a recall on that order, and this was all self-defense, too.
While the other villains were discussing what to do with Katsuki, Shigaraki's mind was stuck on something besides the fact his father's hand was on the ground. He had only ordered for Katsuki to be kidnapped, and yet the news media was saying that two students were missing. Meaning Compress had taken two students, one of which was more on his kill list than capture list.
"Compress, where is the other boy?" asked Shigaraki slowly but surely as he turned to him, "I want to kill him. I don't remember ordering him to be kidnapped, but if he's here, then I want him dead."
"I don't have it," replied Compress, slightly taking a step back, "I was told the primary objective was these two boys."
"And who said that?" questioned Shigaraki, his hands twitching as he took a step closer to Compress.
Suddenly, the television set crackled before it changed to a screen with the words 'sound only' appearing before the screen.
"It was I who ordered him to be added to the capture list," said All for One from the monitor.
The voice gave Katsuki chills, but he remained silent to see what information he could get.
"I had Kurogiri transport him to me for personal reasons," continued All for One, "Not only was I interested in his quirk but there is something else that I wish to see. I promise I will tell you in good time, but I merely wish to see if he can be persuaded to join you. His intellect will be useful, but if he does not prove cooperative, then he will be dealt with in a suitable manner."
"Hehe, by taking his quirk and destroying his dream, and giving it to somebody else for our cause," cackled Shigaraki as he turned back to Katsuki.
All for One remained silent, not bothering to add anything to that. Katsuki's mind, on the other hand, was quickly racing through all he had heard.
'Taking quirks? The fact that hand job takes orders from somebody else means that guy is the real boss. I've never heard of stealing quirks, but the guy probably killed his victims or changed them into something else. From what hand job suggested, it's possible to give quirks too. Deku didn't have a quirk for sure until second grade, and I know he's not a 'late bloomer' like he claims. Does that mean he got his quirk from someone? And the same thing with that super strength, too!'
Katsuki shelved the later thoughts away as he focused on the important part, trying to get away from this place.
"Alright, sensei," nodded Shigaraki as he turned to Katsuki once more, grabbing the hand from the floor and putting it back onto his face, "This one is my valuable piece. I had hoped you would have listened to what I had to say, and come to an understanding."
Katsuki scowled at that thought, remembering Gran Torino's lecture when he interned with him.
"Careful with what you do with your actions. If you are too brash, then you're no better than a villain. Now dodge brat!"
"Hell no," scowled Katsuki without hesitation.
Shigaraki sighed, "Then I have no choice. The heroes said they're continuing their investigation of us…. So we don't have time to talk leisurely. Sensei, lend me your power."
One for All grinned at Shigaraki's decision, happy he was actually thinking through his plan and asking for help at appropriate times. One for All then turned his attention towards another monitor, where Izuku was. Though he couldn't see, he could sense Izuku was still inside, just waiting and not trying to escape yet. Though it puzzled him that Izuku hadn't tried, he chalked it up as either nervousness, fear, or that his words had gotten through him.
"Kurogiri, Compress, make him go to sleep again," ordered Shigaraki.
"I can't believe he's such a bad listener," sighed Compress as he shrugged his shoulders, "I'm almost impressed."
"If you want me to listen to you, then get on your knees and die!" barked Katsuki defiantly, while thinking of a way to escape. He couldn't risk using his max firepower, as Kurogiri was still there. He had heard about his portal reversing Thirteen's own attack against her, and concluded he could do the same here.
Before anyone could do anything, though, they all froze when they heard someone knocking on the door behind Katsuki.
"Hello, this is Pizza-la from the Kamino store. I have pizza delivery for two large pizzas with extra cheese, pepperoni, and a healthy serving of-"
"SMASH!"
All Might came crashing through the wall facing the outside, surprising the distracted villains. While shocked, Kurogiri was secretly happy that All Might hadn't come through the other side of the bar where all his valuable drinks were.
"Kurogiri, gate!" ordered Shigaraki.
Kurogiri nodded as the fog around his body began to expand.
Pre-emptive Binding Lacquered Chain Prison
Kamui Woods suddenly followed through the hole All Might made, his Quirk quickly binding them all. Kurogiri was unable to expand his fog due to the wood constricting his body.
"Wood? Really?" scoffed Dabi as blue fire began to spark around his body.
Before he could free himself, though, Gran Torino zipped in and kicked Dabi in the head, knocking him out instantly.
"Don't be so impatient. It's in your best interest to stay put," lectured Gran Torino as he came to a stop.
"As expected from one of the up and rising new heroes, Kamui Woods. As well as the experienced veteran that moves faster than the eye can see, Gran Torino! You can't run away anymore, League of Villains! Why? Because…. WE ARE HERE!" grinned All Might as the dust began to settle.
The villains were shocked the heroes were already here, especially since the press conference with U.A. had just ended a few minutes ago. It didn't take long to click in their mind that the whole thing had been pre-arranged.
"When one prioritizes offense, one neglects defense the most as a result," commented the number 5 hero, Edgeshot, as he suddenly appeared through the door before opening it to reveal SWAT teams fully armed, "Outside, you're all surrounded by skillful heroes, such as Endeavor and the police."
Outside, Endeavor was complaining why he was on perimeter duty. Though he was slightly less aggravated when Tsukauchi told him that they needed him in case the villains managed to escape, he was still angry.
All Might quickly scanned the area, slightly frowning inside that he didn't see Izuku. Still, if he wasn't here, then he would most likely be at the other location that they had already sent heroes and other swat members to. Quickly masking his displeasure, All Might turned to Katuski.
"I'm sure you were scared, but you did an excellent job bearing with it!" complimented All Might, "It'll be all fine now, young man!"
"I-I wasn't scared! Not even damn close!" barked Katsuki in defiance, "Deku's not here though. The villain mentioned that he was in a different location, though!"
"Where's 'D'.eku!?" demanded Kamui Woods, glaring at Shigaraki.
"Shigaraki ignored Kamui Woods, glaring at All Might with hatred.
"So after all that trouble I went through to prepare for this, why the hell is the last boss here!?" spat out Shigaraki, looking around as he saw everyone had been restrained with escape being almost impossible, "Well then, here's a surprise. 'We're not the only ones here'? That can be applied to us too! Kurogiri, bring as many as you can over here!"
Shigaraki waited for a moment before realizing the Nomus they had planned weren't showing up.
"I'm sorry Shigaraki Tomura, but the Nomus that should be at the designated location….. aren't there!"
"You're still too green," explained All Might as he put his arm around Katsuki, "League of Villains, you've underestimated everything too much, from the soul of this boy, to the diligence of the policemen's investigation, and finally…. OUR ANGER! No more games here, this ends now, Shigaraki Tomura!"
While Spinner and a few others were intimidated by All Might, Shigaraki continued to glare at him in anger.
"It ends here? Don't joke with me, we've only gotten started! Justice. Peace. You've created such a trashy society by uplifting such ridiculous ideals. That's why I targeted you! It's why I gathered people to my cause. Do you think this is the end? Then you've lost! Kurogirit!" shouted Shigaraki with anger in his voice.
Before Kurogiri could do anything though, Edgeshot knocked him unconscious by inserting himself into Kurogiri and damaging the inside of his body a bit. Gran Torino huffed before telling them to stay put while also listing all of their real names thanks to the police's investigation team, so they couldn't hide for much longer.
When Gran Torino asked Shigaraki where the boss was hiding, Shigaraki had a flashback to when he was a child. Where he laid in an alleyway with nobody to help him until All for One extended his hand to save him, who showed him the ugly truth of this world.
"Bullshit…. Not like this…. Disappear…. Vanish!" muttered Shigaraki, his tone growing darker and louder.
"Where is Izuku Midoriya and your boss!?" shouted All Might.
"I HATE YOU!" screamed Shigaraki.
Right on cue, gray portals that seemed to have a consistency of liquid suddenly appeared besides Shigaraki. A second later, Nomu poured out of the portals, with even more portals suddenly appearing all over the bar.
"Nomus? Where'd they come from!?" gasped Kamui Woods, though keeping a firm grip on all the villains. He noticed that the villains all seemed surprised at the sudden appearance of the Nomus, too.
"Edgeshot, what about Kurogiri?" shouted Gran Torino, worried this was his work.
"He's still unconscious," reported Edgeshot in confusion, "He's not the cause of these portals!"
"Kamui Woods! Don't let them go for any reason!" ordered All Might, his hand still firmly gripped onto Katsuki's shoulder.
A second later, Katsuki felt something forcefully erupt out of his throat, spewing out gray liquid that suddenly began to wrap around him.
"The hell… is this!?" coughed Katsuki as he felt himself sinking into the water.
"Bakugo-shonen!" shouted All Might as he tried to grab Katsuki to prevent whatever it was from taking it, but it was too late. Katsuki vanished as the gray liquid splashed onto All Might's arm
"NOOOO!" shouted All Might in anger at this sudden failure.
"Endeavor, we need back up!" shouted Kamui Woods, looking behind him only to see Endeavor and the police force they had brought were being attacked by Nomus warping through the gray liquid.
"Tsukauchi! Expand the evacuation zone!" warned Endeavor.
"They're coming from the other hideout," muttered Tsukauchi as he ordered the policemen and heroes working on border patrol to expand the zone of evacuation, "But that location should've been locked down! Come in, Best Jeanist, what's going on there!?"
When he received no response, his face began to pale at what could've happened.
"Warping ability…. They shouldn't have that option anymore, and their backup came way too fast. Is it him!?" growled All Might.
Moments later, the villains all began to spew out the same liquid that took Katsuki. Even the unconscious ones were spitting out the liquid.
Kamui Wood immediately tightened his grip on the villain to the point he would be cracking some ribs, but it was useless. He could feel them slipping away.
"No you don't! You're taking me with you!" shouted All Might as he tried to grab Shigaraki, hoping that he would be dragged in. Sadly, the warp was target-specific, and so Shigaraki disappeared within Kamui Wood's grasp.
Few minutes prior
The U.A. student rescue group reached the location of Momo's tracker, standing right outside while gathering around a vending machine so as not to seem too suspicious.
"There's no reaction even though we've gotten so close," murmured Momo as Itsuka passed a drink to her.
"There's no lights on, either. Looks pretty empty," nodded Eijiro.
"To hide a tree, use a forest," recited Shoto, "Looks like they're hiding in an abandoned warehouse to disguise their hideout."
"They probably don't use the front door," theorized Melissa.
"How can you tell?" asked Ochako.
"The weeds in front of the door. It's too thick, meaning that the door isn't used often, if at all," explained Melissa.
"We should keep moving," suggested Itsuka, "We can't just stay here."
"We also can't do anything that makes us stand out. What should we do?" asked Momo.
They looked around until they noticed a narrow gap between the building's outer wall. Taking this chance, they decided to investigate the back area of the building.
"It's a bit cramped," grumbled Momo, "I feel like I'm going to get stuck here."
"Me too," nodded Melissa.
"I'm not having too much trouble, but it is uncomfortable," added Itsuka.
"What Itsuka said," agreed Ochako.
The boys remained silent, refraining from commentating. The reason why they didn't have any problems was because…. well they were males and didn't have fat storages located on their upper body.
"Look over there!" whispered Tenya, pointing to a barred window, "We might be able to peak inside there."
"Will we be able to see anything in this darkness?" asked Shoto.
"I can make us some night vision scope," suggested Momo, but Eijiro shook his head.
"No need, I brought one with me," said Eijiro as he took out a night scope binoculars, "Figured we'd need it for this mission, especially if we're being covert."
"Aren't those, like, really expensive?" whispered Ochako, "I considered putting it onto my helmet, but the cost of it was out of my budget."
"Price doesn't matter for this," riposted Eijiro, "All that matters is saving them."
"Then you look inside. Iida or I can lift you up," suggested Shoto.
"No need, just pass them over to me," whispered Melissa quickly, "If we want to make a quick getaway, then it'll be easier if I do it."
Not knowing where she was going with it but trusting her, Eijiro passed the nightscope over to Melissa. Melissa handed the scope over to Momo for a second before closing her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest. Seconds later, hands began to bloom above her towards the window. Momo passed the scope to Ochako, who quickly used her quirk on it to float it towards Melissa's hands.
Melissa's hands grabbed the scope and quickly passed it upwards until it reached the window. Once two hands gripped the sides of the scope, another two arms bloomed from underneath, bending its elbows so the palm of the hands was on the eyepiece. In an instant, Melissa made an eye appear on each palm so she could look through the ocular pieces.
"You're getting really good at using your quirk," complimented Itsuka.
"Lots of practice, and since I'm just doing reconnaissance, it's a lot easier to do than trying to fight with it," replied Melissa, "Now let's see here…. It's kinda dirty here but…!"
Melissa almost let out a shriek of fear as she suddenly opened her eyes and almost dropped the scope.
"What did you see?" asked Momo, trying to calm Melissa down.
"In the left corner…. I saw…. bodies inside tanks with their brains exposed! What the hell are those things? Were they people? It's like seeing a horror movie with a mad scientist!" panted Melissa.
Eijiro immediately managed to climb on top of Tenya's shoulders, taking the binocular off of Melissa's hands to take a look himself.
"Shit, those are Nomus!" paled Eijiro, remembering the first Nomu he met had broken his bones in his arms and fractured his ribs.
Then he heard something and quickly looked to the right before realizing just what it was.
"Look over there!" said Eijiro, quickly pointing towards the source. The others did so in time to see a pick up truck being lifted up by a giant foot, like it was a shoe for the said foot.
"Brace yourselves!" warned Itsuka as she enlarged her hands to increase her weight.
As the others quickly did so, the person who had a foot in the pickup truck was none other than Mt. Lady in her giant form. Showcasing her flexibility, she raised her truck-covered foot all the way up to her head in an impressive standing front split without any assistance before slamming her foot down into the building with all her strength.
The resulting shockwave almost blew the students away, though some of their disguises didn't survive. Within seconds, the heroes assigned to the area rushed in and restrained the Nomu, pulling them away from their fixed location and incapacitating them.
"Wow, even the number 4 hero, Best Jeanist, is here!" observed Momo as she managed to lift herself up to the wall with Ochako's help. She noticed the Nomu that Yosetsu had fused her tracker onto was now being held captive by Mt. Lady, who was complaining about the job.
"Don't overthink it, newcomer" lectured Best Jeanist, "Difficulty and importance are two different things. Riot Squad, get the maidens ready. There could be more, so be on your guard."
"Yes sir," nodded the riot squad as they went to fetch some Iron Maidens.
"Ragdoll! Come on, answer me!" said Tiger as he found Ragdoll lying on some table, luckily not having been blown away. He quickly grabbed a spare blanket to wrap it around her naked body, inspecting for any injuries. He found none, but wondered why she wasn't responding at all. Not to mention the amount of blood that had been found back at the training camp that was confirmed to be hers.
"Is that your teammate?" asked Gang Orca, the number 10 hero, "Looks like she's still breathing."
"Yes, but her condition," worried Tiger, "She's completely unresponsive despite her eyes being open. What did they do to you?"
Meanwhile, Tenya was breathing a huge sigh of relief that the heroes had arrived. Hearing Mt. Lady talk about All Might at another raid location, they concluded that All Might was probably with Izuku and Katsuki, rescuing right now.
"If All Might is there, then there's even more reason to rest easy now," said Momo with a sigh of relief and the weight in her heart lifting up. Surely All Might would make sure Izuku was safe.
The other girls thought the same as they all began to quickly leave. Before they could do so, Shoto stopped, causing them all to stop in confusion.
As for why Shoto stopped, he felt something change in the air. Something dangerous was coming, and his instincts were screaming at him to hide.
"Sorry Tiger, Ragdoll's Quirk was too good to pass. With this perfect opportunity, how could I not take it?" rang out a voice.
The heroes immediately turned to the source, unable to see just who it was. "Stop right there! Are you with the League of Villains?" ordered Gang Orca.
"After my body turned into this, I depleted a lot of what I had in stock to survive. It's been a long time since I've been a while since I could stock up," chuckled the voice.
"Freeze. Don't move!" warned Gang Orca as the source of the voice stepped out of the shadows to reveal All for One wearing his immaculate dark suit with a navy blue, skull-like gas mask with pipes that connected the front and back with a life support system around his neck.
Instantly, Best Jeanist wrapped All for One completely in his threads from the neck below.
"Best Jeanist, isn't that a bit rash? What if he's a civilian?" asked Mt. Lady with worry.
"Think about the situation," growled Best Jeanist, "That instance of hesitation could decide the fight! We can't let these Villains try anything."
One for All merely grinned as his right arm suddenly bulged, causing Best Jeanist to recoil at the sudden expansion. His eyes opened wide as he knew what was going to happen next, and quickly made the snap decision. Instead of trying to restrain the villain even more, he pulled the thread of his fellow heroes, hurling them back as All for One raised his right arm at them and fired a shockwave.
The resulting blast not only blew the heroes back but also the police backup as well as civilians that might have been in the area. Luckily for the U.A. students, they were largely unaffected by the blast physically. Mentally, though, they were terrified. They couldn't even move out of fear. All they could see was their own death.
"As expected of the number four hero, Best Jeanist," applauded All for One as he slowly floated down, "I thought I'd blown everyone away, but to my surprise none of them but you are very seriously injured. To be able to manipulate everyone's clothes and pull them aside in an instant. That quick decision-making and skill in face of danger mean you have nerves of steel."
Best Jeanist, the only hero conscious at the moment, breathed heavily as he recalled the meeting before the raid. The police supervisors had warned them all about a villain that was as strong as All Might, but he had taken that with a grain of doubt. After all, who could be as strong as All Might? But now, he could see the police's warning had merit. They had wanted to capture Shigaraki and the others before moving to the leader, but it looked like their plan was out of the window.
"But so what?" groaned Best Jeanist as he manipulated his threads to help him push himself up, "A top hero doesn't use that as an excuse for failure!"
Best Jeanist shot his fibers in an all-out desperate attack, but All for One merely smirked as he raised his hand up once more, aiming for Best Jeanist's abdomen. Just before he fired a focused shockwave though, something slammed into him from behind. The object hit him in the upper region, forcing him to bend and aim lower when he fired. The shot ended up crashing through Best Jeanist's attacks, creating a crater in front of Best Jeanist while the resulting shockwave sent him flying back unconscious.
"Hoo, to think someone was still conscious and able to thwart my attack," hummed All for One, "But then again, it could be someone who wasn't within the blast radius to begin with."
All for One turned around to the source of the attack before realizing what had just hit him was a metal door. One that was supposed to hold a certain person for a while.
"Impressive. To be able to lift up the door and hurl it without any quirk enhancement. Seems like you have a much stronger foundation than I thought," complemented All for One before firing another small shockwave. Izuku came rushing out of the shadow and jumped, just barely dodging the hit before using the aftershock to boost himself over him before landing onto the cratered ground, though still wearing the heavy-duty cuffs.
'Izuku/Midoriya/Deku!' thought the U.A. students as they saw Izuku, breathing a small sigh of relief he seemed alright. Despite wanting to yell out to him, they were still frozen in fear of All for One.
"How did you escape? The door should've firmly held you in. Unless the attack earlier from the lady hero loosened the walls that the hinges were on that you could pry it off. Yes that would make more sense, considering the structure of this building is quite old," hummed All for One.
Izuku didn't bother correcting him, as he had actually used One for All to rip the door off. Thanks to the boon that his Devil Fruit and Quirk, the quirk inhibitors were actually useless on him. Not that he was going to advertise that out loud.
"Have you made your decision? Surely you can see how much you can gain from standing with me," asked All for One, "Power, wealth, fame. All I can easily grant to you!"
Before Izuku could even reply, gray ooze suddenly appeared beside him, which then deposited Katsuki right next to him.
"Shit, that thing stinks," gagged Katsuki before noticing where he was.
"Apologies Katsuki Bakugo," said All for One, causing Katsuki to shoot a glare at the man before glancing over to Izuku, his eyes mentally asking what the hell was going on.
As the other villains began to warp through, Izuku's eyes shifted to All for One, then to Shigaraki and the others before looking back at Katsuki. Katsuki immediately understood that All for One was the big boss of the League of Villains.
"You've failed again, Tomura. But do not be discouraged, as you can try again. That's why I brought your associates back with you. Even the boy, too, as you deemed him as an important piece on your game board. Try again as many times as you want. That's why I am here, to provide you with help. All of this is for you. My only request is that you convince this other boy to aid you. He will be of great use to you, but if he refuses to the point you cannot hold back, you are free to do what you desire."
Izuku and Katsuki stepped back, their backs immediately pressed against each other.
"What's with the cuffs?" asked Katsuki with a growl.
"Quirk inhibitor bands to restrain me," replied Izuku.
All for One merely gave Izuku a glance before pulling out a small remote and pressed a button. Immediately, the bands on Izuku's wrist began to vibrate a little before it forcefully drew his wrists together to restrain him and limit his movement.
"So you're here, after all, aren't you?" proclaimed All for One, frightening Momo and the others, thinking they had been discovered.
A second later, they had their answer as All Might came crashing down towards him.
"I'll have you return everything, All for One!" shouted All Might as his two fists clashed into All for One's grip.
"Have you come to try to kill me again, All Might!?" replied All for One as the two titans were locked to a standstill, the clash creating gusts of winds that blew everyone around them away.
"You're pretty late," commented All for One as the dust began to slowly fade, shaking his wrist a little, "It's only a little more than five kilometers from the bar to here. It was easily thirty seconds after I sent the Nomu for you to arrive. You've gotten weaker, All Might."
"What about you?" snarked All Might, "What's with the industrial mask you got on? Aren't you overexerting yourself?"
'This guy is the real deal! He's able to hold back All Might's attack with his bare hands,' thought Katsuki.
'All Might… be careful!' gulped Izuku, knowing he was on a time limit.
"I won't make the same mistake as I did six years ago," declared All Might as he bounced on his feet to warm himself up, "All for One! I'll take back young Bakugo and Midoriya! And this time, I'll throw you in prison for sure, along with the League of Villains that you control!"
"There's so much to do. That'll be tough for the both of us!" chuckled All for One as he held up his hand, his muscles bulging in his arm before firing another shockwave against All Might's punch. The result ended up pushing All Might back through several buildings.
"Air Cannon, Springlike Limbs, Kinetic Booster times four, Strength Enhancer times three. This combination is quite fun," mused All for One to himself, "Perhaps I'll try to add a few more enhancer-types."
"All Might!" shouted Izuku and Katsuki in worry while Melissa had to keep her mouth shut to prevent herself from giving off their location.
Seeing as he had created a bit of breathing room, All for One immediately used another Quirk, Rivet Stab, to generate and fire black tendrils with prominent red lines from his fingers into Kurogiri. Upon stabbing him, he used another Quirk, Forced Quirk Activation, to have Kurogiri create a portal for the others to escape, while explaining how his warp and Kurogiri's warp were different.
"Now go!" ordered All for One.
"Sensei," whispered Shigaraki before something exploded in the distance. A second later, All Might was hurtling himself back at All for One once more.
"Always keep thinking, Tomura. You still have much to grow!" said All for One as he began to float in the air to intercept All Might.
"Let's go, Shigaraki!" shouted Mr. Compress as he compressed Dabi into a marble, "Get the pieces and leave while the boss is holding back All Might!"
As the League of Villains began to surround Izuku and Katsuki, the two stood back to back to each other.
"What's the plan?" growled Katsuki.
"We need to escape. Right now, All Might has to limit his strength so we don't get caught up in the crossfire. In short, beat them up and then run," concluded Izuku.
"That's something I can get behind!" grinned Katsuki, "You think you can still fight?"
"Rekai kicked your ass with her hands tied behind her back. What makes you think I didn't learn from that?" snarked Izuku.
Twice rushed forward, slashing with his sharpened measuring tape, only for Izuku to block it with his cuffs before kicking him. Jin jumped back, narrowly dodging it as Himiko came slashing in with her knives. Izuku quickly backstepped, allowing Katsuki to step forward and let loose a blast in front of her to push her back. While doing so, Katsuki's hand quickly snagged a knife the Himiko had dropped.
Mr. Compress rushed forward, hoping to tap Katsuki and compress him into a marble while he was distracted. His fingers were quickly closing in on Katsuki's back, and Katsuki himself didn't seem to notice.
"Gotcha!" shouted Mr. Compress before he felt Izuku's heel slam into his wrist with a spinning back kick.
Mr. Compress shouted in pain as he stumbled, but before he could react, he saw Katsuki already lining up his hand to his face.
"Die!" shouted Katsuki as he let out an explosion that knocked him back.
Spinner let out a battle cry as he tried to attack Katsuki with a metal pole he found, only to be kicked in the face by Izuku.
"There's only two of them, and one of them is still restrained! How is it so difficult to capture them!?" shouted Magne as she tried to punch Izuku, only to quickly dodge as Katsuki threw out an explosion to cover Izuku, all while parrying daggers that Himoko threw at him with his own dagger.
"Hmph, you underestimate them!" laughed All Might as he and All for One clashed once more, "At this rate, Bakugo and Midoriya will end up capturing your little League!"
"You underestimate Shigaraki," replied All for One, "Not to mention I can tell you're nervous."
All Might growled at this. Truthfully, he wanted to disengage and rescue Katsuki and Izuku, but he knew that All for One wouldn't let him.
Back in the alleyway, all of the students were thinking of a way to save the two boys. All of them knew that if they could rescue them, then All Might could use his full power. However, none of them were allowed to fight.
'Think, think! How would Deku do it!?" thought Ochako until she remembered All Might coming down from the sky to surprise them.
"I got it!" whispered Ochako, causing the others to turn to her, "We can save them without fighting!"
With Momo and Melissa's help, they fine-tuned Ochako's plan until they were ready. Eijiro, Tenya, and Ochako grouped together, with Eijiro in the middle. On Ochako and Tenya's waist were small canisters that Melissa had Momo create. Eijiro volunteered to be the one to call out to Katsuki, considering he was the only one that was relatively close to him as a friend.
With a nod, Ochako lightened their whole weight as Tenya kicked off the wall while using his signature Recipiro Burst to accelerate. The trio crashed through the wall with Eijiro's Quirk acting as the battering ram. Just as the wall broke, Shoto immediately created a huge ice slab with a pathway that shot the trio up into the sky.
The villains were still too shocked at the sudden ice block that they failed to notice the trio up in the sky, nor the objects that were falling off from Ochako and Tenya. All for One tried to stop them, only to be backhanded by All Might into a building.
Kirishima looked back at Katsuki before extending his arm to Katsuki.
"COME!"
Time seemed to slow as Shigaraki rushed forward at Katsuki, hoping to grab his wrist. Even if his piece lost an arm, it was better than to lose him to the heroes. Katsuki looked up for a second before suddenly grabbing Izuku by his cuffs with his left hand. Without hesitation, with his right hand, Katsuki fired off the biggest explosion that he could muster, sending both him and Izuku flying up towards Eijiro. Katsuki continued to let loose a chain of explosions that shot the two of them forward towards Eijiro and the others. With one last explosion, Katuski threw his right hand forward, his hand snagging right into Eijiro's outstretched hand.
"You… idiots!" chuckled Katsuki as the five were still flying through the air.
"What?" shouted Spinner in shock.
"Good, they're distracted. This is our chance now. Let's go," suggested Shoto, with the others nodding and quickly running away.
"Why? Why does everyone get in my way!?" growled Shigaraki in anger.
"Don't let them get away! Where are the long-distance fighters!?" shouted Mr. Compress.
"That's Dabi and Kurogiri, but they're both down!" replied Spinner.
"You two, get close!" ordered Magne as she began to activate her quirk. With both Spinner and Mr. Compress being male, the two began to repulse each other as Magne polarized them.
Right before Magne could fire Mr. Compress off of Spinner, the canisters suddenly opened up to reveal stun grenades that immediately exploded. The villains were all struck with vertigo, wavering as their senses were assaulted. Still, Magne managed to fire Mr. Compress up.
Repulsion Breakup Moonlight Flight Cannon
However, as he was flying up, he saw a giant hand coming right towards him.
"Oh no-" gasped Mr. Compress before the hand swatted him down like a fly.
Due to the delay from Momo's creation with Melissa's handiwork, Mt. Lady was able to get up sooner and gigantify herself once more to prevent anyone from intercepting the student's rescue attempt.
"Let's try another shot-" shouted Magne, only to be kicked in the head by Gran Torino, who rebounded off and kicked Twice and Spinner in the head, knocking them all unconscious.
"You're late!" shouted All Might with a grin.
"You're just too fast!" snarked Gran Torino.
Izuku, seeing that Mt. Lady was up as well as other reinforcements, looked to Katsuki, who looked back at him and nodded. Due to the speed, they were going at, they needed Katsuki's explosion to slow down. However, with both hands occupied, Katsuki couldn't make the necessary adjustments unless he let go.
"See you soon," said Izuku, causing Ochako, Eijiro, and Tenya to look back in surprise.
They all had to suppress a scream of fear as Katsuki let go of Izuku's cuff, letting him go before firing a small but directed explosion at his cuff, sending him flying towards Mt. Lady.
"Mt. Lady, please catch me!" shouted Izuku.
Mt. Lady quickly turned around at the sound of Izuku's voice and saw him falling towards her. She quickly managed to snag Izuku out of the air with her hand, taking a breath of relief. With his current pathway, if she had missed, he would've landed right in between her chest, something she wanted to avoid. She was tempted to accuse him of being a pervert if the situation wasn't so dire.
"Mt. Lady! Take him and go!" ordered All Might.
Mt. Lady was tempted to argue to stay, but a direct order from All Might himself wasn't something that she could ignore, especially with the look on All Might's face. Not to mention clearly Izuku was someone the villains wanted, and getting him as far away as possible was a smart choice.
"Damn brats, you lot better follow me!" shouted Mt. Lady as she began to run towards where Katsuki and the others were, taking large strides so she could easily catch up.
Soon, they were all safely back in the city with the crowd.
"You brats are in a lot of trouble!" huffed Mt. Lady as she escorted Katsuki and the others.
"Luckily we managed to rescue you all."
"Shut up! I wasn't rescued! I just figured that escaping with you idiots was my best chance!" shouted Katsuki, "I just didn't want to get in All Might's way!"
"Sure, whatever works!" chuckled Eijiro.
Meanwhile, Ochako was hugging Izuku with all her might, afraid that he would disappear.
"I'm alright, you can let go now," smiled Izuku.
"No! I want to stay like this a little longer!" huffed Ochako.
Izuku sighed as Tenya called Shoto, telling him that they had successfully escaped while the others confirmed the same for them. Seeing as it was impossible to regroup now due to the crowd, they all opted to meet back up at Momo's house as soon as they could.
"Can't you get those cuffs off?" asked Mt. Lady, "Don't you have super strength?"
"Quirk inhibitor bands in each cuff," replied Izuku, "Can't use my quirk with these on. Apparently, they're the strongest in the market."
"What!? Two of them!" shouted Tenya in shock, "These things are expensive. Not even my brother was willing to order one of them due to how much it cost!"
"Does that mean we can sell them if we can get Melissa and Momo to disable it?" asked Ochako, yen signs appearing in her eyes.
"Hey, if anyone's getting a cut, it's me!" huffed Mt. Lady.
Before Ochako and Mt. Lady could even get into an argument or discussion, everyone's attention was dragged towards the nearest large television.
"It's like a bad dream! In a flash, Kamino Ward has been half destroyed! Apparently, All Might is battling with a villain that is the leader of the League of Villains! Not only has he destroyed parts of the city, but the villain seems to be fighting on equal footing against the Symbol of Peace!"
A second later, everyone could see All for One firing a giant shockwave at All Might, who had chosen not to dodge so as to protect a civilian who had just crawled out of one of the wrecked buildings. Moments passed as the dust began to settle to reveal All Might in his true emancipated form.
'No! His secrets out!' screamed Izuku in his mind as the crowd watched in disbelief.
Katsuki's mind instantly began to flash as he remembered seeing that person before. How could he not remember the man who grabbed Hisashi by the face and threw him out? His eyes flashed towards Izuku, who didn't seem shocked at the form, but rather terrified that the world knew now.
'He knows! Deku knew about this! That means…. There's a connection between him and All Might and that secondary quirk he got,' thought Katsuki.
He didn't push to interrogate as his eyes drew back to All Might, his idol, and was actually scared for him.
Back at the Bakugo household
Inko dropped the cup she was holding onto the floor in shock at the screen. The cup shattered into pieces as the tea she had been drinking spilled all over the floor. Yet none of them reacted to that, as their focus was completely on the television set.
"Toshi-chan… is… All Might!?" gasped Inko.
Silence reigned within the household until…..
"Wow… you're banging the number one hero," said a dazed Mitsuki.
Masaru would've lectured Mitsuki about the appropriateness of the conversation, but was far too distracted.
At England
Hisashi, despite having severed most of his connections to Japan, still checked on the news about Japan every now and then. It was, after all, his birthplace. He was enjoying a cup of coffee and watching the news when he saw the revelation of All Might's true form. He dropped his cup of coffee, staring at the television set in his private office.
"My ex-family… knows…. All Might?" stuttered Hisashi before his mind finally collapsed as he fell unconscious, foaming in the mouth.
He had planned to use his connections to suppress Izuku and Inko, to make it so they would never succeed as petty revenge. He would crush the boy's dream, and maybe if he felt like it, take his ex-wife as a mistress. She was still pretty hot, and it would be a fitting punishment to be his bed warmer.
That flew out the window when he realized just who Toshinori Yagi was. All Might had way more connections than he could ever possibly dream of, and if he ever turned them on him, he wouldn't survive.
Back with All Might and All for One
All Might felt his spirit drop when All for One told him that Shigaraki Tomura was actually his mentor's grandson, real name Tenko Shimura. All this time, the villain he had hunted, threatened, and hurt was his mentor's family. To him, it felt like he had completely betrayed his master. He wanted to shout, to call All for One a liar, anything! But he knew that All for One wouldn't lie about this, not when the truth could hurt so much more.
His mind blanked, trying to find some way to apologize to his dead master when he heard a voice.
"All Might…. Don't lose…. Please!" pleaded the injured woman that had just crawled out of the collapsed building.
All Might pushed all the depressing thoughts away, focusing on what was important right now. Defeating All for One! With effort, he began to channel One for All into his right arm. He knew he only had enough for one attack. It had already been more than a year since he gave Izuku One for All. Meaning the embers within him were almost out, especially with his last fight against Wolfram.
Still, he would push on! After all, even if he had given One for All to Izuku, he was never alone! He remembered his origin, his dream. A world where everyone could smile and live together!
"I see that wasn't enough despair," commented All for One as he floated back down onto the floor, "Then allow me to further drag you down in the pit of sorrow!"
With a snap of a finger, four more Nomus appeared besides All For One. All Might frowned at that fact, hoping reinforcements would come soon. What happened next though, infuriated him.
Izuku was staring up at the jumbo television when he suddenly felt something rise up in his throat. At first, he thought it was just nerves, and tried to force it down. Then to his shock, he couldn't keep it down and threw up. What came out wasn't vomit, but gray ooze that began to quickly surround him.
"Deku/Midoriya!?" shouted Ochako, Eijiro, and Tenya in shock.
Katsuki recognized the ooze immediately and quickly threw himself at Izuku.
"Grab him! He's being warped!" shouted Katsuki as he tried to bear hug Izuku.
Mt. Lady immediately did the same, her memory flashing back to what Best Jeanist had said. To never hesitate as each moment could be the deciding factor between life and death.
However, just like All Might tried to grab Katsuki and Shigaraki but failed, Izuku vanished before their very hands.
"FFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKK!" cursed Katsuki loudly, shocking the crowd around them, "We need to go back!"
"Are you kidding me? We just got away, you're not going back!" replied Mt. Lady, "Plus, All Might is there, even if he does look like a skeleton! Reinforcements are already on its way, with Endeavor in the forefront! You're also someone they kidnapped, if we return, wouldn't it be just gifting you back to the enemy? You all stay here, you're in enough trouble as it is!"
Any argument that would've happened was cut off when they heard Ochako scream. Turning around, they saw on the television that All for One was grabbing Izuku by the head.
With Momo, Melissa, and Shoto, they all looked at their own cellphones in horror at Izuku being warped back to All for One. Momo and Melissa were so shocked that both dropped their cellphones onto the cement floor.
Tsuyu, who was watching the news at the kitchen table, dropped her bowl onto the floor in fear and shock.
"Onee-chan, are you alright?" asked Samidare as he quickly walked over, picking up the shattered pieces of the bowl while ordering Satsuki to stay where she was.
Tsuyu failed to answer as her eyes were glued onto the television.
Izuku found himself tumbling through some viscous ooze before his eyes could register just where he was once more. He paled when he saw All for One standing right in front of him with his life support mask on. Before he could react, though, All for One's left hand surged forward, clamping onto his head.
"Let him go!" shouted All Might in anger.
"I think not. What type of teacher would I be if I didn't eliminate some obstacles for my student," replied All for One before directing his attention to Izuku, "A shame. I had hoped you would accept my offer to go with my student."
"You just wanted me to pass One for All to him," mumbled Izuku through All for One's hand.
"Is it so bad for a teacher to give his student all the resources to succeed?" replied All for One, "I would've at least compensated you with anything you wanted within reason. But now? It's far too late."
"All for One!" roared All Might as he charged forward, only to be stopped as the Nomus roared at him. All Might was ready to use everything up on the Nomu, even if it meant sacrificing his life to save Izuku.
"No! You must save your strength for All for One!" advised Gran Torino as he suddenly zipped forward, crashing into one of the Nomu, "Leave the small fries to us!"
Another Nomu was suddenly wrapped in wires, revealing Best Jeanist back up.
"Indeed, you must be the one to save the boy! As much as I wish to rescue him to repay the debt, I'm unable to do so!" grunted Best Jeanist, ignoring the trickles of blood pouring down his forehead.
The third and fourth Nomu turned to the other two, only to be hit by flames sent by Endeavor.
"All Might! What the hell is with that form!" shouted Endeavor, enraged at the sight of All Might in his true form.
"Looks like we arrived in time," muttered Edgeshot, "But there Nomus aren't like the others! Not to mention we still need to get the injured out of here!"
Indeed, the Nomus that had been hit by Endeavor were slowly turning towards the two, already regenerating from the burns. The Nomu that Gran Torino had tackled suddenly stomped its foot down, regaining its balance before grabbing Gran Torino by his legs, covering the pores in his shoes while punching him in the stomach, driving the air out of him.
'Shit, can't escape! Did he instinctively know how my quirk works?' thought Gran Torino as he tried to escape. He could feel the Nomu starting to crush his legs while the other hand grabbed his hands, trying to tear him in half.
"Gran Torino!" shouted Best Jeanist as he tried to send some strands over to help him escape, only for the slight distraction to cost him as the Nomu broke free, sprouting blades all over his body. With a roar, it jumped towards Best Jeanist.
"What will you do, All Might? Will you abandon your comrade for this child, or abandon the future for the present!" laughed All for One, knowing that he was holding the successor of One for All. All Might would choose to save the boy, but at the cost of other heroes. This would portray All Might in a bad light that he could spin his way even if he loses.
"Oh my, I shouldn't delay any longer. With your quirk sealed with the two restraints, I should be able to steal it. Even if I can't, I can very well seal it forever with the new quirks I have recently acquired," apologized All for One to Izuku before using his quirk, All for One, on him before Izuku or All Might could even react.