Happy Chapter Day everyone!
Wow so I just got a wonderful reminder on why I write.
These last 2 weeks have been a bit tough, such is life.
It's a voyage of unpredictable waters.
Let's just say emotions were high and moral was low.
So I did a lot of reading to cure.
I nearly forgot how cathardic reading could be when you're at your lowest. Mostly because you guys have been keeping me soaring and content.
I hope these chapters bring you the same sense of refuge from any hardships and just makes you're day better.
Enjoy!
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CHAPTER 107: Heroes Unite! Unexpected Mission
Sakura felt the wind brush across her skin, mixed with the sunlight and petals that fell around the path from the blossoming trees. March had finally arrived, and with it came spring. The breaking of a new season and a new opportunity. Her classmates chatted alongside, but they weren't taking in the change of season. Their eager chatters were on the subject of their work studies. But Sakura shared something with her classmates-to everyone, nothing seemed amiss.
Work studies had become the priority for the last three months, and unbeknownst to them, even the teachers had become lenient with their actual school work and studies. The reason had been nothing more than an inkling to Sakura. She didn't fully understand how the hero training system worked, but her classmates always spoke of their unusual circumstances as first-years. And while they were all great talents, she didn't see any reason for them to be getting special treatment- unless, of course, there was.
But at this point, it was all speculation and her sharp intuition playing on these theories, yet nothing concurred.
Until today.
Everything followed their regular morning routines before they left campus: early breakfast, skipping morning training due to the absurd time frame, and suitcases with hero costumes in hand.
Then everyone got to chatting, showing their screens to each other, and that's when something finally seemed off.
While they walked towards the bus, there were already voices being carried in the wind, along the same lines.
"I got the same message."
"Me too,"
"The location for mine is the same as yours, kero."
"What for real?"
"Same here."
"Oh my gosh, look."
By the time they had all boarded the bus, one thing had become clear-they were all going to the same place this time. Even Sakura, who normally met with Chiyo at the gates on campus and left together, had been told to take a different route.
It seemed even more interesting when they discovered a second bus following their route, with Class-B students waving at them.
'What's going on now?'
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Turns out their instincts were correct, as their bus drive took them to the center of Tokyo, to the department of security. Where they were greeted by a policemen, instead of a hero. He ushered them into the building and instructed them to change without offering any more, even when someone attempted to prod for information.
After getting into their hero uniforms, they were brought to a wide hall that was already filled with the heroes who were MIA, no matter how many times their mentees tried to text them. Now they knew why.
"There's Mysterio," Momo pointed.
"And Gran Orca,"
"And Fatgum!" exclaimed Eijiro.
At first, it seemed like every hero who had been part of the work studies program had arrived; however, they also found several more who hadn't taken on any students. The only question was, what would such a massive scale of heroes be needed for?
"Some of these heroes don't even work in this area," Izuku said, just as confused, but also certain.
Class A and B were grouped together in the masses, but they seemed to be the only students in the area. Sakura tried to peer over the rather large figures ahead of them; she could see a podium set with a microphone. And further along, she could also spot a few of their teacher's.
"I see Miss Midnight!" exclaimed Toru.
"Why are so many heroes gathered there?" asked Rikido, looking around, but no one could answer that question.
For a moment, Sakura quieted the world around her and observed. She took in the heroes' formations, their tensions in their shoulders, the way they looked around with sharp eyes. Their postures give away more than words could. Their chins held to a point, no slack in their spines-the last time Sakura had seen and felt tensions like this was when she was lined up in the Sand village, with thousands of shinobi about to go to war.
She almost felt shame that it took her this long to realize it.
When a man in a nice suit walked in, everyone knew to quiet themselves, including the clueless students. He was likely from the safety commission. Sakura noticed that they all had a stuffy air about them, and the way they carried themselves was like a steel rod trying to bend like a human. He came to the podium, tapping the microphone.
"Thank you for coming, everyone. As you know, the day has finally come."
"What day?" One of the UA students whispered. Enough for their voice to carry.
A projector turned on, lighting up a screen behind the podium. That was the beginning of a very informative slideshow. And Sakura was stunned to spot a very familiar hospital in one of them.
"Most of you have already been informed, but as of today we've decided to reveal all to those participating in today's mission."
The way he said mission sounded definitive in all its encompassing. And that didn't bode well in Sakura's opinion. Heroes didn't go on missions. Those required strategic maneuvers, planning and, at times, underhanded tactics, which weren't their typical workday.
"As you know, months ago, the League of Villains leader had been defeated and detained after Kamino." He said, gesturing to the image of All for One-what was left of him. And his current state. He was detained in a white room, his body restrained. In Tartarus. "However, his underlings have escaped, including Tomura Shigaraki. We have finally received news that they have been on the move, but their numbers have grown-they are now a force that puts the entire world in jeopardy."
Izuku looked like he was ready to heave, as they continued with the presentation, it turning into a horrifying slideshow of events that had been right under their nose.
"This all began with the events in Deika City…."
The attack they had assumed was an ordinary group of villains turned out ot be none other than the League. The resutls were devastating, in the destruction that all of a sudden made sense, it could only be attributed to a single quirk-Tomura's. However the destructive base was beyond what they ever imaginedh e would be capable of.
And that wasn't even the worst of it.
"The League of Villains has taken over a group known as the Meta Liberation Army-their base of operations was in Deika City. Their leader Destro and his subordinates had an altercation with Shigaraki and his group. Now they have accepted the League as their Leaders, controlling a number close to over one hundred thousand."
Sakura could practically feel everyone stop breathing when that number dropped. That was an army of villains, packed into Japan, and unlike regular villains, they were clearly strategic enough to form groups and units, at least from what was revealed further.
And it was painfully clear that, with this number at his disposal, Tomura would be able to wreak havoc that was cataclysmic.
"You all understand, the situation is dire." Enough that the commission and authorities had to call on nearly every hero in Tokyo for a large-scale attack. "However, not all heroes are here, and there is a reason." The screen flashed, and with the tights, spandex, and charismatic smiles, they were clearly heroes. "There are also heroes who have joined the ranks of the Liberation Army."
A briefing of the Metal Liberation Army was apparently known enough to the older generation. When society was going through a crisis regarding meta abilities, before they were called quirks. There was a man, Destro, who had formed this group, who wished to go against the status quo of the control the government attempted to hold on those with quirks. He unified the liberationists to form the Meta Liberation Army and took on the name Destro - the one who would destroy the status quo.
But even after he was defeated, his ideology continued to exist.
During his incarceration, Destro wrote the Meta Liberation War, an autobiographical book in which he exposes his ideology of Quirk liberation.
Destro had a successor as well, but it was a shock when they revealed it was none other than the Ceop of the Detnerat Company. He used his influence to rebuild the Metal Liberation Army and spread that ideology. That being, superpowers are fundamental human rights and that society's restrictions and licensing laws suppress individual identity and natural freedom. While it sounded like Destro believed people should be allowed to use their quirks freely and however they want, while viewing society norms and government regulation as oppressive. Sakura realized the reality.
All those who embraced this ideology were operating under anarchic freedom. The movement was a vehicle to subvert the government and establish a society where social standing is determined by the raw strength of an individual's Quirk.
Now the whispers were growing, especially amongst the students, who realized they weren't just getting called in for a simple meeting or collaboration. This was a severe operation that was beyond their current capabilities, but there was no choice. Numbers were not on their side.
"What the heck?"
For once, Sakura shared the sentiment with Denki, who was just as shocked as the other students. This wasn't some last-minute plan; otherwise, they wouldn't be so thoroughly prepared and even aware of who the traitors were amongst their masses. They were attacking 2 locations. It was the underground hideout, where the members of the meta liberation army would be residing, and Jaku hospital.
They didn't give too many details about this, and somehow the students already knew they likely weren't going to receive any reply for whatever information others felt they weren't entitled to, but there was proof that the nomu creations might have a connection there. The vagueness of that response did not sit well with Sakura.
'We're getting dragged into what could become a full-scale battle,' and with no time or warning beyond this moment to prepare.
"Seriously," Sakura gritted her teeth.
"Work-study students, most of you will be logistical support. You'll be divided into teams for evacuation, and others will be at the rear to stop any stragglers from escaping. We will also have a select few of you at the front to give support to the heroes. However, don't fear; you will not be kept on the battlefield for long, and you won't be getting too close."
"What the hell is wrong with them?" Sakura might have hissed, but she made sure her voice carried her disdain as far as the room could go. Some heads even turned to find the source, but showed no signs of wavering in her expression that could only be described as sour and pissed.
"Sakura…" Momo murmured in a dulcet note.
"If they were planning on dragging us into a fight, they should've informed us earlier than an hour before the start." Sakura did not adjust her tone; she feared nothing at this point, and no one was going to stop her from participating in these operations. Not when someone from her class or the others could end up injured or worse in this mission.
"We've planned everything down to the minute, so I assure you, there will be nothing to worry about. We already know most of their top soldiers' quirks and abilities…as for the evacuation, work studies students will be called in for instruction…..
But as the words continued to pour, they began to fall on deaf ears, blocked by Sakura's rage. She felt her face burning hot with her blood.
And her classmates, seeing her expression seeping malice, attempted to futilely talk to her, but their voices also drowned.
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Burnin gestured at the cityscape, pointing towards a mountain, "The heroes are at the foot, so we need to start evacuating at the rear."
The operation seemed to be happening further from the cityscape, but after seeing the destruction created in Deika City, they weren't going to leave anything to chance, especially not the lives of civilians.
They were divided strategically, with supervisors. Most of the students were at the rear of what would soon become a battlefield; a lot of them were able to capture from a distance. People like Denki were brought to the front line for his quirk that could take out multiple enemies from a distance. The wide rangers. Didn't mean they were eager. But heroes promised to pull them away from the front lines.
"Don't be mad, Sakura. We're only handling evacuations," said Izuku. He was the fourth person who attempted to placate the curdled expression on her face.
Katsuki didn't look pleasant either, but that was for different reasons, being denied a chance to blow up some villains on the front lines.
"Let's just get this crap over with!"
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While the students were left to their own devices in regard to evacuating their designated areas, they were given an outline on the best forms and methods, as well as courtesies to follow. They had to keep them from panicking. They had to move like the wind, picking up as many as they could. That included everyone trying to hide out in their homes and their pets. Leaving without locking doors, packing sentiments. Which made it a little more challenging.
Sakura moved from place to place, covering the area she was designated with top speeds, ushering people from their homes who hadn't gotten the alert to evacuate.
"Emergency evacuation. Please exit your homes and follow me. There are police vehicles here for your escort."
The elderly couple on the third floor of the corner building opened the door in matching cardigans, blinking at her with confusion. She didn't rush them. She helped the woman with the walker. She matched her pace to theirs and guided them toward the stairs with a hand at the man's elbow, steady as a banister, and delivered them to the flow of people moving toward the police escort,
'We're at such a distance, but they still want us to evacuate,' Sakura thought, looking out into the mountains in view.
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Izuku, Tenya, Katuski, Shouto, Ochaco, Tsuyu, and a few more of them were working fast to clear the area. Bringing people to the police vans set for evacuation. Just another insight into how large an operation this was, and the weight of urgency that was measured on the scales for this.
"This says something," she said, watching Burnin bring the people into the vans.
"This says something," Sakura noted
"What do you mean?" asked Izuku
"If you're evacuating, you can't be overzealous on a limited time period, which is what we're on. You would have to predict the area likely to fall under attack." Not to mention organizing the transport and space. They would have to be very certain of their information.
"One thing I'm sure of: we weren't given the full scope of this operation."
Katsuki, who had been battling to move along a few elderly people who wanted to offer him treats in thanks, caught wind of the two discussing and moved to intercept.
"What are you two babbling about?"
Sakura gestured to the mountains, "The hospital is all the way over there. And the heroes are also attacking the hideout. Why the urgency to hit both places at once?"
The boys didn't give a response because they knew she wasn't looking for it. "This distance is the same as Kamino."
That took them by clear surprise.
"What are you thinking?"
"My instincts are just telling me something more dangerous is going on than they're letting us believe"
Burnin found her at the perimeter's edge,"Haruno."
"Yes?"
"I need you to go to the rear," Burnin said. "Injured are starting to come in. Recovery Girl wants you to join the paramedics."
That hadn't been part of their plan. All students were supposed to return to the rear after they completed their tasks, but it seemed things had taken a turn. There had to be a reason she was getting called on-and for a medic, it wasn't frutuitous news. It seems they even had the sense not to detail why they needed her.
"I know where they are." Sakura didn't miss a beat as she passed her classmates, vanishing with her first step. Always leaving someone awestruck.
And it was after she had left that Izuku heard it. An echo that pounded through his mind and sent shivers through his body.
'He's coming.'
Suddenly, he wished that Sakura had stayed with them, just a few more seconds.
Hey, love
So, you just read that chapter.
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EARLY CHAPTERS FOR MEMBERS NOW: BUYMEACOFFEE
-Kunoichi amongst Heroes (108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115)
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- (Bleach crossover) Kunoichi amongst Reapers: (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,16)
- Kunoichi amongst Benders (Avatar x Naruto crossover) (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-Crossroads of Fate chapter (41, 42, 43, 44)
-Sequel-Through the SpyGlass: (1,2,3,4,5,6,7)
-Kunoichi amongst Heroes WHAT IF SPIN OFF: Dorms and Exams
-SPECIAL HALLOWEEN CHAPTER: Shinigami amongst Shinobi
-Commission: Demon slayer x My hero academia (PART 1 & 2)