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[Maintain the attitude]
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…
'Well, that worked better than I hoped. He even gave me special effects and all.' Taka thought as he glared at the now-captured Kurogiri hovering before him, struggling under his aura's pressure.
He didn't quite remember every detail of how things had played out in the show, but he had to admit, using a cupule of darkness to teleport everyone away? It was the perfect setup for a "light that pierces the insurmountable darkness" moment.
He sure reaped quite a lot of aura with that move.
'About 200 in one go... and probably more later.' Taka thought, smirking behind his mask.
And aura wasn't the only thing he had managed to harvest there. He also got to try wrapping it around his classmates' bodies to prevent the mist from touching them.
Something he hadn't had the chance to do so far, since he acted alone most of the time.
Now he was more ready for similar situations in the future... and it had also sparked a new idea about his aura's still-untapped applications. A very interesting idea.
'But more on that later. I need to focus on the matter at hand.' Taka shook his head briefly.
Pushing the thought aside, Taka swept his gaze briefly over his classmates. They remained behind him, staring in stunned silence at how everything had unfolded, and how the terrifying villain and whatever his plans had been, were stopped in a matter of seconds.
But although they were clearly relieved, Taka didn't share much of the sentiment.
'Too bad they won't get to fight villains today, I'm fairly sure that was a good growing instance for them, even if a bit scary…' He sighed inwardly, recalling the fights and the clutch-ups his classmates pulled in the show to beat the villains waiting for them whethever Kurogi had warped them.
He had just taken away that chance to experience the real thing and grow as heroes from them.
For a moment, faint regret showed on Taka's face.
Only to disappear as a sneer escaped his nose.
'But I suppose I'll make it up to them with some extra training.'
Canon deviation resolved—at least to his satisfaction—Taka turned his attention back to Kurogiri.
"Now then," he said calmly, "how about we talk about those plans of yours?"
The villain's glowing eyes narrowed, his voice slipping through the crushing pressure around him.
"It seems U.A.'s golden eggs are more exceptional than we anticipated… To think I'd meet a Quirk that counters mine right here... How troublesome."
"Are you deaf?"
Taka's raised hand twitched.
In response, the aura constricting Kurogiri's metallic neck brace compressed further, the metal denting inward with a sharp groan.
"Under this thing," Taka continued coolly, "is your physical body, is it not?"
"Kgh—!"
Kurogiri's eyes widened slightly as a grunt escaped him, the pressure finally making itself known.
Taka's eyes burned brighter, his aura flaring with unmistakable menace.
"Start talking," he said, "if you don't want to become a flattened can."
"… U-unfortunately, I cannot," Kurogiri maintained his composure, even through the pain.
"Is that so?" Taka's eyes narrowed.
His grip on the metal increased.
Kurogiri's breath began to hasten, and the metal compressed further.
But even then, he remained silent.
Not only that, the villain clearly wasn't hiding his pain. The eye twitches, the groans, the hastened breath… he was suffering.
And yet, his eyes never left Taka's.
Even as the student's fingers slowly closed, and the metal around Kurogiri's neck screamed under the strain—buckling more with each passing second—the villain never broke eye contact.
Not even once showing hesitation in them, nor fear.
He wasn't going to talk, even if it meant his death.
So, in the end, Taka released his grip.
'Pretty auratic,' he admitted inwardly, nodding in quiet respect.
He descended back to the ground, boots touching the floor as his aura relaxed and the pressure dissipated. A huff slipped from his nose.
'Well, it's not like I expected a different outcome.'
Kurogiri was already thoroughly brainwashed. Beyond putting on a show, Taka hadn't truly expected him to reveal anything about the League's plans.
Not that he needed him to, he already knew mostly everything.
But the others didn't know that—so appearances had to be maintained.
As for why he wasn't killing Kurogiri—one of, if not the most, troublesome villain around—well, that was because Shigaraki needed this guy with how often he screwed up, otherwise, he'd be caught before he could even amount to anything.
So, leaving the foggy villain running around until Shigaraki and company became worth aura-harvesting was the smart move.
'That, plus the fact that my edginess is just for show. I'm not quite that willing to kill someone just yet.' Taka thought grimly.
Maybe in the future he'd be willing to take that step with the most unreedemable bunch, but for now, he wasn't about to try his luck on finding out whether he would be a cold-blooded killer or vomit from guilt the instant someone got blasted by him.
Maybe he was inviting trouble onto himself by not ending this guy here… but wasn't that the way of the aura farmer?
Trouble = Aura.
And besides…
'These guys won't be able to beat me.' He thought, glaring at Kurogiri with a smug look.
Decision made, and letting out a sneer, Taka turned toward Thirteen, who had been watching the entire exchange in speechless disbelief.
"It seems he won't talk," Taka said, snapping her out of her thoughts.
"You…" Thirteen hesitated, then exhaled softly. "I think Aizawa mentioned you. You really are as troublesome as he said, huh?"
'What's that supposed to mean?' Taka raised an eyebrow.
After a brief nod of thanks, Thirteen turned back to Kurogiri, uncertainty creeping into her voice.
"Can you keep him restrained?"
"So long as I want," Taka replied calmly, confidence filling his tone, "he won't be moving."
Nodding, Thirteen turned and swept her gaze across the main plaza, her eyes narrowing as she spotted Aizawa still locked in combat with the horde of villains below.
"We should evacuate immediately and call in the other heroes quickly. Everyone, let's get on the move." She turned to the students, gesturing firmly toward the exit.
They obeyed, nodding as they started moving.
Thirteen was about to follow—when she noticed someone hadn't moved.
"Takahashi?" She turned, tone filled with confusion.
Taka stood still, his eyes fixed on the main plaza where Aizawa carved through the villains.
Then he turned back to them, his voice calm.
"You guys go. I'll help the teacher."
"What?!" Multiple voices erupted at once.
"This is not the time to be reckless, Takahashi." Thirteen's tone hardened. "We need outside support. There are too many villains, this is far too dangerous for mere students to deal with."
"No." The single word landed heavily.
"Oi, Takahashi, don't be an idiot," Jiro stepped forward. "I know you're strong, but that's at least fifty villains down there. That's too much even for you."
Kirishima swallowed. "Y-yeah, man. This isn't the time to show off. We need to get All Might. He can handle this."
"You're strong, Taka, but this is too much, even for you," Tsuyu said, worry clear on her face.
Taka didn't blink.
"By the time All Might or anyone else gets here," he said evenly, "Aizawa-sensei will be dead."
A chill ran through the group.
"W-what are you talking about?!" Sato protested. "He's holding his ground. We're just slowing things down by staying here!"
"Yes, Takahashi-san!" Iida snapped. "This is not the moment to prove yourself!"
"Takahashi-san, please—!" Yaoyorozu stepped forward, too.
But Taka's next words pulled everyone into silence.
"You still don't get it?" Taka asked, his tone almost amused, shooting them a look. "They came here to kill All Might. Those villains down there are numerous, sure—but they're weaklings. Anyone capable of and with the influence to gather this many people should know that, regardless of numbers, weaklings wouldn't even be able to scratch All Might."
Todoroki's eyes narrowed. "So you're saying they have something else."
Taka nodded.
"And whatever that is," he continued, his tone turning ominous, "Aizawa-sensei won't be able to hold out against it."
He paused, turning his gaze toward Kurogiri.
"Isn't that right?"
The villain didn't answer—but he didn't need to. There was no fear in his glowing eyes.
Not even after being captured.
That alone was enough to unsettle the group. Even Thirteen hesitated.
"Still," Kaminari said shakily, "if they really have something to deal with All Might, we can't handle that ourselves! Only All Might and the others should—!"
"AAARGH!"
Before he could continue, however, Aizawa's scream tore through the air, reaching them even from the distance between the main plaza and here.
Every head snapped back toward the battlefield.
And this time, the scene had changed completely.
Where moments ago Aizawa had been overwhelming the crowd, now he was pinned to the ground—his body crushed beneath a towering, monstrous figure with obsidian skin and a beak-like maw.
Their teacher's arms bent at impossible angles under the monster's grip, pitiful screams coming from the Erasure Hero.
"Sensei!"
"Shit—!"
"What do we do?!"
That was enough to set the class in panic.
For once, Thirteen looked uncertain of what to do as well.
But before any of them could even attempt to think of something, Taka began moving.
"You all leave, and call for help," Taka said, already moving toward the stairs leading down to the plaza. "I'll stay."
Protests erupted behind him—from teacher and students alike.
But that hadn't been a suggestion.
It was a statement.
-Fwooosh!-
Taka's aura flared violently.
In the next instant, he leapt from the stairs, following the same path Aizawa had taken earlier, and skipping the stairs entirely.
—BOOOOM!—
His descent was like a falling comet of crimson. The ground detonated as his feet slammed into the plaza—
His arrival rang out like a gong, freezing the battlefield in an instant. The villains who had been rushing toward the now-restrained Aizawa paused, turning their heads in shock, their surging confidence vanishing in an instant the moment they laid their eyes on the figure standing there.
Through the pain of being pinned down, Aizawa's eyes widened.
"Takahashi…?!"
Shigaraki, on the other hand, squinted at the newcomer, his eyes scanning him for a moment before they looked at something else behind the newcomer's shoulder.
"Hoh?"
Floating behind him, a still-restrained Kurogiri struggled—
At least, until Taka casually waved a hand and hurled him across the plaza.
-Thud!-
"Urgh!"
A few seconds later, the villain slammed harshly into the ground near Shigaraki, skidding a meter or so, before he finally came to a stop.
Shigaraki's eyes swept over him briefly, irritation twisting his face.
"…You got captured, Kurogiri?"
Despite the pain and the tense look Shigaraki was shooting him, Kurogiri showed no fear; he simply reported the details of what had happened as he weakly pushed himself up.
"Shigaraki Tomura, the plan has failed. I was unable to teleport the students, and they are right now evacuating the facility… it won't be long before external help arrives."
For a moment, Shigaraki went utterly silent.
Then his fingers rose to his neck.
-Scratch-
-Scratch-
-Scratch-
The pacing and violence of the scratching increased as the seconds passed.
"…Of course," he muttered, voice trembling with rage. "Of course you failed at the only thing I asked you to do. One job. One fucking job." His scratching grew violent. "Damn it, Kurogiri—if your Quirk wasn't Gate, I'd have killed you already!"
Kurogiri remained unmoved, as if the threat meant nothing.
Eventually, Shigaraki forced himself to calm down.
"…Whatever. This mission is a failure."
His gaze shifted to Taka, who stood calmly at the foot of the stairs.
"And who might you be?"
"He's the one who prevented me from using my Quirk on the students," Kurogiri added, pushing himself upright, although with a little limp.
"Takahashi—get out of here—argh!" From the ground, Aizawa tried to shout, only for Nomu to slam his head back down.
"Takahashi, huh?" Shigaraki's lips curled upward, mockingly. "So, a student."
He laughed softly.
"He must think he's the chosen one to drop here, amidst dozens of villains without fear… Seriously, this society has everyone so thoroughly brainwashed."
Taking a deep breath, Shigaraki's red eyes landed directly on Taka's own.
"We've failed our objective, so we should be retreating soon before more annoying pests come to bother us… but since you came all the way down here, I suppose we can leave All Might a little souvenir to remember us and shatter that pride of his while at it."
His smile widened, his tone turning sadistic and manic.
"A dead teacher and a dead student. How does that sound?"
"You're misunderstanding something."
Taka's voice cut through the air, calm and absolute. His eyes shone as the aura around him thickened, growing heavier—more oppressive.
"Hah?" Shigaraki tilted his head.
Then—
—Swooooosh!—
A burst of crimson aura erupted from Taka and slammed into Nomu.
The creature was launched backward like a meteor, tearing through the plaza before crashing some meters past the fountain at the center, tearing it apart.
Shigaraki looked past his shoulder with a surprised gaze before looking back at their new foe.
Then, another surge of that bright crimson aura followed immediately.
"Kgh—! You damn troublesome brat, get out of here…!"
Aizawa cursed as his body was lifted gently, carried upward by the aura. Moments later, he was deposited safely above the stairs, where several of Class 1-A rushed forward, grabbing their injured teacher and pulling him back with them.
Shigaraki stared, disbelief etched across his face.
Then Taka spoke again, drawing the villain's attention back to him.
"From now on," he said, stepping forward, "you'll be fighting only me."
His aura exploded outward, flaring like a crimson inferno—dominant, overwhelming, unmistakable. The dark silhouette of his suit contrasted sharply against the raging red lights surrounding him.
"Hah…" Shigaraki let out a hollow laugh. "Well, aren't you cool?"
He waved a hand.
Immediately, the remaining villains regrouped, forming a defensive barrier between him and Taka.
Then, dark swirling portals opened.
Kurogiri's eyes narrowed as one gate after another flared to life. Villains who had been waiting across the facility—prepared to ambush scattered students—stepped through, swelling their numbers.
Soon, a small army stood against a single student.
"Let's see if you can maintain that attitude," Shigaraki snorted, then pointed straight at Taka.
With that simple command, every remaining villain surged forward—
—all of them charging straight at him.
Taka cracked his neck with calmness before the rushing numbers, a smirk forming beneath his mask.
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
[STATUS PAGE]
▸ Strength: 14,000
▸ Defense: 14,316
▸ Aura Projection: 8000
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Total Aura: 36,815 → 35,815 (97,2%)
1st Clone's aura: 1000 (2,8%)
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
Upping his physical stats, Taka stared down the rushing horde.
Sixty—maybe seventy villains.
A scene worthy of nightmares for many.
That many people rushing at you usually meant certain death.
—For someone lesser, that is.
Without an ounce of fear, Taka took a single step forward.
—Swooooosh!—
What followed was etched permanently into the memories of everyone watching.
Villains.
Classmates.
Teachers.
All of them stared with awe at what followed.
Taka's figure blurred. A trail of crimson light that zigzagged across the army like a ricocheting bullet. Too fast for any eye to properly follow him.
And then—
-Thud!!!-
In the very next instant, every villain collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
After that, a red trail of light lingered in the air, dissipating slowly—the only proof of what had just occurred.
Without it, no one could have followed what had transpired or known what Taka had done.
But one truth was unmistakable, no matter if they had caught Taka's movements or not.
In mere seconds, Taka had crushed an entire army.
And standing past the fallen villains, now without anything blocking his path to Shigaraki... Taka stood unbothered.
Shigaraki stared at the fallen bodies, disbelief freezing his expression.
Then Taka's voice snapped him out of it.
"Let's see if you can maintain yours."
...
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-To Be Continued...-
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(A/N: And now, the fodder is taken care of in one chapter. I considered dedicating a chapter to Taka fighting against the sheer numbers, like Aizawa, but I realized it wasn't that necessary and that'd just be me lengthening this for no reason, so let's get on to the good stuff right away.
Maybe I'll do an army vs one situation later on, but for this arc, it's prescindible.
Next time, in MHA Aura Farming, Taka vs Nomu.
Don't miss it.)