Chapter 70: Help Finally Arrives, Even If It's Not the Help I Wanted
The Nomu then launched itself toward them at high speed, the ground trembling with every heavy step, the air vibrating with imminent threat.
Bakugou, having learned his lesson about the monster's speed, used his quirk to propel himself into the air with controlled and precise explosions, gaining altitude to avoid a direct ground attack.
Shoto used his fire to create an intense, concentrated flame barrier around them—the flames roaring loudly, distorting the air as they tried to block the Nomu's advance.
But the Nomu plowed through the flames as if they were nothing, ignoring the fire completely and emerging from the other side with skin steaming but intact, eyes fixed and fist raised.
It then aimed a devastating punch right at Shoto's head, the fist descending like a demolition hammer, the air compressing ahead of it.
But Kirishima appeared in front of him at the last second, hardening his body to the maximum—skin turning to solid rock—and using his quirk to defend the frontal blow.
The punch hit Kirishima with brutal force the impact creating an explosive shockwave that sank the ground around into a deep crater, cracks spreading like webs as Kirishima's hardened body filled with deep fissures, blood trickling from the cuts while he held firm, teeth clenched against the crushing pain that made his muscles tremble.
Bakugou seized the perfect opening, flying in from behind with a propulsive explosion, and attacked the Nomu with all his strength detonating a massive, concentrated explosion on the monster's back. The boom echoed like a heavy cannon, flames and smoke enveloping the Nomu as the impact pushed it forward, making it roar in rage, the body shuddering from the absorbed force but still standing.
Shoto seized the chance immediately, channeling his ice to immobilize the Nomu's legs for precious seconds sharp crystals rising rapidly from the ground, freezing the joints with a cracking freeze and attacked its face with his fire at full power, a concentrated and furious blast that caused a massive flaming explosion, the intense force throwing the Nomu far away along with Kirishima, creating a fire wave that illuminated the entire plaza.
He then looked at the dense smoke that was lowering, heart racing, expecting the worst.
He then saw the monster regenerating rapidly flesh reconstructing with wet snaps, cracks sealing shut, the body returning to normal in grotesque seconds.
Shigaraki, seeing their surprised faces, smiled with sadistic pleasure and said:
—You really didn't think you had any chance, did you? This Nomu was designed to kill All Might. He has super regeneration, shock absorption, and super strength. You really thought your attacks would have any effect on him, right?
Bakugou said, voice full of fury:
—Shut your mouth, you shit! You're only capable of hiding behind that monster, you coward!
Shigaraki said:
—Well, it seems you want to end this game sooner. Nomu! Kill them all quickly.
The Nomu roared sound that made the air vibrate, and ran toward them, the ground cracking with speed and weight.
Shoto said, tension in his voice:
—Damn, Bakugou! Why did you have to provoke the villain more?
Bakugou said:
—Shut up, half-and-half! He already wants to kill us anyway. It doesn't matter what I say to him.
Shoto said:
—It matters if you're going to speed up our death!
Kirishima said, still panting from the pain:
—Guys, it's not time to fight. We have to deal with him first.
The Nomu appeared suddenly, a blur of movement, aiming a punch at Kirishima's chest to kill him instantly with one blow the fist descending with force enough to crush everything, the air howling ahead.
When a foot full of blue flames descended from the sky like a divine bolt and hit the Nomu's face with explosive violence the impact making the monster's head snap with an audible and brutal crack, bones groaning as it was thrown far away for several meters. The Nomu flew uncontrollably, crashing into the wall on the other side of the USJ with a boom that made the structure tremble and crack deeply, dust falling like rain.
Aoi landed softly with Izuku and Tsuyu and said, smiling despite the fatigue:
—Momo Mina uraraka, your hero has arrived.
Kaminari said:
—And us? You didn't come to save us too?
Aoi looked at him and said, joking:
—You're still alive? Lucky guy.
Kaminari shouted, unsatisfied:
—What do you mean "still alive"? I'm strong, okay!
Aoi said:
—Well, it's good to see you're all okay.
He then appeared beside Momo and hugged her while looking at Mina and Uraraka and said:
—Mina, Uraraka, you were incredible too. I saw how you defeated the villains. I was rooting for you.
Uraraka said, embarrassed:
—It wasn't that big a deal. I didn't defeat them alone.
Mina said happily:
—Yes, we finished them off!
Jiro, seeing this, just sighed and said:
—What a difference in treatment.
Bakugou, seeing this confusion, shouted:
—You perverted shit! Look at the current situation! We're still at risk of death, so stop being a pervert!
Aoi looked at him angrily and said:
—Shut up, you expired fireworks. I'm checking if my childhood friends aren't injured. Why don't you go see if your boyfriend Izuku isn't either?
Bakugou said angrily:
—What the— you damn bastard? I'm going to explode you!
Shigaraki, seeing them joking and ignoring his presence, shouted in rage:
—You think this is a joke? You're all going to die, you shits!
Aoi then stood up and looked at him and said:
—Well, I really don't want to die. So it seems the only solution is to send you to jail.
Aoi then launched at high speed, kicking with his flame Haki at Shigaraki's head—the kick cutting the air with a flaming whistle.
But at that moment the Nomu appeared to protect him again, interposing like a living wall.
Aoi looked at it and said:
—It seems to finish you off I need to destroy this thing first, right?
They then started exchanging blows Aoi and the Nomu moving in blurs of insane speed, each punch and kick generating wind pressure that created destructive waves, destroying everything around: simulated pillars cracking, ground parting in craters, the air crackling with impacts that echoed like thunder.
Aoi smiled madly while feeling his body breaking and healing repeatedly bones cracking from direct hits, muscles tearing, blood running down his body in streams, but the blue flames regenerating everything instantly with blue smoke rising, keeping him in full combat.
The Nomu then delivered a strong kick to his chest, the impact sinking part of Aoi's thorax with a horrible and visceral crack, ribs groaning as the air exploded around, throwing him far away with force that made the body spin in the air.
Aoi stood up smiling, coughing blood but eyes shining, looking at the Nomu and said:
—Nice hit, you shit. It hurt a little.
Aoi then looked at the bracelet with Aizawa's blood that he collected secretly when he hugged Momo who was caring for Aizawa and checked if it was intact.
But he then turned his head and saw Shigaraki and Kurogiri attacking his classmates, who were defending themselves desperately with help from Bakugou, Midoriya, and Shoto explosions, ice, and punches flying in a coordinated but pressured defense.
Aoi then took a deep breath and thought: "Damn. I wanted to use this technique on All For One. But unfortunately if I don't act and finish this Nomu soon, they'll be killed by Shigaraki and Kurogiri. Well, after mastering all six styles, I finally managed to master Life Return. I used it to bring this technique to reality. But the problem is that after using it, I'll be defenseless for 30 minutes. That time in a deadly battle is enough to die several times."
Aoi then looked at everyone giving their lives to protect Aizawa from Shigaraki's attack and sighed and shouted:
—Shoto! Izuku! And Bakugou! I'm going to use a technique to finish this shit monster quickly. But after I use it, I'll be defenseless for 30 minutes. Can I count on you for those thirty minutes?
Shoto was shocked and then smiled and shouted back:
—Go for it, brother! I'm here!
Izuku looked at Aoi and, smiling seriously, said:
—Go ahead, Aoi. I won't let them get past me.
Bakugou shouted angrily:
—Go already, you extra! In the end, everything depends on the future number 1 here!
Aoi smiled at them and said:
—Well, then let's go.
He then gave an insane smile and said:
—First gate: open!
His flames surged across his entire body, intensifying dramatically, the air around trembling with vibration.
He then appeared in front of the Nomu in a blur and delivered an explosive knee to the Nomu's chin, the impact lifting it upward with force that made the air explode.
Aoi then said:
—Second gate: open!
He flew toward it like a rocket and delivered a kick to the Nomu's chest that sank its chest deeply, making it fly through the hole in the USJ ceiling toward the sky with a muffled roar.
Aoi then flew after it while thinking: "Damn, this power explosion move really consumes an absurd amount of energy. But it's also normal—it was based on Ittou Shura from Kurogane Ikki, on Hachimon from Naruto... Of course it would consume energy."
Aoi, smiling with the emotion of the battle and feeling his body getting stronger as it broke and recovered, said:
—But even so, I don't care at all about that right now. Third gate: open!
His flames increased even more, pulsing with destructive vibration.
Aoi then looked at the Nomu starting to fall toward him and gathered all his flames, vibrating at high frequency, cutting the air with high-speed vibration, and delivered a punch right to the Nomu's chest opening a giant hole in its chest and in the sky behind it, while the remnants of the high-vibration flame fragments destroyed the rest of its body until nothing remained but particles scattered in the sky.
After this final punch, Aoi began falling toward the ground while thinking: "Well, I only have a little energy left enough to cushion the fall. After that, I'll be paralyzed for thirty minutes because my healing quirk will be focusing all energy on repairing this body that went beyond the limit."
When Aoi was finally falling back into the USJ through the ceiling, Shigaraki, seeing this, shouted:
—Now!
Kurogiri appeared in front of him, trying to teleport him with a warp portal opening.
Aoi said, smiling weakly:
—You don't feel the explosion approaching?
Bakugou then appeared behind Kurogiri, shouting:
—You shit! I'm not falling for the same trick again! That thing on your neck is your weak point, right?
Bakugou then used his power to explode Kurogiri with a precise detonation on the metal collar, pushing him away with an explosion that made the portal unstable flicker and close.
When Aoi was finally about to hit the ground, Shigaraki extended his hand, fingers almost touching, trying to activate Decay.
At that moment, Izuku propelled himself using all his power even breaking his leg in the process with an audible crack and delivered a powerful punch to Shigaraki while shouting:
—No way, villain!
He then threw Shigaraki far from Aoi with enough force to make the villain roll on the ground.
Shoto then caught his brother in the air, creating a massive ice barrier to protect him from the fall impact while looking at the villains with cold eyes.
At that moment, Bakugou and Midoriya—dragging the broken leg with determination—appeared beside Shoto.
Bakugou smiled ferociously and said:
—You shitty villains, if you want to get this aquarium-head idiot, you'll have to get past us.
At that moment, the USJ door opened with a bang and All Might appeared in his iconic pose.
He then looked at everyone and said, voice thundering:
—It's okay... Because I am here!
He then started walking toward the villains, muscles pulsing, and said:
—How dare you commit such a vile act against children? I will bring justice to all of you.
All Might then approached Aoi, who was lying on the ground, and asked:
—Young Aoi, how are you?
Aoi, smiling despite the exhaustion:
—Well, a bit bad. After all, I wanted my little bunny or my little dragon or Nemuri to appear to save me and show their heroic side to me. But you do in a pinch as the better option.
All Might smiled amused hearing this and said:
—It's good to see you're still okay.
He then looked at the remaining villains and said:
—Now, villains, are you ready for the fist of justice?
The remaining villains, seeing All Might, started getting furious and began attacking him desperately.
Kurogiri, seeing this, said to Shigaraki:
—Let's go. The plan failed.
Shigaraki said:
—Shit! Shit!
He then looked at All Might one last time and said:
—All Might, I'll still end this rotten hero society. Just wait!
He then entered the portal and disappeared before All Might could do anything.
After a few intense minutes of combat All Might dominating with punches that created shockwaves All Might finally defeated the last villain, just in time for the teachers to arrive running.
When Nemuri arrived and saw Aoi all injured, she forgot everything and ran worriedly to see how he was.
She then knelt and started checking if he had serious injuries, hands trembling slightly.
Aoi smiled at her and said:
—I'm fine.
Nemuri stroked his hair and said with anger mixed with worry:
—How is this fine? Look how much you hurt yourself... Your flames are consuming all your energy to heal, so you can't even move a finger.
Aoi said, smiling to reassure her:
—I'll get better. But can you do me a favor and make me more comfortable? This hard floor isn't a good option to lie on.
Nemuri smiled despite the tears in her eyes and put his head on her lap and said:
—You really have no cure. Now rest.
She then activated her quirk to make Aoi sleep and rest deeply.
At that moment, Momo, Mina, and Uraraka appeared beside Nemuri and asked worriedly—Momo asked:
—Big sister, is he okay?
Mina and Uraraka also looked worriedly at her.
Nemuri smiled and said:
—Yes, he's fine. He just needs to rest because he pushed his body too far.
They then sighed in relief.
Meanwhile, the other students, seeing that rescue had finally arrived and the battle was over, finally felt relieved some falling seated from exhaustion while others celebrated happily the victory.