From the food stands outside the stadium, everything remained calm, a pleasant atmosphere where families and fans mingled together, buying everything from small souvenirs to fast food before hurrying back to their seats so as not to miss a single second of the event. The murmur of the crowd and the smell of freshly made food dominated the area, a very pleasant day at this festival until…
—¡¡¡BOOOM!!!
…everything changed in an instant.
A dull roar, followed by a colossal blast, shattered the tranquility. The earth trembled violently, making the walls and floor vibrate, shaking tables and knocking over cups. It wasn't just the stadium; the impact was felt throughout the whole sector, as if something colossal had struck the very heart of the city. The initial shock turned into joy and admiration when people believed that power had been unleashed by two simple students, something that although not very common, was to be expected at these festivals. But surprise gave way to pure tension when a deafening alarm began to sound and all the screens, in an instant, turned red with flashing warnings.
—¡¡Emergency, villain attack detected!! ¡¡All persons are required to evacuate the premises immediately!! ¡¡This is not a drill!!
The words rang out like a whip crack in the air. The crowd, which a second before had hesitated, now moved with desperate haste, pushing each other, dropping bags, drinks, and souvenirs without looking back. The vendors abandoned their stalls hastily, leaving boxes open and food half-prepared. However, amid all that chaos, there was one figure that remained motionless, as if the disaster didn't exist. In the midst of the grill's smoke and the smell of roasting meat, a tall man worked with surgical calm, assembling with precision each layer of what appeared to be the most important hamburger in the world.
His attire was too impeccable for someone behind a food stand. A perfectly pressed black suit, without a single wrinkle, shoes so polished they reflected the flashing light of the alarms, a shirt as dark as a bottomless pit, and covering his face, a black metallic mask that hid all expression. Only his white skin and his hair, like eyes dyed in deep shades of dark green, broke through that living shadow.
While chaos reigned around him, he remained standing, motionless except for his hands. That food was no ordinary order: it was a ritual, a work that accepted no interruptions or mistakes.
He had arrived long before the disaster. He'd negotiated with the stand's vendor: he would work there, using his own ingredients, if in exchange they let him prepare his order. He didn't accept shortcuts, so in the meantime he helped the owner fill other customers' orders, without charging a cent, but making sure every step of his true task remained under his control. The vendor obviously let him, and that's how he ended up there.
In front of him, the hamburger was almost ready. The ingredients, chosen one by one, weren't just fresh: they were perfect, calibrated in texture, temperature, and cut. Each lettuce leaf fit with the precision of a piece in a mechanism, each slice was cut with the exact thickness to balance flavor and consistency. This wasn't just cooking; it was culinary engineering. Only the final touch remained: the bun, made with his own hands, baked until reaching a uniform golden color and the exact firmness to maintain the structure without sacrificing softness. Everything was ready now to hand it to his…
—Sir, you need to leave quickly. It's not safe —interrupted a muscular hero, his voice breaking the meticulous rhythm of the work.
What a nuisance.
—I'm busy. Don't bother me —he replied without looking up, his hands still moving with measured fluidity.
—Sir, please understand, you must leave. Please head to the marked exits and then… —the hero stopped short. The green-haired man's gaze, cold and direct, conveyed something words couldn't. Fear in its purest form.
—I said… I'm busy. Don't bother me —he repeated, this time with a graver tone and a pressure in his voice that made the hero back away until he vanished from the scene. —Heroes really are worthless — he murmured.
He placed the bun with a smooth but firm motion, at the exact angle so the hamburger would maintain perfect balance. He wrapped it in special paper, making sure it wouldn't deform even a millimeter, and placed it inside an airtight box designed to preserve the ideal heat for hours. He picked it up with one hand and, without hurry but without pause, left the stand headed for the stadium. He already had the welcome gift; he just had to deliver it with his usual perfection.
—Wait for me, young master. Your order is served.
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Inside the stadium, everyone was alarmed; no voice, no sound could be heard, only a silent shock. The explosion caused by that attack had been much stronger than anyone expected, but that wasn't the most shocking part—rather, it was its abrupt dissipation, which left not a single injury among the spectators. That was unheard of. All that remained was a cloud of white dust that slowly dispersed, until the smoke cleared and revealed something no one could have anticipated.
—¡¡¡VILLAINS!!!
—¡¡THERE ARE VILLAINS IN THE ARENA!!
The screams of terror multiplied among the spectators, confusion turned into panic, and almost immediately the alarms began to sound.
—¡¡Emergency, villain attack detected!! ¡¡All persons are required to evacuate the premises immediately!! ¡¡This is not a drill!!
Izuku didn't move, standing firm while watching everyone present begin to evacuate through the emergency exits. His eyes immediately turned toward the Nomus, who grew alert and turned toward the stands, generating a new wave of terror among the audience. Heroes began moving to intercept them, but Izuku knew that if he didn't act fast, what would follow would be a true massacre.
He acted fast.
He planted himself firmly, advanced straight toward the Bakugo Nomu, and before it could react, Izuku struck his fist against its forehead, breaking its momentum and returning the force in the form of a brutal headbutt that sent it flying until it slammed into the wall, sinking into the darkness. Without wasting time, he planted his foot with such force that the ground shook, leaving a fresh crater beneath his bare foot that dug into the earth; the shockwave threw the nearby Nomus and villains off balance, at which moment black whips emerged from the floor like living serpents, coiling around their legs and dragging them down until they disappeared underground. All in barely a few seconds, a precise and devastating movement that bought one more instant of control over the chaos. He had gained time, but he knew the real battle was only just beginning.
Making sure no immediate threat remained, he searched for his sister with his eyes. He found her nearby, standing, motionless, still held up by her right hand which had stopped his fist. It was clear she hadn't yet reacted to the blast.
—Izumi, are you… okay? —he asked, a bit confused by what he saw in his sister.
Izumi didn't answer. She remained completely still, her gaze fixed on a single point: his bare, marked abdomen. She had seen it before… well, but not like this, not with the definition and hardness he'd gained after five years of training. Her eyes shone, her cheeks began to flush red, and her lips parted slightly as she breathed heavily. A thin trickle of drool began sliding down the corner of her mouth without her noticing, her trembling hands rose and began tracing his muscles with quick, almost desperate movements, as if she wanted to memorize every contour with her fingers without missing a single one.
—Little sister, are you okay? Say something, please, you're worrying me —said Izuku, placing a hand on her shoulder.
At that instant, Izumi let out a stifled sound, blood gushed from her nose in a torrent, and her legs gave out completely. She ended up collapsing with a dazed, drooling, utterly gone expression.
Izuku managed to catch her before she fell completely. He checked her quickly and just sighed, resigned. He already knew perfectly well what had happened.
—Ah, little sister… good thing you didn't realize what was going on —Izuku murmured as he carefully laid her down on the ground. The battle against Shoto had drained the very last spark of Izumi's energy. She really was a ruthless warrior.
—¡¡YOUNG HIMURA!!— that was Toshinori's shout in his muscular form, where behind them were the other teachers following at a swift pace, among them Aizawa, Cementoss, and Nemuri. Even Endeavor himself was behind them, but with a serious look that only glanced at Shoto for a moment before continuing on to join the other heroes.
The pounding of heavy footsteps and hurried voices filled the place.
—¡¡YOUNG HIMURA!!— Toshinori's thunderous voice, in his imposing muscular form, echoed through the place. Behind him, a formation of heroes advanced at a swift pace: Aizawa with his unshakeable but attentive expression, Cementoss and Nemuri keeping his pace, and even Endeavor himself, whose serious gaze fixed for an instant on Shoto before pulling away to join the others.
—Young Himura, what happened to you? —Aizawa asked in a tone as serious as it was worried, coming closer to assess the situation—. Are you all rig…?
He couldn't finish. Toshinori had already reached Izuku, and without holding back pulled him by the shoulders, drawing him into his powerful arms to hug him with an almost desperate strength. His breathing was ragged, his hands trembled, and tears fell freely, running down his cheeks onto his suit.
—Young Himura… I… I thought I'd lost you —his voice broke, choked with emotion—. I couldn't save you… I was certain that… that you were no longer… I'm sorry… truly I…
—Don't worry, Toshinori-sensei, I'm perfectly fine. —said Izuku, stroking his head— I should be more worried about you. Those ribbons weren't easy to remove. They used powerful attacks but from a distance to break them, didn't they?
—Yes, my boy… —Nemuri cut in, approaching quickly. In her hand she held the ribbon and handed it to Izuku—. It was hell breaking it with brute force alone. That thing drained your energy every second you held it. If it weren't for Endeavor being nearby to incinerate it at the right moment, we wouldn't have managed it.
Izuku was glad to hear how fast they'd thought. Worthy of elite heroes.
—I'm glad to hear that. And… could you stop touching me and cleaning me up? You're tickling me, hehe.
Nemuri blushed, embarrassed, before stopping her hands, but still stayed close. She had been checking his abdomen insistently, looking for hidden wounds, and using a cloth to wipe away the black blood that still stained his torso. However, her gaze lingered for an instant on the scar marked on his chest, and the glimmer of worry in her eyes became impossible to hide. She dropped the cloth, looked him straight in the eyes and, without thinking, hugged him tightly, pressing Izuku's face against her chest.
—My boy… you really have me worried —she whispered in a tone between relief and anxiety, without loosening the embrace.
—Enough with your games —Aizawa's dry, cutting voice broke the moment like a whip crack, making Nemuri release Izuku with a slight pout—. Young Himura, we need answers. Those creatures that appeared are, without a doubt, Nomus, but they're too strange. How did they appear without our sensors detecting them? What was that ribbon that had All Might tied up? And, above all, how the hell did you manage to suddenly appear in the arena and cause all this disaster?
—I'd like to explain things better to you all, but we don't have time. You need to leave soon… evacuate the civilians, I…
He didn't get to finish. A violent tremor shook the ground beneath their feet, strong enough that most of those present lost their balance. However, Izuku remained steady, watching closely as the holes in the ground began to react, releasing bursts of energy, ice, ribbons, explosions, and other unmistakable manifestations of different quirks. He recognized them… and knew exactly what they meant.
—No… —he murmured through gritted teeth, with a scowl so pronounced that even the heroes around him felt a chill. Those bastards… had broken free.
Without further warning, ten deformed figures burst from the earth, barely distinguishable before they launched at full speed toward the corridors beneath the stands, where dozens of civilians were trying to escape. Nomus. Ten of them. The air filled with screams, and the heroes reacted immediately, though with the evident weight of fear.
Izuku, in silence, looked at the ribbons he held in his hand… and tore them apart like paper, letting the pieces fall slowly to the ground. That simple gesture was enough to freeze the blood of those watching him.
Then, from one of the holes, a laugh could be heard… shrill, distorted, maniacal. Unknown to the others, but all too familiar to him. A sound that ignited something deep and dangerous within him.
—("So you want to play it this way?… Fine…")
He raised his gaze and turned it toward everyone present. His fury was so evident that even the most experienced heroes felt the air grow heavier, as if the atmosphere itself were responding to Izuku's mood.
Without warning, he snatched the communicator from Cementoss and brought it to his ear, activating the frequency of an old acquaintance, who would already be ready to act.
—Nezu.
—As always, sir, quick with the communication. I'm already prepared, I have control of the entire stadium —replied the director's voice, calm and precise.
—Nomus registered?
—Ten in total, sir. Don't worry, most aren't the most troublesome ones. Only one is, but I'm already containing it. Good thing it hates light. Eight are trapped in barriers, and I've already deployed robots at points one through three. I hope they hold long enough. The other two infiltrated faster; they're already among the civilians and the heroes helping with the evacuation. Don't worry, I have them under watch too. I'll give you the time you need to act, sir.
Izuku didn't respond. His eyes fixed on the ground, where several hands began emerging from the holes, grasping desperately to escape. He tensed, ready to lunge at them… but, unexpectedly, an icy roar swept through the stadium. A gigantic glacier emerged, completely engulfing the two villains and Nomus trying to get out, trapping them instantly.
The young man turned his head, surprised. The one who had conjured that frozen prison was none other than Rei. Beside her, Hinpan and Eri watched him with evident worry. Izuku, despite the tension of the moment, couldn't help a smile escaping his lips.
—¡Izuku-kun! —Rei exclaimed, her voice breaking, before hugging him tightly, not caring who was watching.
—¡¡Papá!! —Eri squealed, throwing herself into his arms as well and clinging to him with all her contained fear.
—¡Darling!— shouted Hinpan, embracing all three with her large arms.
—Just in time, Rei. My girl, I'm happy to see you too. And dear, sorry for worrying you. —said Izuku, giving each of them a kiss on the forehead.
The gesture was so sudden and charged with emotion that it left all the heroes present in complete silence. Some open-mouthed, others unable to process what they were seeing. Endeavor, in particular, stood paralyzed: his furrowed brows and wide-open eyes betrayed the mix of anger, confusion, and disbelief overtaking him. Seeing his ex-wife there, in the middle of the chaos, clinging to Izuku… and even more, hearing a girl, with almost the same hair color as Rei, call him "papá," was too much.
The explanations would come later. Izuku knew it. He set the three girls aside and stood before the professionals. At that moment, the only thing that mattered was that the ice wouldn't hold forever. He needed to act fast.
—¡Listen to me, all of you! —Izuku's voice rang out with firmness amid the chaos, forcing every hero to fix their eyes on him—. Those Nomus aren't like the one I faced at U.S.J. These are much worse… and more dangerous. They'll toy with your understanding, manipulate you, and if you try to fight them unprepared, you'll only sign your own end. That's why… —his gaze swept quickly—. Aizawa, Cementoss, I need you to get out of the stadium and block all the exits. Don't let a single one of those monsters manage to escape for even a second. Make this stadium their prison and their tomb.
Aizawa gritted his teeth, aware of the weight of the order, but ready to support even in his condition. Cementoss nodded seriously.
—Nemuri, Toshinori... Go to the stands, evacuate everyone: heroes and civilians alike. None of you should face those things. Toshinori… remember what those monstrosities are capable of, what they carry inside. If you let your guard down for a moment or face them… I don't know what will happen to you —Izuku looked at him steadily, and Toshinori just lowered his head, clenching his fists. He needed no further explanation: he knew what those creatures concealed, and that knowledge boiled in his blood as pure contained rage.
—And Rei, I need you to…
—And why are you the one giving orders? —Endeavor's deep voice cut through Izuku's plan, planting himself in front of Izuku with his whole imposing figure. The size difference between the two was abysmal, and the fire in his gaze seemed to want to devour him.
Izuku, however, didn't even blink.
—Because I have experience with those things. I know the only way to defeat them is with me leading.
—Killing one Nomu makes you an expert? Don't make me laugh.
—And who told you I only fought one?
That clash of gazes stretched the air taut like a rope about to snap. Endeavor clenched his teeth, letting out a guttural growl while glancing for an instant toward Rei, as if the mere sight of her irritated him further.
—Even if you admitted it, I wouldn't believe you —he said with contempt, raising his voice so everyone could hear—. Especially with the secrets that have been kept from me. You're nothing more than a student who got lucky believing you're still a hero. Leave it to the real professionals… kid.
The atmosphere grew dense, sparks of hostility mixing with the distant roar of the Nomus pounding against the ice barriers. It was Nemuri who broke the silence, her voice carrying a seriousness she rarely showed.
—Mr. Endeavor, you shouldn't belittle him like that. This boy is far more capable than you imagine, and he knows exactly what we're facing. If there's anyone who can lead this, it's him.
—She's right —Cementoss cut in, with a grave expression—. Izuku was key in the fight at U.S.J. He and All Might faced those things, and God knows where they were. We don't know exactly what we're up against… but he does. And if he says he should be in command, it's best to leave it in his hands. Even Director Nezu already told me he agreed with the decision.
Endeavor looked at them with contained fury. It only took a second to see that he didn't want to believe any of it, too angry to keep listening.
—I'll handle those things myself. The rest of you, if you want to die, go ahead and put a baby in charge.
—¡Papá, you have to listen! —Shoto stopped him for a moment, already somewhat recovered from his fight. He held him back with a firm voice, trying to make him see reason—. I saw them, papá, even if only for a moment… those things are far worse than anything you've faced. They're a lot like m—
He couldn't finish.
A Nomu, which Izuku understood to be Iida, appeared behind Endeavor at an impossible speed. No one saw it coming. Its legs, with blades sprouting from its skin, came down straight toward his neck. Not even the fire hero could sense it in time. Death was mere centimeters from him…
But… a column of ice burst from the ground and pushed him at the last second, deflecting the strike. The Nomu flew through the air, only for Izuku, like a dark shadow, to catch it midair with his black whips.
With one pull he slammed it into the ground with such force that the concrete broke into pieces. And without giving it any respite, he threw himself on top of it. With every twist of his whips he shattered the blades on its legs or wherever they emerged, and then unleashed a rain of relentless blows. Fast fists, bones breaking, dark blood splattering everywhere. In seconds the Nomu was an unrecognizable mass of black flesh and crushed bone.
The silence after that massacre lasted only an instant, broken by Endeavor's gasping breath, still processing what he'd seen. But he had no time to react. Rei grabbed him by the collar of his suit and yanked him hard, fixing her gaze on him, full of contained fury.
—Now listen here, you idiot. You're going to listen to Izuku-kun once and for all, or I swear that instead of launching that column at the Nomu, I would have shoved it up your—
—¡Rei, please, calm down! There are children present —Izuku interrupted, returning with Eri in his arms.
The little girl looked at him, confused, her curious eyes fixed on the woman. Rei tensed instantly, switching her expression to a quick, nervous smile.
—What were you going to do to the fire man, Miss Rei? —Eri asked innocently.
—Well, my girl… I was just trying to convince him. Yes… He's a man who only listens to violence. But you shouldn't respond that way, remember, violence is bad, and…
Izuku let them keep talking and moved toward Endeavor. The hero remained motionless, stunned, caught between the brutality he'd just witnessed and the humiliation of seeing his ex-wife—the woman he'd always believed submissive—grab him by the collar as if it were nothing.
Izuku stood in front of him, his gaze cold.
—Do you have anything else to say?— no response— Good… The rest of you, follow my plan and report any changes to me. But first…
He raised a hand and from his body surged a green electrified cloud that expanded at once, enveloping everyone within seconds. The teachers barely had time to react when, with a simple breath, that energy entered their bodies.
The effect was immediate. A wave of strength coursed through their veins, as if their muscles were waking from a dormancy they didn't even know they had. Their senses sharpened, fatigue vanished, and the very air seemed lighter. Disbelief showed on their faces: some looked at their own hands as if they weren't the same, others couldn't hide their surprise at feeling faster, more resilient.
Toshinori was the clearest example. His silhouette, previously hunched and weakened, seemed to straighten again; his skin radiated the vitality of his best years, and for a moment he exuded the same presence he'd had in his glory days. He put a hand to his chest, bewildered, unable to understand how that was possible.
—That effect will only last an hour, it'll boost your quirk to levels you won't be able to comprehend —Izuku explained in a firm voice—. I won't explain how I did it. Don't waste it. Now, go to your positions.
They said nothing more and nodded firmly. Toshinori, carefully carrying Nemuri in his arms, vanished in a flash of speed, heading deep into the stands with clear determination. Cementoss, for his part, struck the ground with a dry crash; instantly a huge column of cement rose beneath his feet, propelling him and Aizawa upward, breaking through part of the stadium roof to reach the fastest exit.
The only ones left were Endeavor, Shoto, Rei, Eri, Hinpan, and Izuku, who without wasting time ran to his sister. With firmness, he lifted her from the ground in his arms, as if carrying an invaluable treasure, and handed her gently to Rei, who received her with the utmost care.
—Take my sister and Eri out of here right away —Izuku ordered, with a soft smile meant to calm the evident worry on Rei's face, though a fire of resolve burned in his eyes—. I don't want anything to happen to them.
Rei looked at him steadily, with that mix of fear and faith only she could show him. Izuku, without dropping the smile, added in a more serious tone:
—Also take Shoto with you. I don't need him to…
—No —Shoto cut him off firmly, stepping toward him. —I'll support you.
Izuku looked at him immediately, with a serious, firm, almost paternal expression.
—It's very dangerous. I don't want anything to happen to my friend's son.
—I saw one of the villains controlling those creatures. If it's who I think it is… it'll be good to have me here. They know him "well." — he said firmly. He really was stubborn.
The silence stretched for a moment. Izuku held Shoto's gaze, evaluating him, as if weighing every risk and every possible outcome in his mind. In the end, he turned to Rei. She, though with her heart clenched, gave him a short nod, full of trust. She knew arguing would be pointless: Shoto had the same stubbornness as his father.
—Don't worry, Rei —Izuku said with crushing confidence and a warm smile—. I'll protect him no matter what.
Rei took a deep breath and, in an unexpected gesture, leaned in to kiss his cheek. It was an affectionate touch, tender and full of that warmth she had never lost despite everything she'd been through.
—I know… —she whispered with a delicate smile—. I know you will.
Without adding another word, she settled Izumi in her arms and lifted Eri onto her back gently. Then, with an elegant and powerful movement, she unleashed an icy torrent beneath her feet. A majestic beam of ice rose up, lifting her like an improvised bridge that extended upward, until she finally shot out of the stadium, moving away with determination from that battlefield.
Izuku watched them disappear, feeling a warm pang at seeing them safe, while the weight of what was to come settled over him like a slab of stone. He was ready now. He breathed deeply, adjusting his posture with calculated calm, as his eyes shifted toward Endeavor, who still looked paralyzed by what he had witnessed. The impact showed in the tension of his shoulders and the rigidity of his jaw, but that hesitation didn't last long. Quickly, the fire man returned to his normal state. He knew how to hide being humiliated by your ex-wife.
—You're not leaving here… are you?
—Don't even think it… —Endeavor continued, his voice hard, not deigning to look at him again—. ¡I'm a hero! I'm not backing down.
A faint curve formed on Izuku's lips, not a mocking smile, but a silent acknowledgment.
—Good… at least you'll help me protect Shoto.
He advanced a few steps forward, just as the ice slabs began to crack with an ominous groan. He stopped in front of Hinpan, who looked at him with a mix of worry and doubt.
—You already know what you have to do. You'll need to act and eliminate all the Nomus under the stands. Don't worry, I'll come after to stop you.
Hinpan hesitated for an instant, her ears drooping as if she wanted to refuse, but seeing Izuku's eyes full of confidence, she nodded with resolve.
Shoto and Endeavor watched them without understanding what was happening.
—And how is a giant, shy fox-woman supposed to help us…?
He didn't get to finish. Before everyone's eyes, Hinpan covered her face with both hands, and suddenly a beastly roar erupted from deep in her throat, reverberating like thunder throughout the stadium. Her silhouette began twisting violently: muscles tensing, bones creaking as they rearranged as if about to break, and a reddish glow surrounding her body until it distorted her figure.
Her hair, previously neat, grew in wild cascades down to her waist, turning a fiery blonde with dark streaks that shimmered like moving flames. The orange and green fur that had covered her fell away like dust, revealing smooth white skin. But that face… that face that had once looked like a frightened fox's, now shifted into something human, too beautiful… and at the same time so violent it chilled the blood. Her fangs lengthened, curving into a grotesque, predatory smile, frozen in pure madness.
Her clothes, once neat and charming, tore in several places, exposing the violence of her new silhouette.
Shoto stepped back, eyes wide, unable to hide his shock. Even Endeavor, who always kept that arrogant, unshakable expression, froze for an instant witnessing how the shy girl transformed into an imposing, savage beast, ready to devour anything in her path.
She was no longer Hinpan. She was Toga. And the first thing she did was turn toward Izuku.
Her smile widened and, with a glint of madness in her eyes, she ran to him, hugging him tightly. She lifted him up as if he were hers, and without caring about the disbelieving stares, began licking his face with overflowing enthusiasm.
—¡DARLING! ¡DARLING, DARLING, DARLING!… you called me… ¡I'm so happy about that! —she said, rubbing him hard against her large chest, laughing between excited gasps.
Izuku, though he let her do it, spoke calmly:
—I'm glad too, but there's no time. Can you smell it… right?
She stopped the licking for a second, sniffing the air like a wild animal. She turned her head sharply in every direction, lips trembling with anticipation, until her pupils dilated and a sickly flush covered her face.
—Villains… Nomus… —she whispered, and a frenzied cackle burst from her throat—. ¡¡Yes, yes, yes!! ¡They're inside the stands, fresh blood, I can smell it, I want it!
—Exactly. There are ten. All for you.
—¡¡F-for real?!! —she screamed, so excited she went back to licking him furiously, shaking with emotion as if she couldn't contain herself— ¡Thank you, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! ¡I love you, I love you, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU!
Izuku smiled patiently and,
stroking her head, tried to calm her down:
—Ok, ok… calm down. You're too excited. Now go… have fun out there.
—¡¡YESSSS!! —she roared, nearly breaking her voice from shouting so much.
In an instant she vanished, throwing herself into the stands with brutal speed. Her footsteps echoed like savage hammering through the dark corridors, and the echo of her deranged, hysterical, hungry laughter was the last thing heard before the darkness swallowed her.
Izuku then straightened up, standing tall, with the tense calm of someone who knows the worst is only just beginning.
—Well… let's begin.
Doubts immediately escaped in the voices of the others, but Izuku didn't look away from what lay ahead.
—She… how…?
—Don't waste time on that, quirks can be very strange. Get ready for what's coming. This revelation is going to hurt you more than you imagine.
—But…
A deafening roar interrupted them.
—¡¡¡BOOOM!!!
A colossal explosion destroyed the entire glacier in front of them, sending fragments of ice flying like blades that shattered in the air. Amid the smoke and debris, shadows began to take shape. Izuku narrowed his eyes, and there he saw them: the Nomus, staggering with grotesque familiarity.
Shoto went rigid, his eyes wide open; Izuku could perfectly sense a cold sweat running down his forehead. He didn't need to hear his thoughts: he had already understood. The uniforms… the deformed bodies… the clumsy but recognizable movements. They were his own classmates, turned into monsters. Every detail, every distorted feature, was a cruel slap of reality.
The air grew even tenser when, behind them, two different figures emerged from the smoke. Izuku watched Endeavor hold his breath, incredulous, and Shoto step back without realizing it.
The first figure, tall, with a heavy stride, left no room for doubt: it was Shoto, that adult version of him, with the same icy gaze as always, now charged with an imposing, crushing aura that erased any trace of doubt. Hero number two could barely believe it; the shock on his face was as evident as the contained fury trembling in his chest. And then, the second one came into the light. That evil Izuku, his darkest, most unsettling version. Shoto and Endeavor's silence in that instant was louder than any explosion.
Izuku clenched his fists, feeling the electricity of his quirk running through every fiber of his body. The impact was already done; there was no turning back. All that remained was to act.
—Well well, "Izuku" —the evil Izuku's voice, laden with arrogance, echoed like a poisonous voice—. I must admit that ice attack surprised me… You have some very particular acquaintances. Although, honestly, it was stupid to keep Ragnarök out of this fight. But well, better for me… I had no desire to face the atrocious winter in person.
Izuku narrowed his eyes, his brow furrowed with tense calm.
—I don't need anyone else to defeat all of you. If you think you're questioning me… it'll cost you dearly.
The impostor smiled, confident.
—We'll see about that.
At that moment, the other Shoto stepped forward, the air freezing around him as he clashed his fists and shaped an ice sword that gleamed like freshly forged crystal. His gaze was fixed on the enemy, his voice carrying a sense of inevitable destiny.
—Our paths were destined to meet in this scenario. This fight… we couldn't avoid it. But destiny can be changed, I've already done it many times.
Izuku noticed it at that moment: the remaining Nomus began stirring, their bodies vibrating like beasts ready to unleash themselves, activating their quirks in a chaos of mutations that seemed intent on tearing the field apart. Beside him, Endeavor was already ablaze, fire wrapping his silhouette with tremendous fury, while Shoto hardened his gaze, balancing ice against the heat of his own fire.
Izuku breathed deeply and let his body ignite with Full Cowl at 50%, green sparks crackling around his arms and legs. He knew that, inside, his companions were still processing what they had just witnessed: Nomus, villains, and a distorted reflection of himself. If they didn't react in time, they would be destroyed in the blink of an eye.
With a half smile, he leaned forward.
—I told them to leave this to me alone… but it seems they don't listen. Oh well. I suppose I can be generous. —His eyes shone with a determined fire—. I'll leave you the easy ones… and, so you don't fall behind, I'll give you a little help.
֎֎֎
Inside the stands, in the facility's narrow corridors, Class A and Class B could be seen advancing at full speed, led by Momo, running desperately in search of an exit. The echo of their footsteps rang out like a frantic heartbeat, while fear pushed them to escape that hell before those horrendous creatures caught up to them. The air was thick with dust and blood, and every turn in the corridors was a game of Russian roulette: the fear of running into another Nomu gnawed at them from within.
Momo bit her lip, furious with herself. If they had escaped from the very beginning… if she hadn't convinced them to stay and support Izuku… maybe they wouldn't be trapped in this nightmare now. The guilt weighed on her like a chain. One single mistake: a Nomu had burst into the stands, destroying structures and hurling them into the void down to the stadium basement. The collapse had left several injured, and panic mixed with screams of pain.
Class B had been hit the hardest: several unconscious, others gasping at the edge of death, and only Kendo and Tetsutetsu remained standing, stumbling, supporting the evacuation as best they could. Class A wasn't much better off. They had only suffered three casualties, but only two were serious. Aoyama had vanished before the attack and no one knew where he was. Tokoyami and Bakugo, on the other hand, had been crushed in the battle. They had been the only ones who hadn't fallen into the void immediately, the only ones who dared to stand against the Nomu that appeared in the stands. They fought with desperate ferocity, but the creature had thrown them mercilessly along with the rest. Now they were completely injured, unconscious, their bodies marked by violent blows that had left them unable to move.
—Let me… let me face those things… they haven't beaten me yet —Bakugo growled, his voice broken, clinging to his pride while Kirishima struggled to carry him.
—I already told you, man, you can't fight in that state… your injuries are critical —Kirishima replied, his voice cracking, though he didn't let go of his friend.
—Shut up… —was all Bakugo managed to spit out, gritting his teeth.
—We should have left the moment the alarm sounded —Iida burst out, carrying a Class B student in his arms, his glasses crooked and rage marking his face—. But no… the vice-class-rep had to convince us to stay and help the class rep. It's clear she wasn't after the common good… ¡only her boyfriend's!
Momo felt the blood rush to her face, her cheeks burning. The comment hit her harder than the rubble. Yes, it was her fault… but for Iida to say that, in front of everyone, was far too humiliating. Izuku wasn't her boyfriend! …right?
—Don't bother Momo… —Ochako cut in, panting, her voice weak as she used her quirk to lighten the weight of the injured Class B students—. Remember it was a majority decision… and that Izuku saved us at U.S.J., when we faced that monstrous Nomu. Without him, none of us would be here now…
—¡¡Ochako…!! —Momo screamed, catching her before she collapsed to the ground. The others rushed to steady the injured to prevent further harm.
Ochako's face was pale, covered in cold sweat. The ruined surroundings, the suffocating dust, and her own injuries had worn her down too much. Even so, she tried to smile, pretending she could keep going. But Momo knew: she was at her limit. She held her firmly and draped her arm over her shoulders, forcing her to lean on her.
—That's enough… I'm not going to let you hurt yourself any further —she whispered firmly, holding her up.
She turned to the others, gathering her strength to sound steady:
—Don't worry, I know the stadium's layout. We just need to go up the stairs to the right and then we'll get out through…
They couldn't continue, because standing before them all was the figure of a tall Nomu, with a disturbingly feminine appearance. She wore a black leather jacket that made her look like some kind of rocker straight out of a nightmare, a mix of the eerie and the grotesquely familiar. Her silhouette was too recognizable to most of those present, and that froze their blood. From her ears emerged multiple metal jacks that dug into the walls, vibrating slightly as if listening to every word, every whisper, every breath of the students trapped in that narrow corridor. That twisted smile, the only thing distinct on her face, made it clear this hadn't been a chance appearance: she had been waiting for them.
Before they could react, a second horror emerged behind them, as if it had sprung from the darkness itself. Another Nomu, this one thinner, with a feminine appearance, advanced sliding forward in silence. Its bare body was covered by completely black skin, featureless, scarless, with nothing to distinguish it, as if it were a living shadow made flesh. The only thing it wore were blue gloves, unmistakable to everyone who recognized them at once.
The entire group froze, terrified and confused, with the feeling that the air was growing heavier by the second. Momo, her face contorted, was the only one able to get a word out, barely a choked whisper that trembled amid the suffocating silence:
—T-this… this is impossible…