Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia, or anything related to it. All properties belong to their respectful owners.

Chapter beta'd by: Kylekatarn77

A.N: A lot could be said, but not a lot needs to be said. I got a new job recently and am now working two jobs. Reduced my hours on the old one, but I went from maybe 25-30hrs a week to a 52hr week; now working night shifts four days a week of heavy labor. I have mostly figured out my schedule and adapted, hopefully I can get back to giving my readers the more frequent updates you want, and I feel your deserve for sticking with me. It was briefly mentioned in a review, but it didn't feel real until this chapter, my story has officially passed the 100k word mark. More news on a different matter for those who actually read these notes at the bottom, enjoy.

Note from the beta- The beta is of the opinion that the author should write and publish when he can, both for his health and so he still enjoys writing for his own sake. ^_^

Izuku looked around and began to process everything that was immediately visible to him. Several things caught his eye, but the most pressing one was the black smoke in the distance, accompanied by the smell of fire. That was accompanied by the loud revving, cranking, and grinding noises he and Miruko approached.

He could only compare the noise he vaguely recognized to several power tools all being turned on at once. When he again heard a scream followed by a shallow thud, he followed behind Miruko as best he could. Even with his increased speed and Quirk usage, she was still a fair bit ahead of him.

After a single blink however, she was suddenly right in front of him as she forced him down to the ground. His senses shot to life as he noticed a chainsaw-esque blade roar to life and swipe through the space his head had occupied a moment prior. There was a slight ache from his back as he crashed into the ground, but his eyes stayed focused on the blade and traced it back to the body of a creature he was awfully familiar with.

"A Nomu, but why are they here? That can only mean the League is attacking us, but I thought they had lost their leadership in Shigaraki. Wait, I thought we were supposed to be safe here. How did the Villains find us here?" Izuku shot off his thoughts and questions as Miruko tugged him backwards as they regained their footing and faced opposite the Nomu.

"Talk later, fight now Dekiru. We can figure all of that out later, for now all that matters is two things. One, we are under attack: deal with it. Two, we need to protect everyone around us, we don't know who is or isn't injured. We also don't know how many enemies are present, they have the advantage." Miruko said. Izuku nodded his head and calmed down.

After Hosu and everything that had happened, they had discussed together, and later with the police, the nature of the Nomu's. They may have at one point been human, but with all the modifications and drugs placed into their systems to make them "Nomu's" they were considered beyond capture. Izuku steeled his nerves just as he had back in Hosu, and briefly shared a nod with Miruko.

He went low and shot between the creatures legs. It turned to follow him and Izuku knew his distraction had been successful. Blackwhip shot out and snared as many of the Nomu's tool arms as it could. With the beasts' full attention on Izuku, it had no time to understand why it suddenly could no longer see. Izuku held back his small urge to vomit as he watched Miruko smash its exposed brain, and then try to shake her foot clean.

"There was definitely a scream earlier, we need to find where it came from and help whoever might be in trouble." Izuku nodded and looked away from the dead Nomu as he continued further into the forest alongside Miruko. They had traveled no more than 100 feet before Izuku heard a wet squelch as he stepped down. He looked for the source and had to fight back his shock as he had stepped in a puddle of blood.

His eyes quickly followed it to see Ragdoll's lifeless visage on the forest floor, with a gash pouring blood from her head. He nearly turned to look away before Miruko placed a hand on his shoulder. Izuku couldn't move or look away from Ragdoll, but he felt calmer as Miruko held his shoulder.

"Breath and focus, I trained you for things like this. When in an emergency situation shut down emotions as best you can and focus only on the details. You're losing focus because of all the blood, look closer. It may seem like a lot, but that's mostly because it's from a head wound. They bleed fast, but the blood is thinner; most times the injury isn't as bad as the blood makes it seem." Miruko leaned down to Ragdoll after she released Izuku's shoulder.

When she gently moved the other Hero and Izuku heard a groan, a deep breath of relief left him as the Hero was alive. Izuku watched Miruko tap against her side plate armor, and was reminded it was actually a support tool. She tapped another small section on the device labeled number one after the plate dropped open.

From within she grabbed a small almost bean size jar, and as it came out Izuku watched it expand to the normal size of a cream jar. While intrigued, Izuku stored his questions away as he watched Miruko open the jar and apply a whiteish-brown cream to Ragdoll's injury. Only a few moments passed before the bleeding stopped and she looked less pale already to his eyes.

"We need to get her back to the main camp, that should be where everyone is headed. It can also act as our base of operations while we try to understand what's going on around here. Keep your senses up and lets move for now, you carry Ragdoll. I'll guard you both as we retreat back the way we came. Going forward will likely only put us deeper into enemy territory, and with an injured comrade that's not something we can risk." Izuku nodded along to Miruko's words as she took charge immediately.

He had enjoyed the time she had given him to lead and grow during their patrols together, but he also enjoyed this as well. Despite the circumstances they had found themselves in, Izuku found slight joy in getting to see a new side to Miruko. She charged forward, head held high and the large grin he was accustomed to spread across her face.

Izuku had come to understand from his time spent with her, and getting to know each other, several things about Miruko. The one most prominent now, was that her grin was much like All Might's smile. Yes she did enjoy fights, would and could duke it out with the best, but the grin was more than that. To her it was a self-promise to always face her enemies and show them no fear, but it also acted as a way for her to force down any fear she may be feeling.

He took a moment to calm any lingering fear or doubt and put on his own smile just as All Might had taught him. Now was the time to set aside his own desires and focus solely on everyone within his reach. With a quick movement he shifted ragdoll to his back and secured her with Blackwhip. If the situation called for it, he could at least fight back that way.

The run back towards the camp felt both horrifyingly long and dreadfully short. Izuku looked around constantly on the highest vigilance. Neither he or Miruko ran into anyone or anything else as they made their way swiftly to the camp. Once the camp was in sight it proved to be in worse condition than the forest was.

Izuku quickly spotted his Hero teachers engaged in fights against several different villains across the open space. Vlad and Eraserhead were engaged with two different enemies and surrounded in a ring of fire. Mandalay and Tiger were in a staring match against two other villains. Izuku wanted to shout and ask why they weren't moving or fighting back.

Once he opened his mouth however, he spotted the unconscious body of Pixie-Bob under one of the villains' feet. He looked over towards Miruko to ask her a question before he saw she had already moved and snuck behind the villains in a crouch. She was posed to pounce the moment an opening was presented to her.

The chance came as the villain with his foot on Pixie-Bob raised both his foot and weapon up to taunt the other Heroes. As he was distracted Miruko surged in and swiped his legs before a kick landed into their solar plexus. With no air left in their system, the villain gasped and coughed for air as the other retreated without hesitation.

Izuku rushed around towards Mandalay and Tiger to hand Ragdoll over to them. Once he set her down they both moved over towards their teammate, but never took their eyes off of the enemy before them. When Izuku crossed eyes with Mandalay he could see the relief in her eyes that her teammates were both still alive and well. As he looked deeper though he saw a deep look of grief clenching her heart.

Clarity suddenly rushed though Izuku as he heard a large explosion-like noise in the distance as he felt the earth slightly shake beneath his feet. He turned and faced the distant mountain as his own dread set in. His eyes darted around and passed several others including some of his fellow students and classmates. What he couldn't find was a set of disgruntled and angry eyes belonging to the young Kota.

'We already had dinner before the event started. From the few times I followed Kota from behind to learn more, he's probably at his secret spot. That's really close to where that large noise came from. Mandalay is probably thinking of him, we are all already broken up as it is, but she probably can't fight at full strength while she's worrying about him.

'I seriously want to help, but I feel like I wouldn't be any help here. What I can do though is try and find other students in the forest and do what I can there. More important is keeping the morale of the Heroes here and fighting at its highest. With Mandalay worried about Kota and the teachers worried about their students, they can't fight to their fullest.' Izuku concluded his thoughts as he stepped back and looked to Miruko briefly. He could tell she recognized the look in his eyes, but she said nothing.

"Mandalay. I know where Kota is, I'll go and bring him back safely, I promise. Aizawa-sensei, Vlad-Sensei, I'll help anyone else trapped in the forest I can and send them back this way. Please trust me, I will do everything I can." Izuku charged up his Quirk as electricity surged around him before he shot into the forest.

"Midoriya wait, don't-" Izuku lost the words of Aizawa as he shot into the forest, but he briefly heard some shouting between his teacher and Miruko. Bursting through the forest, he made his way towards where he knew Kota to be and towards where the noise had come from. Along the way he looked for anyone else, but he encountered no one as he continued towards the mountain.

(To all students of classes 1-A and 1-B, we are in an emergency situation and under attack by villains. Under the authorization and permission of all present heroes, you are hereby given full rights to use your Quirks and fight against the villains. Only fight if no other option is available and try to make your way back towards the central cabin if at all possible.) Izuku slightly tripped from the voice of Mandalay in his head, but he steadied his footing and kept his pace at top speed towards the mountain.

Once he was at the base he heard another loud explosive-like noise from near the top of the mountain. He increased his Quirk to 15% subconsciously and had no time to process that he felt no strain as he surged upwards. The moment he peaked the mountain's top Kota came into his view, as did the huge arm that looked to be chiseled from rock crashing towards the child.

Izuku moved faster than he ever had before as he tackled Kota and they both rolled together several feet away from the fist. When Izuku saw it cave the earth in beneath it and heard a shattering crack not unlike thunder, he realized the noise and shaking he had felt was the man before him. A deep pit of unease settled in his stomach as he took in the villain that stood in front of him.

'This is too cruel a twist of fate.' Izuku thought as he recognized the villain in front of him. From Kota's tears that streamed down his eyes and the lack of revulsion from Izuku being close, Izuku realized he did as well. He knew that he recognized the story of Kota's parents when Mandalay had told it to him, but he had looked it up afterwards to refresh himself on the story.

'Small black eyes, short cut spiky blond hair, and a scar gained from the loss of his left eye. This man is definitely the one who killed Kota's parents, the strength augmentation Quirk villain Muscular.' Izuku breathed heavily before he steadied himself and held Kota close to him.

"Kota, I understand, I do but I need you to focus and look at me." The boy managed to calm his tears and look towards Izuku who kept his eyes focused on the villain who removed his first from the ground and narrowed in on Izuku.

"Stay behind me Kota, about 20-30 feet; don't get closer or go further. We can't risk you heading back towards camp and running into another villain. Don't worry I won't let him past me I'll protect you no matter what." Izuku gave his words and the young boy nodded before he ran behind Izuku and did as he asked.

"Oh ho, here I was just having fun trying to kill the kid. You look like you can actually fight back though. Will you give me a decent challenge? I'm starting to get excited, might need to change my eye." Izuku heard the Villain mutter towards himself near the end, but he also realized something as he was addressed directly. The villain before him didn't have the same kind of pressure or presence that Stain had.

'He's probably a lot stronger just based on his Quirk, and I'm entirely alone with no back-up. But it's not the same, I'm afraid but the pressure just isn't the same. There isn't any reason or conviction behind his destruction, he fights because he wants to, for fun. I can do this, I don't know how, but I'll figure something out; I can do this.' Izuku decided not to answer the villain and charged forward as he landed a direct punch to the man's face with blinding speed.

He felt it connect solidly and watched as Muscular crashed into the mountain, but unease clawed at his heart. With his fighting stance still clearly in place Izuku stepped back and watched as Kota did the same while they waited for the dust to clear. From out of the crater Izuku had made, the tall blonde walked out with seemingly no worries as he shifted his neck left and right cracking it before he reached into his pockets.

"I was right. You are fun! Entertain me more! This here is my excited eye! Live up to it and stay alive as long as you can! Bring my existence joy! Ahahah!" Izuku watched Muscular swap out his glass left eye for another one in his pocket that seemed to "express" more, just as Muscular had stated. Within that brief moment Izuku noticed the beginnings of a bruise on Muscular's left arm.

'Even in that short timeframe, it looks like he managed to raise his guard and block my attack, but I injured him. I don't care that it's just a barely there bruise, it shows that I can reach him.' Izuku stopped his thoughts as Muscular charged forward. He dodged another punch thrown at him this one faster, but no less powerful.

A few more punches were thrown that Izuku managed to either dodge or deflect as he gauged his opponent. With nothing to lose Izuku met the next punch head on with one of his own. He felt only a slight tingle up his arm as he watched Muscular's arm be pushed back from his and blood on his slightly cracked knuckles.

"HAHAHA YOU ARE FUN! Ah was I supposed to ask you something? I feel like I was, this is why I told the others I wasn't good at information gathering. Who cares though, his rules or morals or whatever; I couldn't care about any of those, but that Stain guy was right- you are worthy." Izuku felt a shiver up his back at those words. He continued to watch Muscular as he examined his fist.

"It's not much, but the difference is there. You're definitely faster than me by a decent amount, but your strength is only above me by the smallest of margins. You can handle my base, now SURVIVE LONGER AND ENTERTAIN ME!" As Muscular shouted out his words, Izuku couldn't help but find interest in the man, even if a morbid one, as thick sinews of muscle fibers shot out from his body and wrapped around Muscular.

'Ah, I get where his name came from now.' That was the only thought Izuku could process before the giant of a man was in front of him with speed on a completely different level. Izuku acted on instinct as he jumped back as best he could and crossed his arms to guard the blow aimed for him. On an unconscious level he couldn't follow, his instincts acted for him and raised his power to the absolute limit he could handle without serious ramification.

As Izuku's body coursed with 25% of One For All he took Muscular's attack straight to his guard. Even with the jump backwards to create distance Izuku felt the punch hit him like a truck as he crashed into the mountain with serious force. All around him he felt and heard the sound of the mountain and earth caving in around him from the power behind Muscular's punch.

'It doesn't hurt as much as I expected.' Izuku breath heavily from the large amount of adrenaline pumping through his veins, but he wasn't winded. He quickly analyzed and diagnosed everything he could from the glance.

'Nothing is broken, my left arm hurts like hell and I'm sure I'll have a nice bruise later, but I can still move it.' A few quick tenses of his muscles told Izuku he was right at his limits, and he would certainly feel the consequences later. However, he wasn't past them; he could still move, and more importantly he could still fight.

"OH HO, STILL ALIVE; YOU TRULY ARE WORTHY!" Izuku ignored Muscular's taunts, if they could be called that, and focused on Miruko's words and teaching. He knew deep down this would be his ultimate challenge and test, nothing before could compare to what he was now faced with.

'Set everything else aside and focus on the details. Fight fiercely, don't give him any time to think; most importantly, don't break. There are still other people I can reach. In this particular situation Blackwhip isn't at a level I'm comfortable using where it would be helpful. As ridiculous as it is, I need to overcome his brute strength with a more powerful force.' Izuku's eyes seemed to glow and resonate with the energy arching around him as he shot forward.

It was slight since Muscular's increase in power and speed from his Quirk activation, but Izuku was once again faster than him. Not unlike Gran Torino, he was almost like a pachinko ball as he bounced around, always staying the slimmest of margins ahead of Muscular's attacks. Kota was forced to retreat further away from the two hurricanes of disaster.

As Muscular was completely focused on Izuku though, he had no need to worry for anything but his own safety. Izuku used the brief gaps created from his higher speed to analyze everything and counter-attack where he could. His fatigue was starting to build up, but he pushed it down and focused on nothing but his instincts and the fight in front of him.

With his quirk constantly coursing through him at 25%, even if he didn't realize it; Izuku's entire body was right on the verge of tearing itself apart. He couldn't see it himself, but the shadows of the eight previous users followed behind his back like guardian entities. Izuku was the one in control of his body, there was no doubt to that, but the vestiges made sure he stayed at exactly 25% not one bit higher or lower.

Izuku's eyes followed everything and caught every detail, despite not realizing that things seemed slower to him as his Quirk sped up all his senses. With those calculating eyes of his, he noticed Muscular's only true weak point. In a brief moment that he dodged a blow and felt the wind pressure whip his hair about Izuku darted his eyes down and confirmed what he had seen.

'He uses his Quirk across his entire body, but he mainly focused his power onto his top half to increase his pure destructive force. His legs are certainly being strengthened and his speed enhanced, but barely any excess muscle is covering his legs. That's his weak point, now I just need to target it.' Izuku formed his plan and dodged another blow by a hair as it crumbled the ground beneath where he had been a blink ago.

He pulled back a few feet and continued to dodged as he watched and waited for the moment he needed. Once Muscular pulled back from his last miss in agitation and wound back a massive attack Izuku acted. He charged into Muscular's guard and used all his strength to deflect the punch down. Izuku then used that momentum to grab Muscular's arm and use it as a pivot point.

Izuku swung his body up and whipped his left leg down with all the force and technique Miruko had taught him. He felt his kick connect solid with Muscular's right ankle and heard the sickly crunch of the man's bones breaking beneath his foot. No mind was put to it and he pushed his feelings down as he twisted around and brought his other leg around. His kick landed perfectly horizontal to Muscular's left knee, and Izuku heard another deep crunch as Muscular sank down and released a guttural yell of pain.

'Even if you increase your physical abilities and all other offensive and defensive abilities; your ability doesn't heal you. He can take damage just like anyone else. Cripple to contain him, all that's left is to finish this. His neck muscles are just about the densest ones I can see, he can take it, but this will end it.' Izuku jumped back and created distance from the howling man.

In a perfect imitation, just as he'd been taught, Izuku shot into the air and spun multiple times to build momentum. Once he had sufficient speed and force he drove his leg straight down in a front facing axe-kick. Izuku aimed his leg and had it crash down at an angle straight into Muscular's neck into the junction between where his neck and shoulder blended into one.

"Lunar Arc!" Izuku knew he didn't need to, but he called out his master's move with pride and everything he had. His attack connected, and Muscular resisted as long as he could before he fell to the various pains ailing him and crashed into unconsciousness. The force of Izuku's attack continued through and knocked Muscular's unconscious body into the side of the mountain and embedded him slightly into its surface.

From behind Izuku and a fair distance away, Kota released further tears, but unlike the previous ones they were of pure joy as he remembered his Aunt's words. He continued to cry before he charged forward with no fear and hugged Izuku from behind as he clung to his waist.

'I finally found him auntie, MY HERO! After all this time I finally understand. I'll be just like them, and him, a great Hero; one who's needed even when they aren't wanted.' Kota continued to release all his pent up frustrations as he held Izuku for all he was worth.

Izuku himself felt every muscle and nerve across his entire body tense and pulse. He thought to turn off his power, but knew he couldn't; the moment he let go of it everything would crash into him at once and he'd burn out. There was still more to do, even if he had wanted to stop the flow of power, what happened next told him he couldn't.

'Not yet, HE feels close' The world around him briefly flashed black, and Izuku felt the familiar image and voice of the first user settle into him. Both at once he felt a surge unlike any other pass through him that seemed to numb away his senses and pain, but he also felt a shiver rack his spine that threated to freeze him solid. One word, HE, but the way it had been spoken told Izuku just how grave he knew it to be.

"Kota, can you move?" His question asked, Izuku received a slight umph from the boy as he released Izuku and smiled at him with all the joy a child his age should have. Izuku smiled in return and placed Kota on his back where the boy wrapped his arms around Izuku's neck before they both took off, headed into the forest. Izuku felt a slight tingle on the back of his neck, but he pained it no mind and passed it off as a twinge of pain and Kota's weight settling in.

Had he looked backwards he would have caught the sight of Muscular's body disappearing into a black and purple void that circulated with energy. As he hadn't, Izuku faced forward and charged ahead as Muscular disappeared from his indentation in the mountain without a sound. Izuku had managed to defeat his foe, and the man had been light lipped, but all he had managed to get was that the league was gathering information for some unknown purpose.

It un-nerved him, but he set the thought aside and continued though the forest back towards his teachers and the main camp. He heard several faint noises in the distance far from him, but he knew Kota took priority first. Along the way he didn't encounter any other students in the few minutes it took for him to return to the camp with Kota in hand.

The young boy quickly ran to Mandalay as Izuku looked the clearing over and noticed most of the previous villains were gone. He also noticed that both Vlad and Aizawa were nowhere to be found, nor was Miruko. Mandalay relayed the situation to him as she quickly fussed over Kota while keeping an eye around the camp. She was acting as the main overseer of the camp's front entrance.

"Vlad is inside watching over the other students that have managed to make it back. Tiger is also there keeping an eye on Ragdoll and Pixie-Bob along with anyone else injured. We have already called for reinforcements and medics. Several students have what appears to be a minor form of gas poisoning. Eraserhead went into the forest and Miruko followed after to help the other students once the Villain he and Vlad defeated proved to be a fake or clone of some kind." He took everything in and made up his mind. Even if his mind disagreed, which it didn't, his body still had fight left in it and refused to stop.

"Thank you, and I'm sorry." Izuku shot back into the forest ignoring any words or shouts coming from behind him. His thoughts focused on the task still before him; he still had other students to save, and villains to defeat. If he could, Izuku also wanted to find and reunite with Miruko. He had a dark and sinking feeling that wouldn't leave him regarding her safety as he charged further into the dark forest.

Izuku was running purely on adrenaline, along with his body and Quirk's refusal to give in as he followed towards any noise and searched all around. He heard an explosion in the distance followed by cursing and anger. Immediately he knew the voice to belong to Bakugo- from what he could hear, he sounded disgruntled about something but agreed anyways. Izuku shot forward and into the clearing to a sight he hadn't expected.

Tokoyami seemed to be in some sort of Quirk rage and smashed a Villain with ease before Katsuki and Shoto shot past him using their Quirks. The light seemed to calm whatever had happened to Tokoyami and the raven esque boy gave his thanks as he apologized as well. Izuku quickly entered the scene and diverted their attention as he quickly caught himself and them up with everything that had happened.

From the shadows, no one in the clearing noticed as a masked figure watched them with interest in his eyes. He was dressed as a jester or entertainer of sorts as his eyes roved the clearing and landed on Bakugo and Tokoyami for longer than the others before they stopped on Izuku.

'I wonder if I can get all three. The master wants Izuku if we can grab him, but I'm sure those other two will please him as well.' The jester gave an unseen smile beneath his mask. As he did, Izuku felt another tingle down his back and knew the night wasn't over just yet.

A.N: It's been awhile, but I hope this chapter was worth the wait. As can be noted things are changing and taking a drastic turn for the different. I feel like I'm back into my normal flow, but I also can't guarantee when I will have updates. In other news I only hope that you won't come to hate my writer's mind in the next few chapters to come. Recently I also joined an awesome discord by invitation for fellow writers and lovers of fanfiction/etc. if you feel like chatting me up I'd love to see you there; join at discord. gg/ V54 pcwA and just remove the spaces. Also, if you enjoy my work and feel like supporting me please check out my Ko-fi under the same name holliswriting, all lowercase no spaces.