Chapter 16- USJ Battle

We drove along on the bus. Strangely, the longer we drove, the calmer I felt. As though the mere fact we were getting closer to the endgame I’d been prepping a year for made me more relaxed. Enough that I could actually join in on conversations.

“-Quirk is kind of like All Might’s,” Tsuyu said to Deku, who immediately started stuttering in surprise.

Such a perceptive frog.

“Y-Y-You think so?” Deku stuttered quickly, looking panicked as hell.

“She has a point,” I said, cutting in on the conversation. “Maybe he’ll have some advice for training. That or you could ask him who helped him with his quirk.”

“They aren’t that similar though, are they?” Kirishima said, scratching the back of his neck. “I mean, All Might’s quirk doesn’t hurt him.”

“All Might is one of the oldest and most powerful heroes in the world. Of course he can handle his quirk,” I pointed out to Kirishima.

“I guess so,” Kirishima said thoughtfully. “Still, I kinda wish I had flashy quirks like you guys,” he hardened his arm a bit, the rocklike skin drawing the eye. “My quirk is pretty good, but even Tetsutetsu’s quirk is more impressive than mine if we’re talking about flashiness.”

“Sure, but you could say that about a LOT of useful quirks, couldn’t you?” I said. “There is something to be said about simplicity being the most effective thing. I don’t know how Momo doesn’t just freeze up in combat when she has to think through a thousand items to make the right one.”

“Actually, I do have some trouble with that at times,” Momo pressed a worried hand to her cheek. “I’m working on it, but it can be harrowing, having so many options I have to decide between.”

“Well I think your quirks are amazing. Definitely worthy of a pro’s!” Deku said with real admiration in his voice. When Kirishima and Momo saw the open and honest awe on his face, both blushed, Kirishima rubbing the back of his head.

“Well, it may be a good quirk, but you need to think of popularity as a hero, you know?” Kirishima said, looking over at his hand again. I noticed Mina was eyeing him for some reason, a blank expression on her face instead of her usual smirk.

“Nah, the flashiness of a quirk doesn’t matter. Otherwise, Bakugo’s explosion would make up for his shit personality.”

“What did you say to me you fucking turtle bastard!?”

“That you have the personality of a spoiled brat,” I looked over at him. “Your powers are strong. But you’re a dick chūnibyō.”

“You wanna fight, bastard?” the kid snarled.

“I did, but you decided not to come to the UA Sentei meetings,” I scoffed. “Aren’t you supposed to be some kinda badass? Why not come to the club specifically made to help each other get stronger?”

Bakugo scoffed. “As though I needed help from a bunch of worthless extras.”

I felt a shot of rage fill me. A small flame left my lips as I leaned forward, glaring at him. “Every person in this class is worthy of being one of the greatest heroes of this generation. And if you actually believed you were as good as you say you are, you wouldn’t be afraid to come and take me on.”

Bakugo calmed, going from angry to smugly challenging. “Oh? You think you’re that good, eh?”

“I don’t think. I know.”

We glared at each other for a good moment, ignoring some of the others staring, while Deku mumbled to himself.

“We’re here,” Aizawa said from the front. “Settle down, now.”

Bakugo settled back in his seat. “Tch.”

I leaned back in my own seat, sighing as the massive structure of the USJ approached from the distance. Well… showtime.

------

Once inside the place I took stock of it with the students. Big. Very big. The whole place was the size of an amusement park. Seriously, what sort of budget did UA have? Their finances must challenge small countries in size…

And standing there was Thirteen, the Space Hero, dressed like an astronaut. We couldn’t see her smile, but she had a very cheery voice coming from the speakers in her suit. I say her, but I was actually unsure on that. I don’t think it had even been confirmed back home? Hm.

“Good afternoon everyone!”

As everyone reacted to the presence of the Rescue expert, I was taking deep breaths, clenching and unclenching my claws. Come on dammit. My emails must have been sent by now. Everything had been set up. Someone should be arriving. And if no one appeared in time… I’d need to be careful. I couldn’t respond to the villains before Aizawa and Thirteen, but I still wanted to respond. Balance, balance in all things. Calm. Calm.

As Thirteen began breaking down her philosophy on quirks and the responsibility we had to learn how to use them safely (she was so damn cool) Tsuyu noticed how I was acting.

“You okay?” Tsuyu asked me.

“Yeah,” I said reflexively. “Just getting ready. Taking deep breaths and such.”

“Ah. Okay. I thought you were nervous.”

“...More excited.”

She hummed in understanding.

I kept my eyes nailed on Thirteen. But my peripheral vision was on the open courtyard behind her. Any second. Any second I would find out if the heroes were arriving, or if I’d need to fight-

The lights flickered above. The fountain in the center of the courtyard flickered.

A violet puff of smoke. I held in a lick of flame. It was time.

The smoke grew more and more, widening outwards into a large swirling pool of shadows like something out of Kingdom Hearts. Then it exploded outwards.

“Get back, now!” Aizawa shouted, staring at the portal. “Thirteen-!”

“I’ll protect them,” she was already standing in front of us, her hands raised.

Aizawa and Thirteen were already looking at it. Leave it to the experienced pro heroes to see what was happening ahead of everyone else. A portal in space opened up. A pale hand came from the darkness, joined by another. They clutched the edges of that small portal before a face came with it. A face with another hand clutching to it, pale white hair framing the macabre image. A single red eye glowing in between the hands fingers.

The portal opened wide, spreading across the ground. And they came out.

Dozens of men and women, wearing an assortment of clothes, with a wide range of appearances. Some looked around curiously. Some glared at us. A couple were laughing. They ranged from truly threatening to clear jokes.

And he stood at the center of them all. The skinny man wearing a purple sweater and pants, a pair of red sneakers on his feet. And the hands. Two on his forearms and biceps, one on his face, one on his head. Wow. That was just freaky to see in real life.

Next to him was…

My claws flashed. I wanted to grin even as a bead of sweat dropped from my forehead.

Taller than me. Wide with muscle underneath violet skin. A face shaped like a bird’s, with jagged teeth, a pair of eyes set into an exposed brain, staring out at nothing.

The Nomu.

------

As the army of villains appeared, I could see the portal form two eyes. In the anime, that shadow guy had been saying something, but I couldn’t hear it from where I was standing.

“What’s that?” Kirishima asked, stepping forward with a hand over his eyes to stare at the bad guys coming towards us. “Is this like the Entrance Exam where the lesson’s already started?”

Aizawa snapped something out, but I wasn’t listening. Instead I was snapping my eyes around. Okay. No teachers had shown up yet. The trespasser alarm wasn’t working, and that electricity guy was going to be jamming our phones.

It was likely we’d need to fight.

That was fine.

To be honest, it's what I wanted.

My nervousness was gone. Now all I felt was a raging heat in my belly. I felt the same heat in my eyes. Pony once told me when I felt that heat that my eyes would start to glow. I believed it.

“-surprise attack was carefully planned-” Shoto was saying in the back.

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I crouched down, snarling just a bit.

“Bowser, no,” Aizawa snapped.

I looked over at him. He glared at me through his goggles. “You are in training. For now, keep trying to contact the school. I’ll take care of this while Thirteen protects you.”

...Contact the school.

Oh right. The plan.

I spun around. “Iida!”

“Bowser?” the speedster, surprised by my sudden shout.

“I can get those doors open! You run out and inform the school while Aizawa takes down the villains!” I shouted as I rushed for the doors.

The second I said that, it was like all the students came alive. Aizawa let out a small scoff of annoyance, but leaped upwards, rushing for the villains with his bandages fluttering behind and around him.

“I’ll help you!” Sato shouted, pouring sugar into his mouth and chasing me.

“Me too!” Shoji said, his multi-arms stretching.

“I’ll be ready!” Iida said, following after us.

“I’ll help defend your back!” Momo barked, forming a few flashbangs along her arms.

“This is bullshit!” Mineta said even as he followed, pulling out some of his sticky balls.

We started running as a group, Thirteen leading the others.

Aizawa was kicking some serious ass based on the loud shouts of pain. But my focus was ahead. Not on the door. I was waiting for him to show up.

I got down on all fours, running along with my claws digging into the ground. Bakugo was suddenly next to me, his eyes white with rage.

Then, the spot just in front of us sprouted a purple pool of energy. I dug my claws into the ground, carving the stones. As I did, I twisted around, turning my braking maneuver into a circular one, my claws ripping through the stone as I did. I pulled upwards, lifting the large chunk of cement I’d just carved out.

The pool of energy popped upwards, a shadowy figure coming from it and rising upwards.

“I won’t let yo-

“Bakugo, the brace!” I shouted at the top of my lungs as I tossed the boulder. “Iida, around!”

“Students-” Thirteen shouted after us, shocked while the boulder flew towards the shadow guy. He shut up, flickering a bit before the boulder landed. He began to reform. And as he did, a flicker of silver could be seen.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Bakugo’s gaze flicker in confusion. Then, realization. He launched forwards in an instant. Iida’s eyes narrowed in determination as he went speeding around to the right side.

Portal guy (Kurogiri, I think?) snapped out tendrils of violet from his main body, forgoing his speech for an all out attack.

Fuck! He was so much faster than I’d expected! I ran forward, breathing out a stream of fire. The blaze of heat spread along the right, smashing into the violet waves before they could hit Iida. As it faded, ice sprouted directly in it the same path, blocking the waves of purple from Iida. Sato and Shoji followed after him, using the makeshift blockade to protect them.

The villain tried to attack again, only for Bakugo to be leaping towards him.

“DIIIIE!” he screamed, blowing up the villain across his silver brace.

“Guh!” the villain stumbled. Iida, Sato, and Shoji got to the doors. The two strongmen started pulling it apart. The villain sent purple tendrils flying towards them.

I grabbed onto his metal bracer. My blood was pumping. I felt flames drip from my lips like water. The excitement and heat made my brain pound in my skull. Yellow eyes widened as I watched. I wanted to laugh. Instead I roared.

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!"

The villain suddenly exploded before I could dig my claws into his bracer. Violet surrounded me like a storm. I felt a hand I couldn’t see grab my wrist, Aoyoma screaming something on the other side of me. My claws scratched along metal. Then I was pulled away.

------

I fell to the ground moments later, landing on cement. I looked around. A city on fire surrounded me. Flames were burning in the windows, cars were eternally alight with flame, smoke and darkness filled the air.

“...Fuck,” I said softly.

That hadn’t been the plan. The plan had been to drive off Kurogiri long enough to get Iida outside. But I wanted to confirm that he’d made it out. Instead… Sato and Shoji had been pulling the door open. Iida was pushing through that gap. They had to have gotten out. Right?

I wanted certainty about that. Instead I was in the middle of a city on fire. I didn’t know if any teachers had even gotten my messages. I thought I’d covered everything I could, but…

In the distance, I heard someone scream. I recognized his voice immediately. Aoyama.

Fine. I wasn’t sure if the teachers were coming early. If Iida had managed to get his speedy ass out. But that was fine. I had somewhere to vent my anger.

I stepped forward into the fire.

------

Yuga Aoyama

Aoyama fired another laser from his belly, wincing at the nausea that followed. The blast hit a villain in the face, sending him to the ground.

Aoyama had been approaching Bowser when the violet shadow attacked him. He had hoped that his navel laser could at least hurt the strange villain, maybe the shadow would have a weakness to intense light like his dazzling self. But before he could, he was wrapped up in a strange storm of shadows that exploded from the man Bowser was holding.

Then, he was in the middle of a city on fire. For a terrifying moment, he’d thought he’d been sent to the future. A lone warrior of light sent to the future to battle the darkness!

Until he saw the UA symbol on a few items around him.

And then, the villains appeared. They rushed after him, and he’d immediately taken two out, his sparkling quirk a wonderful shine in this city of shadow!

But Aoyama had his limits. He fired again, missing this time, then once more. Fear filled him as a man with teeth like a dog’s rushed for him, jaws outstretched-

Boom!

A building to Aoyoma’s side shattered apart. A massive shadow shattered a section of wall, sliding to a stop in front of Aoyoma. The dog-fanged man’s teeth smashed into it.

And shattered across a shell that looked harder than titanium.

A fire nearby leapt upwards, highlight Aoyoma’s savior, whose back was turned to the villains who had been attacking. “Bowser!”

“Hey, Sparkly,” Bowser said with a savage grin, ignoring the crying villain that had shattered his teeth on Bowser’s back. “Looks like you found the fun.”

One of the villains, a heavily set man with a large belly, shouted. “Get that bas-”

“NO.”

Bowser looked over his shoulder at the villains. All the joviality in his voice was gone. Liquid fire dripped from his lips. His eyes began to glow a dark red. His claws and scales shined in the light.

“There is no ‘getting’ me. You don’t kill me, beat me, or win against me!” he turned fully. In that moment, a dragon in the center of a city on fire, Bowser had never looked more at home. “You came to a school to kill teenagers? Well your objective has changed.”

One of the villains panicked, raising an arm that looked like a cannon. It fired a bulbous tumor of some sort. Aoyoma ducked when the projectile exploded against Bowser. The villains seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as the giant dragon-turtle disappeared in the smoke..

Then a clawed hand snapped out of the smoke, grabbing a musclebound female villain by the neck. She screamed as he lifted her up into the air, then smashed her brutally into the ground, a clawed foot pounding into her face to shatter the asphalt beneath her into a crater. As the muscle-bound woman passed out, Bowser roared.

“One objective! Survive!”

Another villain punched Bowser in the face. He took the blow, a small sound like steel on steel filling the air. And he laughed happily, punching that villain right back.

Aoyoma grit his teeth and leaped into the air, firing a laser past Bowser. Looks like they stood a chance now!