Chapter 131: A Hero
Lynx was bored. He had been for weeks. Staring out at the open plains in front of him, he blew a raspberry and laid his head on his arms. On the hard ground, his limbs cushioned his chin like a pillow. It wasn't the most comfortable experience, but it was better than nothing. Surrounding him, after all, were the utterly flattened remains of a small jungle. Sitting hidden on a small hill, Lynx overlooked the Kadei River.
The area was supposed to be a jungle, but months of continued shelling had torn up almost every tree in the area. Old trenches zig-zagged through Outer Heaven territory, most now being occupied by MSF forces. They originally belonged to some warlord that Lynx couldn't remember. That warlord and his men had been pushed out of Cameroon and now sat on the other side of the river.
They'd dug in yet another trench line that the MSF had yet to assault. Much to Lynx's annoyance, as he again blew a raspberry. This elicited a groan from his right.
"What is it now?" Seal asked tiredly. Quietly, Lynx glanced toward his squadmate and spotted the sniper looking through his scope.
"I'm bored," Lynx replied, causing Seal to groan again.
"You're always bored," Seal muttered, the man already exhausted with his spotter's nonsense. As a team, they were both assigned the boring task of sniping the enemy. Which meant weeks of sitting on this hill, doing nothing. All for the possibility that one militant would accidentally stand up just a bit too high. Obviously, none of the militants wanted to lose their heads, so none ever came into view.
"I wouldn't be if you'd actually talk once in a while," Lynx argued, while Seal groaned.
"I'm trying to remain focused on our task," Seal countered, annoyed, "I would hope my spotter would be doing the same."
"We haven't fired a shot in weeks, and I doubt we will for another five," Lynx pointed out, before looking through his spotting scope. All the action did was confirm what he already knew. No one was dumb enough to stick their head out.
"A little chit chat ain't gonna kill us," Lynx reasoned calmly, as he looked away from his scope. It wasn't like they were ditching their post; they were still on the hill. And Seal made it like a small conversation would result in them not doing their job. As if Lynx couldn't talk and look through a scope at the same time. Seal, of course, stayed quiet for a few seconds before grumbling.
"See anything?" Seal asked, making Lynx shake his head.
"No," Lynx confirmed, mentally marking this as the thirtieth time he'd given Seal the exact same answer. It was honestly getting old. His answer again made Seal pause, before the sniper quietly shook his head. He didn't say anything, but Lynx had been around him long enough to understand what he was, or rather what he wasn't, saying. The silent millisecond glance, the slight droop of his M2010 ESR, the squinting of the eyes, all pointed toward Seal, saying, "Fine."
With this quiet relenting from his buddy, Lynx began to smile mischievously. Seeing his chance, one question came to Lynx's mind.
"So… is your brother still single?" Lynx asked, his smile getting wider when Seal started to glare.
"Ask again, and I am going to kill you," Seal spat back, causing Lynx to smirk.
"Damn, just asking a question," Lynx replied, before snorting to himself. At the same time, he saw Seal's face turn to a look of exasperation.
"I'd rather you not start banging my brother," Seal countered, while Lynx looked at him with a brow raised. His confusion was entirely fake, more so put in place to mess with Seal.
"Is it because I'm-" Lynx began to ask in a mock accusatory tone, before Seal cut him off.
"An unwavering ass? Yes," Seal replied, it now becoming his turn to smirk at Lynx. The sudden response caused Lynx to pause before he mockingly pouted.
"You make it like I'm not a good fit for Charlie," Lynx muttered, to which Seal snorted.
"You're not," Seal stated, the sniper soon lifting his rifle back up just by a millimeter, "Besides, he's been crushing on Duncan for a few weeks now."
Again, Lynx froze, this time actual confusion taking hold of him.
"...Duncan's gay?" Lynx questioned, surprised.
"What you didn't know?" Seal asked in return, now equally shocked.
"Just surprised, is all. Though that does explain a lot," Lynx replied, still caught off guard by the revelation. With it, though, Lynx began to get a few new ideas. A small mischievous smile again took hold of him, and Seal could somehow sense it.
"Duncan's single, right?" Lynx inquired, with Seal using every ounce of willpower he had to not whip his head around.
"That's it, I'm killing you," Seal proclaimed, causing Lynx to burst out laughing.
"Oh come on, I'm not aiming for your brother anymore," Lynx pointed out, laughing, while Seal glanced over and glared at him.
"Because you're going for his crush!" Seal exclaimed. Lynx merely shrugged and smiled back at Seal.
"It was either him or Charlie, and I'm apparently not a good fit for the latter," Lynx replied with a grin. Again, Seal groaned, and he brought a hand to his brow.
"I swear you are incorrigible," Seal muttered, while Lynx continued to laugh. Wiping a tear from his eye, Lynx shook his head.
"Alright, new topic, you're given ten million dollars with no consequences. What are you doing with that money?" Lynx questioned the man, figuring Seal had been messed with enough today.
"Shit… well, what's it in? Gumps or USD?" Seal asked, making Lynx think for a second. Ten million USD would have been equal to around fourteen million GMP. But on the flip side, ten million GMP was worth only seven million USD.
"Gumps," Lynx replied, Seal soon humming back in thought. GMP was the domestic currency, so it would be more widely available even if less widely used.
"Ok… ten million gumps," Seal muttered to himself, and clicking his tongue, "Well, I'd get a house down near Ola City. One of the big, nice neighborhoods, right near the beach."
Not a bad spot, Lynx thought to himself. Ola City wasn't all too massive, meaning homes were relatively cheaper compared to Mgbaba. Not to mention being so close to the beach was a big bonus.
"After that… I dunno. Probably save the rest," Seal reasoned with a shrug.
"...What? That's it? Just a house?" Lynx questioned, surprised.
"Well, obviously, I'd also buy some furniture. A large bed, a big couch, a nice TV, a giant fridge," Seal calmly said, before bringing a hand to his chin, "An ice cream maker probably."
Lynx just sat next to him, dumbstruck. Ten million gumps, and all he was doing was getting a house and some furniture. It was so boring! So generic! Not even a pool!? Or a roller coaster!?
"Maybe a car. Then again, I don't think I'll need one," Seal then muttered to himself.
"Dude, that's so bare bones!" Lynx exclaimed, earning a surprised look from Seal, "I'd be traveling the world with that kind of money!"
"Doing what?" Seal inquired, causing Lynx to shrug.
"I don't know. Just seeing the world and shit," Lynx replied bluntly, "I'd visit Italy for the summer, stay at a ski lodge in Switzerland for the winter, drop by France just because-"
"I didn't know the world was just Western Europe," Seal interrupted with a smug smile.
"I wasn't finished with my list," Lynx retorted, as another idea came to mind, "Mexico was sounding nice. I'd get a nice view, and the cartels would provide some great fun."
"And after that?" Seal asked, while Lynx held out his hand in front of him.
"Brazil, Colombia, Vietnam, India, the UAE, Taiwan, Korea, Germany, the Bahamas, Poland, South Africa-" Lynx began to count off, holding up a finger for each country listed. It was only when he said South Africa that Seal cut him off.
"South Africa?" Seal asked, shocked, while a concerned look crossed his face. Lynx looked back, confused, not realizing what was wrong.
"Hmm?" he replied, before the realization hit him and he muttered, "Oh, wait, no, they're fascist. I forgot about that."
Lynx chuckled nervously at his mistake and rubbed the back of his head bashfully.
"Still kinda getting used to the whole… secret war thing," Lynx commented, his first day in the MSF becoming fresh in his mind. He was still rather new, and was still trying to grapple his head around all the sudden secrets he'd been told about.
"Eh, you'll get used to it," Seal replied, though Lynx wondered if he was being truthful. Seal had been in the MSF for a lot longer than Lynx was, but there were many things he still wasn't used to.
"Not sure how. This shit is insane," Lynx muttered, as he looked back into his spotter scope.
"Give it time…" Seal replied calmly, with Lynx still unsure. Calmly, he looked through his scope, his eyes surveying the nearby land. Lynx knew there wouldn't be anything out of the ordinary, but it paid to double-check every once in a while. So his gaze passed over the enemy trenches, the ruined jungle, and the miles of surrounding mud. And he found nothing. Quietly, Lynx began to peel his eyes away from his scope, satisfied with his small check, until he caught something in the corner of his eyes.
"I… think I've got something," Lynx stated slowly, his words gaining Seal's attention.
"Where?" Seal asked, the sniper quietly prepping his rifle. As he did this, Lynx began searching for what he saw. Something had moved out across the river, something he nearly missed. Looking back at the enemy trenches, Lynx spotted… He blinked a few times, convinced his eyes were playing tricks on him.
"No man's land. By the blown-up T-62," Lynx then replied, blinking a few more times as he looked into his scope. Soon, Seal's rifle was turned toward the abandoned tank, where he saw the same thing Lynx did. It was a confusing sight, one that felt oddly unnerving. Out on the other side of the river was a man walking atop no man's land. There was no one else. One singular man walked out across the open, empty space, his hands in his pockets.
"The hell?" Seal muttered, confused as he watched the man walk forward casually. Lynx himself didn't know what to think. This man had no weapons with him, yet he was dressed like a soldier. Adorned in camouflage and wearing a combat helmet. He had to be crazy.
"Civilian?" Lynx asked, knowing it was a far-fetched idea. He reasoned that maybe someone had stolen a uniform, and they were just trying to sneak past the frontlines. But the man was coming directly from the enemy trench. The militants there would have shot him if he were a civilian.
"All the way out here? No way in hell," Seal replied, further shutting down Lynx's theory.
"Enemy then," Lynx muttered, surprised, "Recognize the uniform?"
"Sorta. Looks French," Seal replied, while Lynx tried to get a better grasp of the man's appearance. The uniform he wore used the FrenchBariolage multi-environnement pattern. And the militant was… tall. Shockingly tall. Yet he wasn't built; he looked like he was skin and bone. But what bugged Lynx most of all was that this man was acting casual.
"He's just… walking," Lynx muttered, concerned. All the man did was walk forward. He didn't run, and he didn't sneak. He just walked straight into no man's land without fear. And when Lynx looked at his face, he found the man to look more bored than anything.
"What's wrong with him?" Seal questioned, with Lynx quietly having the same thought.
"Take him out?" Lynx asked, while Seal quietly adjusted his rifle.
"Yep," Seal replied calmly, causing Lynx to look back into his spotting scope. Quickly, Lynx began to relay the info Seal needed. He checked the wind speed, the exact distance of the man, and every other factor that could affect the shot. Once everything was accounted for, Lynx quietly waited. By this point, the unknown man had reached the river's bank and was walking down the sand.
Seal took a final breath next to him and fired. The rifle's crack echoed around them, scaring off some nearby birds. The bullet soared forward, nearing the militant's chest… and… nothing happened.
"Shit, I missed," Seal muttered, the sniper quickly beginning to adjust his aim. At the same time, Lynx noticed that the militant was still walking toward them. Swiftly, Lynx helped Seal adjust everything, and the sniper fired again. Again, there was no hit, not even a trace of dirt being kicked up in the air. And the man still walked forward. Now, though, he wasn't on the bank anymore. By this point, he'd reached the river itself and walked atop the water.
"What?" Lynx muttered, confused, as he saw this man continue forward. The bastard acted like he wasn't being shot at. For a third time, Seal got a shot ready, and for a third time he fired. Just like the last two times, the bullet didn't hit the man.
"Holy fuck, he didn't flinch," Lynx pointed out, shocked. They'd shot at him three separate times. He should have heard them by this point, whether it be because of the crack of Seal's rifle or because of the bullets darting past his eardrums. This man knew he was being shot at, and yet he didn't react to it. Instead, he looked bored.
"How am I missing?" Seal grumbled, the sniper now going over his scope carefully. There had to be something wrong with his equipment. If there wasn't, then Lynx knew there was a worrying answer as to what was happening. Lynx and Seal weren't the only ones to notice the man, though. Other soldiers, further down the hill in the militants' old trenches, had heard the gunshots.
And they'd turned toward the enemy trenches, expecting to see a few suckers with their heads out. Instead, they saw a man walking on water and calmly heading towards them. Instantly, the soldiers scrambled, dozens of men soon taking position and readying their weapons. The man had made it halfway across the river before they'd all opened fire.
"Fuck!" Lynx cried out, caught off guard by the sudden gunfire. Dozens of men lit up the unknown man. 5.56, 7.62, 12.7mm, and even some 40mm grenades flew over the water. None had so much as struck the man. Of course, the men then escalated, as everyone tried to eliminate this unknown enemy. An Abrams and a Bradley stationed nearby rolled up and fired their main weapons alongside the infantry. Yet the 120mm shells, 25mm autocannon rounds, and TOWs didn't hurt him either.
Lynx couldn't believe his own eyes. Nothing was hitting this man, and Lynx couldn't tell why. He couldn't even ponder why, as the militant took his right hand from his pocket and held it up. The blown-up T-62 on the other side of the river then began to float. It's metal-bent and cracked, as the tank was crushed into a ball. With the flick of his wrist, the man sent the tank flying forward. Lynx's eyes shot wide open before Seal tackled him out of the way.
"Get down!" Seal yelled as the T-62 slammed into the hill below. Men shouted in terror and pain as the metal ball slammed into them. The ball didn't stop moving as it crushed the soldiers. It continued to move forward and rammed through the Abrams. It was like a bowling ball striking a row of pins. The T-62 ball only stopped moving after he decapitated Lynx's old position, ripping up the hill's ground.
Quickly, both he and Seal scrambled, both men soon looking back down the hill. Surviving soldiers continued to fire at the unknown man, all their efforts appearing to be in vain. Eventually, Lynx heard the familiar whistling of artillery overhead as someone finally called for support. It was the last saving grace in his mind. Within seconds, three 155mm shells crashed into the river, launching plumes of water into the air and obscuring the man from view.
Lynx hoped that they had finally done something, but then the plumes of water disappeared. The man continued to walk forward. We… we haven't even scratched him, Lynx thought, terrified. What's more, the man continued his onslaught as he reached out toward the disabled Abrams and yanked the tank forward. It floated in the air, before it and its crew were crushed into a ball like the T-62. The man threw the tank forward, and it crashed into the surviving soldiers below.
Nothing they did hurt this guy. Watching on, terrified, Lynx heard Seal stand up behind him. Rather quickly, the sniper grabbed him by the arm and yanked him up onto his feet.
"We need to go!" Seal shouted, then turned and took off. Lynx quickly followed, all while he heard the other soldiers voicing similar sentiments.
"Go! Run for it!"
"Shit," Snake muttered as he and All Might looked out the Blackhawk's open door. It had taken far longer than All Might liked to reach the frontline. And in that time, all he and Snake had gotten was garbled info. It's why Nagant had stayed back at the FOB, as she and the Intel Team desperately tried to organize everything into a somewhat sensible story. And so far, things didn't look good.
"They've advanced four miles in just one hour," Nagant relayed over the radio, making Snake shake his head. Turning his gaze from the outside to a lit Idroid, All Might looked over the holographic map in worry. One singular man had shown up and thrown the entire MSF line into pandemonium. The warlords, seeing an opportunity, had all rapidly begun to try to press the advantage.
There was little unity or organization amongst them, but at least one tier three had managed to get his forces into MSF territory. Now, a whole bunch of outdated T-55's were advancing practically unopposed, while this unknown villain threw crumpled up Abrams tanks like baseballs. It was not a pretty situation from what All Might could see.
"Who the hell is this guy?" All Might questioned, his gaze turning back to the open door. He could see smoke drifting up in the air and explosions going off in the distance. Below him was a long line of troops and civilians, all falling back to some position All Might couldn't see.
"We're still working on figuring that out," Nagant replied warily, "Whoever he is, we haven't so much as scratched him."
That elicited a look of shock from Snake.
"Come again?" Snake questioned with a worried tone.
"From all reports, we've hit him with howitzers, we hit him with HIMARS, we hit him with PrSMs, we hit him with JDAMs, and JAGMs. Nothing's hurt him," Nagant replied, just as worried. Quietly, Snake swore under his breath, while All Might angrily clenched his hands into fists. Someone tough then, All Might thought to himself, worrying.
"The only thing they haven't tried yet is chemical agents," Nagant added cautiously, causing All Might to flinch.
"Don't you have other options? Anybody with a strong quirk?" All Might asked, before he heard Nagant doing something on the radio. She scrolled through some files, and it took a moment for her to respond.
"We've already sent in a dozen guys trained for this situation. None have reported back," Nagant replied somberly. She scrolled through a few more files, just trying to get her bearings in order. All while All Might continued to look outside. Considering this rampage hadn't ended yet, All Might hazarded a guess on what their fates were.
"A member of FOXHOUND with a jamming quirk is coming this way, but he's flying in from the other side of the country," Nagant eventually stated, causing Snake to groan.
"Damn it," the soldier muttered. By the time this guy even got here, how many miles would the warlords advance? How many lives would be lost? As another explosion went off in the distance, All Might knew the answer would be too many. That very fact was unacceptable. So he calmly stood up from his seat and moved toward the open door.
"What are you doing?" Snake questioned as he saw All Might move. Looking down at the ground, All Might began to search for the spark of One For All he still had.
"What needs to be done," All Might replied, finding the familiar warmth of his quirk, "It's clear this is where I'm needed."
"Now hold on. You've only got a half hour to fight, and we don't even know this bastard's full capabilities," Snake protested, while All Might glanced back at him.
"Which is why I'll have to make this quick," All Might told him, a small but confident smile taking hold of him. For a moment, Snake stayed silent at the proclamation, with All Might unsure if it was because of surprise or quiet anger. He'd get his answer when Snake began to dig into his pockets.
"Catch!" Snake called out, before tossing a small earpiece, "I'll provide eyes up here."
Catching the device, All Might looked at it for a moment in surprise. Snake would be providing him overwatch… All Might wasn't expecting it. His help would definitely be needed, though. With how little time he has for this fight, he'd need all the help he could get. It was still an odd thought, though. The only other person who'd provided overwatch like this was Sir Nighteye.
Without a word, All Might put the device in his ear. With everything set, All Might turned back toward the door. Then, without a word, he jumped out. Falling to the ground at a rapid pace, All Might focused on One For All. Buffing up in the air, he soon landed on the ground. The ensuing impact of his arrival created a small crater, and All Might stood tall in the center of it, adorned in his Golden Age costume. Swiftly climbing his way out, All Might began to run toward the sounds of battle.
The closer he got, the worse things sounded. He could hear the shrieks of men and women, young and old, mixed with a horrifying array of crunches, squelches, and pops.
"Run! Run!" All Might heard one man yell before he ran past the soldier, fleeing in terror.
"I… I… fuck… where am I?" another soldier questioned, deliriously, the man missing their right leg from the torso down. A medic next to him tried to tend to his wounds, desperately trying to keep the man alive.
"Stay awake, trooper! You're not done yet!" the medic yelled while All Might rushed past him.
"Lynx! Seal! Get your asses over here!" another soldier would order, All Might now finally reaching the battle line. Slowing down, he spotted all manner of armored vehicles assembled, along with helicopters flying above. And everything assembled fired everything they had at the target in the distance. Hundreds of missiles, rockets, mortars, tank shells, and autocannon rounds all flew toward a target that had to be nearly two miles away.
Even a legion of M109s, M119s, M777s, M142s, M270s, launched everything they had from miles behind All Might. All for this one enemy that All Might hadn't even seen yet. All Might wasn't even sure if all the ordnance hit anything. A large cloud of smoke and dust was thrown into the air, while more munitions were thrown into the cloud. But then All Might saw something emerge from the cloud.
Several small dots had appeared in the air and were gradually getting closer. The closer they got, the larger All Might realized they were. It didn't take long for the soldiers present to notice them either.
"Incoming, incoming!" a soldier yelled, terrified. A dozen cries of shock, fear, and panic rang out as the dots grew to the size of houses. Everyone scrambled for cover, but it would have done little good. Closer the dots grew, until they revealed themselves to be solid rods of metal and dirt, built up with destroyed vehicles or house-sized chunks of the ground. Yet before any of the rods hit, All Might rushed forward.
Drawing his fist back, he felt One For All course through him, while the rods grew closer.
"Texas," All Might began, throwing his fist forward and striking the first rod,"smash!"
The force of his punch tore the rod into bits. What remained was launched backwards, as the wind flew forward with the force of a hurricane. The other rods survived no better, the sudden force ripping them to shreds and flinging them back. With the danger gone, All Might stood tall and looked out into the distance. The unknown villain was getting closer; however, he appeared to be taking his time.
Behind All Might, meanwhile, the soldiers continued to duck and cover. It took them a few seconds to realize nothing had happened. A few heads slowly popped up from the ground, all looking confused.
"W-what?" All Might heard one man question.
"H-how?" another man asked, as he stood up fully and looked around, confused.
"We're… we're alive?" a third man questioned in disbelief, before he started patting himself down to be sure. All any of them saw was a cloud of dust and dirt, it having been kicked up by All Might's smash. What's more, none of them seemed to believe things were ok. That just wouldn't do.
"Have no fear, everyone," All Might decided to announce, "Hope has arrived."
The cloud of dust slowly began to dissipate, and All Might saw hundreds of heads all whip towards him in shock. Standing tall, with his hands on his hips and the wind kicking up his hair, All Might glanced back at the men.
"Because I am here!" All Might proclaimed, smiling at every soldier present. He was met with a hundred shocked expressions and a murmuring crowd.
"Holy shit."
"Is that… it can't be,"
"There's no way."
"The hell is he doing here?"
It wasn't the roaring applause All Might was used to, but to be fair, he wasn't exactly looking for glory. Instead, his gaze turned back to no man's land. With MSF forces having briefly stopped firing, and none of the rods he threw hitting anything, the villain realized something was going on. Now, for whatever reason, the villain had gone from walking to flying. And was rapidly getting closer.
Turning back to the soldiers, All Might pointed out toward them.
"All of you, go!" All Might loudly ordered, before clasping his hands together and cracking his knuckles, "I will handle this."
The soldiers looked at him with disbelief, but one after another, they slowly began to turn and run. Vehicles of all kinds turned and sped off, while men clambered onto them for a free ride. No one had to be told twice to leave. With them gone, All Might turned back to face the approaching villain.
"Snake?" All Might inquired, the hero checking in on his support. Looking up, he found only Snake's Blackhawk in the sky, the others having left the area.
"Here," Snake replied calmly, and All Might saw the man looking out the helicopter's door, "Contact's closing in fast. He's gotta be moving as fast as a jet."
Concerning, All Might thought to himself, before facing the villain again. Slowing down, the villain drifted toward the ground and landed on his two feet. He stood eye level to All Might, yet held none of the musculature. Practically skin and bone, the villain's uniform hung off his body loosely, being somewhat baggy. But the most striking thing All Might noticed was that the villain looked bored.
"Well, aren't you a big one?" the villain soon questioned, yet his tone was laced with disinterest and boredom. The villain's eyes examined All Might carefully, while his left hand scratched his cheek.
"Far too colorful to be MSF… a hero then? Curious…" the villain then muttered, before pointing two fingers at All Might, "No matter."
Before All Might could so much as lift a finger, he felt the weight of something suddenly forcing him downward. Collapsing to the ground from the sudden force, All Might's face struck the ground, making the hero wince. He tried to push himself back onto his feet, yet it took so much effort to just lift his head.
"All Might? All Might, what's happening?" All Might heard Snake question, while he managed to turn his head around.
"I… I don't know. S-something's weighing me down," All Might replied, gasping for air. The villain, at the same time, tiredly began walking away, uncaring of All Might's plight. Angrily, All Might groaned and winced, fighting against the unknown weight keeping him down. A dozen questions ran through his mind, all trying to figure out what was going on.
"Hold it… villain," All Might ordered, struggling onto his feet. The weight felt unbearable, and All Might could feel the very ground cracking under his feet from the force. Yet he once again stood tall. Glancing over his shoulder, he found the villain had started turning around. His eyes met All Might's, and the villain's expression turned to a look of surprise.
"You still stand?" the villain asked, surprised. No longer walking away, he began moving closer to All Might.
"You're tougher than I thought," the villain noted, though still sounded bored. He brought a hand to his chin and walked around All Might in a slow circle.
"Who are you?" the villain questioned, before pointing two fingers at All Might again. He flicked them downwards, and All Might felt ever more weight on him. Again, he collapsed, his face striking the ground.
"I could ask you the same thing, villain," All Might replied through gritted teeth, wheezing as he exerted more of his strength. Trying to stand back up, All Might heard the villain sigh.
"If you truly must know, I am Lieutenant Afonso Santos of the Malagasy-Mozambican Empire's esteemed Royal Corsairs. Trusted protector and the elite bodyguard of Empress Mirana Rakoto," the now-named Santos replied. Instantly, All Might's eyes shot open.
"The Pirate Queen?" All Might questioned, panting as he finally stood up again, "You work for the Pirate Queen?"
"That I do," Santos confirmed, with a bored nod. Continuing to walk around All Might, the villain again added more invisible weight to the hero. Again, All Might collapsed, the ground itself crumbling from the added weight. The entire experience was beginning to become painful to All Might, with it feeling like something was trying to crush him.
Just what is his quirk, All Might mentally questioned. Telekinesis? No, most telekinetics have a limit to their powers. They tend to get headaches or migraines from prolonged use. Santos had been using his quirk for an hour straight, fighting through MSF forces, and he didn't so much as look like he needed a break. Air manipulation? It couldn't be. He would have just ripped the oxygen from All Might's lungs.
Yet through all of this, All Might noticed something odd. Santos had only mentioned Mirana… he hadn't said a thing about Razak. That was… odd. Unaware of All Might's thoughts, Santos continued to circle the hero.
"And today, she has given me the grandest of tasks," Santos proclaimed, crouching down to once again be eye level with All Might, "To extract retribution from Outer Heaven's ilk."
While still sounding bored, the last three words had been spoken with such venom that it caught All Might by surprise. He forced himself up to his knees and tried reaching out of the hole Santos was forcing him into. His hand grazed the ground and collapsed under it.
"I'm afraid I can't let that happen," All Might angrily told him, Santos then rolling his eyes.
"I'm sure you can't," Santos muttered tiredly, and again he added more weight. The ground beneath him continued to give way, and All Might again collapsed. But little by little, he pushed himself up, managing to lift his head. Santos now looked on with growing shock and annoyance.
"Your continued refusal to die is becoming tiresome," Santos stated, annoyed, adding more weight, "Give up already."
"To a villain like you? Never," All Might spat back, while still desperately struggling to stand. His face was effectively shoved into the ground. He clung to every breath as it became harder to breathe, his one good lung struggling to keep up with him. The more All Might struggled, the more weight Santos added. The more weight he added, the further into the ground All Might sank, and the more power he had to exert to stand back up. There had to be a limit to his power, yet… would All Might be able to withstand it?
The hero could barely lift his head by this point, and Santos still added more weight. Half his face had been shoved into the earth, and the other half managed to spot Santos standing above him. But then All Might heard something new. The roar of jet engines flying overhead. Santos looked up at the sky with a disinterested look, and both he and All Might noticed two F-15EXs coming in close. They dropped a couple two thousand pound JDAMs before darting off.
The bombs struck the area, engulfing Santos in smoke for a moment. But All Might heard the man speak.
"Oh?" Santos muttered tiredly, "How pitiful."
The smoke cleared, and All Might saw the villain hadn't been scratched. There wasn't even a cut on his uniform. The F-15EXs soon flew back around, now beginning to head back to whatever air base they came from. But to All Might's horror, Santos pointed two fingers up in front of the jets and merely flicked his wrist. In seconds, both jets slammed into an invisible wall, the planes becoming nothing more than balls of fire.
"No!" All Might yelled out angrily, the hero thrashing as he forced himself up, "You bastard!"
"Struck a nerve?" Santos asked, bored, before adding more invisible weight to All Might.
"Those were innocent people!" All Might shouted, again wheezing for air. Santos just shrugged and placed both hands in his pockets.
"They were weak," Santos bluntly replied, infuriating All Might more. He again tried to stand, yet Santos just added more weight, burying All Might in a pit. This… this couldn't go on. It was impossible to move, impossible to breathe. All Might felt his vision slowly begin to fade, the growing weight slowly but surely crushing him. This… this couldn't be how it ends, All Might thought to himself. He continued to struggle, to fight. It seemed to matter little.
Then All Might heard a voice cut in.
"All Might, talk to me! All Might!?" Snake shouted into the radio. All Might heard him angrily yell at something on the other side.
"Come on, whatever this is, fight it!" Snake told him, desperation clear in his tone, "People are counting on you! You can't give in!"
People were counting on him… people were always counting on him. People All Might believed he was helping. He was their symbol, their idol. The thing they looked up to for hope. And yet it had all been abused. His very symbol, his very heroics, all dedicated to making Santos' bosses richer and stronger. Everything All Might had done, everything he'd strived for, had been corrupted. Angrily, he placed his hands on the ground and pushed himself upwards.
Seeing this, Santos groaned loudly.
"Damn it, die already," Santos muttered, annoyed, before adding more weight, "Just who are you?"
"Me?" All Might questioned, continuing to force himself up, "I am the reason villains like you fear the daylight!"
All Might had vowed to take back his symbol, to remove the blemishes the HPSC had tacked onto it. To remove the cancers and leeches using his symbol as a shield!
"Get up, All Might! Get up!" Snake loudly encouraged, as his helicopter soon flew by overhead, "Don't let him win!"
He would not falter now! Not when the world still needed him! He owed it to all those his symbol had hurt! To all those taken advantage of by those he'd shielded!
"I wasn't going to," All Might confidently told him, placing a hand on his knee, "Not when I still have a debt to pay!"
Finally standing tall, All Might found Santos looking down at him in shock.
"W-what?" Santos questioned, before adding ever more weight. This time, All Might didn't collapse. He took a step forward, his foot cracking the earth below him. Santos added more weight, but All Might did not falter.
"You want to know who I am? Then I'll tell you!" All Might proclaimed, a fire lit in his eyes as he looked up at Santos. He took a step forward and clenched his hands into fists.
"I!"
He bent his knees, prepping himself for a jump while Santos added more weight.
"Am!"
With all the strength he could muster, All Might jumped, fighting against the invisible weight holding him down.
"All Might!"
He shouted his name from the depths of his soul. His right fist shot forward, striking an unseen barrier. The barrier withstood his strike for a moment, but with a guttural warcry, All Might pressed on. Putting everything he had through, the barrier broke. It sounded like glass shattering, the unknown force breaking away and causing Santos to stumble. Landing back on solid ground, All Might glared at Santos.
"Huh… No one's ever done that before," Santos commented, the villain for once seeming interested in what was happening. Rolling his shoulder, All Might continued to glare at the villain.
"Your evil ends here, villain!" All Might shouted, before punching his open left hand with his right, "Surrender."
Santos continued to watch him curiously, but when he heard All Might speak, he raised a brow.
"Surrender?" Santos asked with a sigh.
"You broke through my bubble, big whoop," Santos mocked while shaking his head, "All that means is I'll have to kill you the old-fashioned way."
Slowly, the villain began to float into the air. Holding out both hands and looking down at All Might, bored, he flicked his wrist.
"So, in the name of her majesty," Santos began to say, before Snake shouted into All Might's earpiece.
"Above you!" Snake exclaimed, making All Might's head whip upwards. A chunk the size of a house of earth hovered above him, Santos having ripped it out of the ground only seconds earlier.
"Die," Santos ordered, dropping the chunk. With a single jump, All Might dove out of the way. The chunk of dirt and rock slammed into the ground hard, the force mimicking an earthquake. Quickly, Santos ripped more chunks out of the earth and began fashioning some of them into large spikes. Rushing forward, All Might again jumped, managing to get in close to Santos within seconds. Caught off guard, Santos had little time to react as All Might pulled his right arm back.
"Detroit," All Might began to say, before punching Santos in the face, "Smash!"
His downward punch flung Santos to the ground, the man crashing to the ground quickly. The spikes he created fell to the ground with a loud crash. At first, All Might thought that would be enough. Then Santos stood up, without a scratch on him.
"Shockingly quick," Santos muttered, while All Might watched on, confused. But not wanting to let up the pressure, All Might again charged forward. Getting in close, he threw a jab at Santos' chest and struck the man dead center. Or so he thought. He felt his fist make contact with… something else. All Might hit him with a left hook, and finally noticed what was happening.
Santos wasn't tanking hits, no. Nothing was actually hitting him. Because as All Might threw a right cross, he found his fist striking an invisible barrier. What's more, Santos quickly countered, hitting All Might with a right haymaker. The strike hurt more than All Might thought it would, and made the hero stumble back. Suddenly, it all made sense. Santos' quirk, All Might realized, was gravity manipulation.
Santos had tried to crush All Might by increasing his gravity. He used gravity itself as his shield, both to avoid all harm and, as All Might felt the villain's boot hit his gut, amplifying the force of his hits. Santos tried to hit him again, then, floating up, attempting a diving punch. But All Might dodged the blow. When Santos landed, he found All Might standing behind him, and hitting him with a right jab to the jaw. Stumbling back, Santos started floating backwards away from All Might, aware that winning a close-up fight would be impossible.
"All Might… You know, I remember the Empress saying that name before," Santos noted, as he reached out toward no man's land. With his quirk, he pulled a dozen damaged armored vehicles toward him. Each vehicle was crushed into a spike, and each spike circled around him carefully.
"Always with such anger. I'd say she's got a grudge," Santos noted, before throwing the spikes at All Might.
"For good reason," All Might replied, running forward as the spikes struck the ground, "We fought once. She lost."
Bobbing and weaving, All Might dodged each seventy-ton projectile.
"Well, then, for her, I will bring back your head," Santos proclaimed, an odd dreamy look taking hold of him, "And with it, her favor will finally be mine, and she will free herself from the whims of that weak charlatan."
Confused, All Might leapt into the air, right as a spike stabbed into the ground he previously stood on. Flying forward, All Might punched the air to his right to adjust his course and obliterated another one of Santos's spikes. Again, Santos only referred to Mirana.
"All this loyalty, for rulers who couldn't care less about you!" All Might shouted, getting close enough to tackle Santos out of the air, "Can't you see you're a pawn!?"
Crashing to the ground, Santos swiftly headbutted All Might and flung the hero off of him with the flick of his wrist. Yet All Might would land on his feet and reach Santos within seconds again. Running forward, All Might threw a right cross, which Santos quickly blocked by yanking the ground between the two upwards.
"A pawn of who?" Santos questioned, as All Might's fist broke through his momentary cover, "My loyalty is to the Empire and the Empress. For them, I fight for a far grander cause!"
Switching up tactics, Santos used his quirk to grab All Might and floated him into the air. Keeping him in place, he pulled over more spikes and launched them toward All Might simultaneously. Before any of them could hit, All Might broke free and punched downwards. The wind launched him upwards above the spikes, entirely avoiding the attack.
"You fight for slavers and criminals!" All Might angrily yelled while dropping back to the ground. Speed blitzing Santos, All Might ran and appeared behind Santos before the villain could realize it.
"I fight for freedom!" Santos proclaimed, before realizing All Might was no longer in front of him. He turned, already knowing All Might was behind him, and the two attempted to punch each other. They both struck each other on the jaw, but All Might knocked Santos back.
"Freedom!? You serve an empire that would gladly enslave millions!" All Might shouted, before hitting Santos with a left jab, then a right hook. Each hit caused the wind to whip around them like a hurricane.
"And it would be deserved, you simple-minded fool!" Santos proclaimed loudly, sidestepping an upper cut, and hitting All Might with a lunge punch.
"I fight for true freedom!" Santos said, managing to knock All Might backwards. He then floated back again and held out his hands.
"Watch your footing!" Snake shouted into the radio, while All Might jumped into a roll. A second later, the ground he stood on collapsed inward like a sinkhole, and the bottom soon raised up into sharp spikes.
"I fight for the freedom of the strong, against the tyranny of the weak!" Santos yelled, ripping up more of the earth for another hundred spikes.
"Behind you!" Snake warned, and All Might turned around. Santos had created more spikes behind him and a dozen shots toward him. Reacting fast, All Might simply threw one punch forward, and the wind ripped apart the dirt and stone.
"It was those weaker than you and me that chained and enslaved us!" Santos explained angrily, "Had us bow to their rules and laws!"
Turning back around, All Might found Santos throwing the rest of his spikes, while continuing to rip more out of the ground.
"We have the power to do whatever we please, and they do everything to keep us down! To keep us servile!" Santos yelled while All Might darted forward. Again, dodging under the spikes, All Might soon began timing each one's speed. Without a second thought, All Might leaped and landed on one of the spikes. Running along it, All Might soon jumped and landed on another. He jumped along them all the way to Santos, much to the villain's anger. He threw one more spike at All Might, which the hero sidestepped.
"He's open!" Snake called out, while All Might jumped and diving punched Santos.
"That is not freedom! It is oppression pretending to be just!" All Might countered, watching as Santos was flung back. He could see the villain breathing heavily, but managed to continue floating in the air.
"Of course you don't understand," Santos grumbled to himself, "You were born and taught under their rule. They've convinced you that they're just… No, you don't know freedom, so I can't expect you to get my cause."
Again, Santos tried his spike trick. Only for All Might to punch downward again, and tear apart every spike he formed. Loudly, Santos grumbled before flying upwards to meet the now-falling All Might.
"But it don't matter," Santos began to say, pulling his fist back for an upper cut, "Understand it or not, you'll die for it all the same!"
Reaching All Might, he managed to strike the hero. Sending him flying backwards, Santos quickly reached out and grabbed All Might again. This time, he pulled the hero down and slammed him into the ground repeatedly. But like the last time, All Might broke free, rolling out of the way when he hit the ground. So Santos resorted to his other trick and started creating sinkholes.
Repeatedly, the ground collapsed under All Might, the small gravity pockets crushing everything inside them. Yet All Might continually dodged them, moving far too fast for Santos to hit.
"Damn it, stay still, you bastard!" Santos angrily ordered, causing All Might to boisterously laugh.
"Drill behind you!" Snake then called out, making All Might turn around. Sure enough, Santos had created another dirt spike, only this one was the size of an apartment, and spinning like a drill.
"What's the matter? Can't keep up!?" All Might taunted as he stared down the approaching drill. Rather than dodge, he reached out and grabbed it once it was close enough. Then, to Santos' shock, All Might picked it up, turned, and judo threw it toward him. With little time, Santos ripped the drill apart. Only to then find All Might jumping in from behind it. All Might then smiled widely at the villain, giving him his signature grin.
"I told you before, your evil ends here!" All Might proclaimed, before throwing a shovel hook at Santos' jaw. He knocked the villain back again, causing all manner of dirt and dust to be launched into the air. The wind from the fight never seemed to calm down as time went on. And unbeknownst to All Might, Snake's Blackhawk was forced to fall back from the fight, and the man now watched on through binoculars.
Seeing All Might again heading toward him, Santos quickly rolled out of the way after he hit the ground. All Might then knee slammed the ground, cracking the very earth. His momentary pause allowed Santos to roundhouse kick him, but the blow did little to nothing.
"No matter what you hit me with, I will never give up!" All Might told him, continuing to smile widely, much to Santos' annoyance. The villain yelled loudly, throwing more wild strikes at All Might. Yet the hero dodged or blocked each one, even catching the villain by surprise and knocking him back with a headbutt. Stumbling back, Santos looked forward, expecting to see All Might ahead of him. But again, the hero was too fast.
His eyes darted around before he noticed a shadow above him. Looking up, he found All Might had jumped up high and was now winding up another punch.
"California smash!" All Might shouted, a mere second before his fist made contact with Santos' skull. The very ground sank beneath them, as All Might created yet another sinkhole on the battlefield. Having stunned Santos, All Might took a quick breather before pondering his next move. He just kept hitting the guy, yet his shield never seemed to give way. Looking for a solution, All Might found one in the shape of Snake, calling out over the radio again.
"Bury the bastard!" Snake exclaimed, making All Might small. Imbolization could work, the hero reasoned. He booked it around Santos and grabbed the villain before he could react. Within seconds, All Might felt the villain flail about. Santos struggled as much as he could, but couldn't stop All Might from suplexing him into the ground. Literally burying him in the dirt, All Might stood up and expected to see Santos' legs sticking up. Instead, he found an empty hole and felt the ground rumbling.
Mentally swearing, All Might jumped, right as the ground exploded below him. Metric tons of dirt shot up into the air, attempting to simply scrap All Might.
"Cheap trick!" Santos furiously yelled while All Might landed back on the ground. He got ready to charge the villain again, only for Snake to yell, "Above you!"
His eyes darted up, and he saw the dirt rapidly start combining and coalescing into a single massive chunk. Once it was the size of a skyscraper, Santos, with a guttural yell, dropped it. The multi-thousand-ton chunk then began to accelerate, as Santos forced it down faster, amplifying the object's gravity. It should have terrified a normal man. Not All Might, though. Winding up his right arm, he ran and jumped to meet the faux meteor.
With a single blow, he punched and shattered the chunk, creating a mini tornado with the wind. Falling back to the ground, All Might spotted the ever more furious look on Santos' face. It made All Might smile wider.
"Hahahaha!" All Might laughed boisterously, "You'll have to try harder than that villain!"
Yelling angrily, Santos began to throw whatever he could at All Might. Continually ripping up the earth around him, forming massive sinkholes and craters.
"This is idiotic!" Santos shouted, while All Might dodged, punched, or grabbed whatever he threw at him. It was becoming clear to All Might that Santos was running out of tricks. But even still, this fight had been going on for too long. The very geography itself had been changed in the ensuing battle, there now being entire hills, valleys, canyons, and even small mountains that weren't there before.
"Just keep hitting him! He can't keep this up forever!" Snake told him, while All Might again got in close to Santos. The villain whipped around, ready to kick him. All Might merely sidestepped the blow, while still smiling at Santos.
"Ever watch Dragon Ball?" All Might asked, quickly confusing Santos. Before he could react, All Might grabbed his head and booked it forward. Running towards one of the mountains Santos had created, All Might soon slammed the villain's head into the face of it. Then, to Santos' horror, All Might pressed forward, dragging Santos' head against the wall. When All Might finally pulled Santos off the wall, he threw a right hook at the villain's head and sent him flying.
"That's what I'm talking about! Come on, keep up the pressure!" Snake encouraged from above, while Santos crashed and slid along the ground. Again, yelling, he floated back off the ground. Rather than throw more stuff, he elected to charge All Might.
"I'll flatten you like a bug!" Santos shouted, reaching All Might within a few seconds. He threw a front kick, which All Might side-stepped. Then followed up with a left jab, a right hook, a left hook, a literal flying kick, and All Might ducked and dodged them all. This simply served to infuriate Santos more, the villain seeing the wide, confident grin on All Might's face.
"Quit smiling, asshole!" Santos demanded, trying to hit All Might with another left cross.
"Never!" All Might replied, as Santos angrily bellowed. Both men again tried to hit each other, Santos attempting a jab, and All Might throwing an overhand counterpunch. Santos managed to strike All Might in the chest, but All Might hit him square in the face. And there, All Might heard the familiar sound of glass breaking. His fistbroke through Santos' shield and landed right on his nose. Wailing in pain, Santos stumbled back from All Might's strike. His hands went to his face, and his eyes were wide with shock.
Pulling one hand back, he found blood covering his palm.
"B-blood?" Santos questioned, his voice sounding off thanks to his broken nose, "You… you hit me."
He looked back at All Might, shocked. Stumbling back, Santos tried to stay as far from the hero as possible. So, All Might did what Santos had done and simply walked forward.
"How? How!?" Santos demanded, the villain quickly bringing his fists back up.
"Why? Because, unlike you, I fight for a truer cause!" All Might proclaimed, before dashing forward. Santos threw a hook at All Might, managing to hit the hero's jaw. But All Might merely tanked the blow and launched a gutshot at Santos. Santos had reformed his gravity, but it again shattered under All Might's fist. It tanked the majority of All Might's strength, but not enough to protect Santos.
Keeling over, Santos felt something inside him break, and struggled to stand. Terrified, he threw a desperate left jab, followed by a right jab. All Might simply shielded himself with his arms.
"I fight for the freedom of all!" All Might shouted, before dropping his guard and hitting Santos with a right haymaker. Again, the shield tanked the majority of his strength before breaking away, allowing his fist to hit Santos' jaw. The blow knocked the teeth out of his mouth.
"I fight for justice for all!" All Might yelled, while Santos threw another desperate hook. This strike being lower than the others, he managed to hit All Might's injury. Coughing up blood, All Might ignored the pain and countered with an uppercut.
"I fight for the weak and the innocent!" All Might proclaimed, his voice sounding like it would break through the heavens. Having been knocked off his feet, Santos hit the ground hard and scrambled to get back up. All Might threw a hook at Santos, and the villain tried to block it with his arms. All that got him was another broken bone, his right arm snapping under the force. Without his shield, he was weak. His tall stature was, in a sense, due to the effects of microgravity. So his bones were like those of a bird.
Stumbling back, Santos continued to stand, the villain unwilling to stand down. A desperate, panicked look struck his face as he tried to find a plan. Instead, he saw All Might's smiling face staring back at him.
"Because I," All Might began to say, before darting forward, and grabbing Santos by the shirt, "Am the Symbol of Peace and Justice!"
Struggling against his grasp, Santos hit All Might with everything he had. He kicked his legs, kneed his injury, and struck him in the face. Nothing would break All Might's grasp of him. Seeing his continued defiance, All Might wound back his right arm.
"So hear me now, villain!" All Might shouted, as Santos went wide-eyed. He reformed his shield, putting every ounce of power he had left into it.
"Detroit," All Might began to say, his fist shooting forward. Within seconds, he'd struck Santos' shield and kept pressing forward. Letting go of Santos, All Might smiled as he felt the shield give way. The sound of glass shattering echoed for miles as All Might's fist hit Santos' temple.
"SMASH!" All Might yelled from the depths of his soul. His fist forced Santos downward to the ground, launching the man into the earth. The very ground broke away, as the wind whipped around them. When it died down, All Might looked at Santos. The villain laid on the ground, bloody and unconscious. Breathing deeply, All Might looked back up to survey the surrounding area.
Both behind him and in front of him, he could see vehicles approaching. One side being the MSF, the other being the warlords. Both sides drew nearer by the moment. But when they finally got close enough, All Might saw the warlords slow to a crawl. Those who could see the scene ahead of them looked on in shock and fear. While MSF tanks rolled up next to him, already aiming their guns, All Might glanced toward the militants before him. He didn't believe there should be any more blood spilled today. Stepping forward, All Might rolled his head around, cracking a crick in his neck.
"Unless you want to end up like him," All Might loudly announced, before pointing toward Santos, "I suggest you surrender."
It took a minute for the militants to hear him. When they finally did, he saw them all glance toward each other warily. Their gazes flipped from All Might to Santos, to the MSF, and back to All Might. Then, slowly but surely, one man dropped his gun. He raised his hands into the air, and another man did the same. Slowly but surely, an entire company had surrendered to him. The entire sight elicited cheering from the soldiers next to him. Most involved jeers or taunts toward the militants, but All Might soon heard something else.
"That was amazing!" a soldier exclaimed, his gaze firmly on All Might. Dozens of men soon formed a circle around him, all clapping and cheering. Their faces held wide, excited smiles as they stood around him.
"You brave, beautiful bastard!" one man yelled with joy.
"He stopped them dead in their tracks!" another man said, overjoyed that the chaos had ended.
"That was incredible!" a third man complimented. All Might simply smiled back at them before he heard Snake laugh into his earpiece. Looking up, All Might spotted his Blackhawk flying above, having gotten in close again. Inside it, Snake sat on the helicopter's edge.
"Amazing!" Snake told him, laughing, "That right there's why you're the best! The one and only!"
All Might simply chuckled in response, laughing as he heard the soldiers cheer and chant.
"All Might! All Might! All Might! All Might!" they began to say in unison. This… All Might lived for this. Not the glory or the fame. But the smiles, the joy, the clear and present hope on everyone's face. This was what he lived for. So the entire sight made him smile. He gave his loud, boisterous laugh, standing tall, and holding his fist up high.