Chapter 19: A Glitch in the GameThe shockwave from the Fire Zone rolled across the USJ like a physical tide. It rattled the glass of the dome, shook the water in the shipwreck zone, and sent a gust of hot, dry wind sweeping through the Central Plaza.
Tomura Shigaraki stood near the fountain, his hand frozen halfway to his neck. He didn't scratch. He didn't move. He simply stared at the massive column of orange flame piercing the ceiling in the distance. The light reflected in his single visible red eye, a look of pure, unadulterated annoyance.
"Kurogiri," Shigaraki rasped, his voice dry like sandpaper rubbing against stone.
The black mist materialized beside him, reforming into the polite villain.
"I have returned, Shigaraki Tomura."
"That explosion..." Shigaraki pointed a trembling finger at the destruction. "Did one of the Pro Heroes sneak in?"
"No," Kurogiri answered calmly, though his yellow eyes narrowed slightly. "It was a student. The one with the scarf."
Shigaraki's finger twitched. He began to scratch his neck, slowly at first, then violently. Scritch. Scritch. Scritch.
"A student? Producing that much firepower?" Shigaraki hissed. "That wasn't in the data. The game is bugged. I hate bugs. He's a glitch... a glitch in my perfect game."
He stopped scratching. He looked at the massive, beak-faced monster standing motionless beside him—the Nomu.
"Nomu. Stay on standby. We need to clear the trash before the Boss arrives."
Down in the plaza, Shota Aizawa landed on the pavement, panting heavily. Sweat dripped from his chin. He had defeated nearly twenty villains, but the effort was taking its toll. His dry eye was throbbing, his muscles burning with lactic acid.
He looked toward the Fire Zone. A flicker of relief crossed his battered face. They are fighting back. That power... it has to be Dragneel.
"Good," Aizawa whispered, wiping blood from his cheek. "But I can't rest yet."
He turned back to the horde, his scarf raising like a cobra. But he didn't notice the decay spreading in the air behind him.
The Shipwreck Zone.
The water was dark and stagnant. Midoriya, Tsuyu, and Mineta clung to the side of the sinking ship, surrounded by villains circling in the water like sharks.
Then, the sky lit up.
The roar of the fire dragon echoed through the facility, vibrating in their chests. Midoriya looked up, his green eyes widening as he saw the pillar of flame annihilating the distant zone.
"That fire..." Midoriya gasped, clutching the railing. "It's Natsu-kun."
"That's insane!" Mineta shrieked, tears flowing freely. "Did he just blow up the building?! Is he trying to kill the villains or us?!"
"Kero," Tsuyu tilted her head, watching the flames. "He's signaling us. He's telling us he's still standing."
Midoriya felt a surge of electricity run through his veins. It wasn't One For All; it was courage.
"Natsu-kun is fighting with everything he has," Midoriya said, his voice firm. He looked down at the villains. "We can't give up here. We have to fight, too!"
"Mineta!" Midoriya shouted. "Get ready!"
"H-Hai!"
Midoriya jumped from the ship. In mid-air, he snapped his fingers.
"DELAWARE SMASH!!"
BOOM!
The pressure from his finger blasted the water surface. It didn't hit the villains directly, but it created a massive, swirling vortex. The water churned violently, dragging the villains into a chaotic whirlpool.
"Now, Asui-san!"
"Call me Tsuyu!"
Tsuyu leaped, catching Midoriya in mid-air with her long tongue and grabbing Mineta with her hand.
"Grape Rush!" Mineta screamed, throwing his sticky purple balls into the whirlpool.
The villains, spinning helplessly in the water, were stuck together in a massive, groaning ball of limbs and regret.
As Tsuyu landed gracefully on the shore of the shallow water zone, Mineta looked back at the carnage—the fire in the distance, the whirlpool behind them.
"Between Midoriya breaking his bones and Natsu eating buildings..." Mineta shuddered. "Class 1-A is filled with monsters."
The Fire Zone (The Aftermath).
The air smelled of ozone and scorched concrete. The heat was intense, radiating from the melted walls.
Natsu stood amidst the rubble, steam rising from his skin. His vest was slightly singed, and his scarf fluttered in the hot updraft. He wiped a streak of soot from his cheek and let out a satisfied burp. A small wisp of flame escaped his lips.
"I'm stuffed," Natsu grinned, clenching his fists. A faint, golden aura—the beginnings of Dragon Force—flickered around him before fading. "That was a good meal."
"YOU BASTARD!!"
GRAB.
Katsuki Bakugo stormed through the smoke and grabbed Natsu by his scarf, yanking him down to eye level. Bakugo's face was twisted in pure, unadulterated rage.
"I was going to blow them up!" Bakugo screamed, spittle flying. "I was rounding them up for a final blast! You stole my kill! You stole the spotlight! Don't think you're better than me just because you act loud, Salamander!"
Natsu didn't even blink. He simply headbutted Bakugo.
THWACK.
"Ouch!" Bakugo stumbled back, clutching his forehead.
"They were in my way!" Natsu argued back, rubbing his own iron-hard forehead. "And besides, thanks to that fire, I've got my energy back! I'm at 100% now!"
"Guys! Stop fighting!"
Kirishima emerged from the dust, looking panicked. He grabbed both of their shoulders.
"This isn't the time for a rivalry! Look at the plaza!" Kirishima pointed through the massive hole Natsu had blasted in the wall.
Down in the distance, they could see Aizawa fighting. But his movements were slower. The villains were closing in.
"Sensei is in trouble," Kirishima said seriously.
Natsu's expression shifted instantly. The playfulness vanished. He sniffed the air again.
Sniff.
"Blood..." Natsu whispered. "Fresh blood. It's Aizawa's."
"Let's go," Bakugo growled, turning away. "I'm going to kill that warp gate bastard. If we cut off their escape route, they're dead."
"I'm going for the boss," Natsu declared, his fists igniting again. "The guy with the hands on his face. He smells like decay."
The three students began to run, charging out of the ruins of the Fire Zone toward the central battleground.
The Mountain Zone.
"Create: Smoke Grenades!"
Momo Yaoyorozu produced three metal canisters from her arm. She tossed them into the air.
"Aye, sir!"
Happy, flying swiftly above the rocky terrain, caught the grenades with his tail and paws.
"Target locked!" Happy chirped. He swooped down over a group of villains hiding behind a boulder. "Bombs away!"
POOF! POOF!
Thick grey smoke engulfed the villains.
"I can't see!" one villain coughed.
"Acid Veil!" Mina Ashido slid down the rocky slope on a stream of acid, wearing the smoke like a cloak. She shot precise globs of acid at the villains' weapons, melting their guns and knives.
"Take that!" Mina cheered, kicking a confused villain in the chest.
Within minutes, the Mountain Zone was silent. The villains were tied up with carbon-fiber nets Momo had created.
Mina wiped sweat from her forehead. "Phew... we did it." She looked up at Happy, who was hovering protectively over them.
"Hey, Happy," Mina asked, panting. "Is Natsu always... like that? That fire explosion earlier... was that normal?"
Happy landed on a rock, adjusting his green backpack. He looked toward the Fire Zone, his eyes serious.
"Normal?" Happy chuckled softly. "That was just a roar. When Natsu gets really angry... when someone hurts his friends... he doesn't just burn the building."
Happy looked at Mina with wide, honest eyes.
"He burns the destiny itself. You haven't seen anything yet."
The Central Plaza.
The battle was reaching its breaking point.
Shota Aizawa was exhausted. His capture scarf was heavy. His eyes were dry as desert sand.
He blinked.
That was the opening.
Shigaraki rushed forward. He didn't run like a fighter; he moved like a phantom. He slipped under Aizawa's guard.
"Cooldown finished," Shigaraki whispered.
His hand, with all five fingers extended, grasped Aizawa's elbow.
CRUMBLE.
The flesh of Aizawa's elbow turned to gray dust. The skin cracked and peeled away, exposing muscle and bone.
"Guh!" Aizawa didn't scream. He swung his other arm to punch Shigaraki, but the villain leaped back.
"You're cool, Eraser Head," Shigaraki said, scratching his neck. "But you're focused on the pawns. You forgot about the Queen."
The massive black shadow loomed over Aizawa.
The Nomu moved. It was faster than the eye could follow.
WHAM.
The monster's fist, large as a boulder, slammed into Aizawa's face. The goggles shattered. Blood sprayed across the pavement.
Aizawa was pinned to the ground. The Nomu grabbed his right arm.
SNAP.
The sound of the bone breaking was sickeningly loud. Aizawa gritted his teeth, his consciousness fading. The Nomu grabbed his left arm.
SNAP.
"Stop..." Aizawa wheezed, pain flooding his system.
"Game over," Shigaraki said boredly.
At the edge of the water zone, Midoriya and Tsuyu had just dragged themselves onto the shore. They froze, witnessing the brutality.
"Sensei..." Midoriya whispered, horror gripping his heart.
Shigaraki turned his head. He saw the students.
"Oh," Shigaraki said softly. "The reinforcements haven't arrived. Maybe if I kill a few pieces, the Hero will come."
He looked at Tsuyu.
"Sigh..."
In an instant—a literal glitch in time—Shigaraki was standing right in front of Tsuyu. His hand reached out for her face. Five fingers spread wide.
"No..." Midoriya screamed, reaching out, but he was too slow.
"Don't touch her."
BOOOOOOM!
An explosion blasted Shigaraki from the side. The villain was thrown back, skidding across the pavement.
Smoke cleared to reveal Katsuki Bakugo, standing protectively in front of Tsuyu and Mineta, his gauntlets smoking.
"Die, you crusty freak!" Bakugo snarled, his eyes wild.
"Kacchan!" Midoriya gasped.
But the danger wasn't over. Behind them, the Nomu was still holding the broken body of Aizawa.
"Kill the Eraser," Shigaraki ordered from the ground.
The Nomu raised its massive fist. It aimed directly for Aizawa's head. A blow that would undoubtedly crush his skull like a watermelon.
Aizawa couldn't move. He watched the fist descending. I'm sorry...
WHAM.
The ground shook. Dust rose.
But there was no sound of a crushing skull.
The Nomu's fist had stopped inches from Aizawa's face.
It hadn't stopped on its own. It was being held.
Standing over Aizawa's prone body was Natsu Dragneel.
He had caught the Nomu's massive fist with a single hand. His fingers were dug into the monster's black skin. There were no scales on Natsu's skin, only veins bulging from extreme exertion and a heat so intense the air around them shimmered.
Natsu looked down at the unconscious, broken teacher. He smelled the blood.
Slowly, Natsu looked up at the Nomu, and then at Shigaraki. His onyx eyes were no longer playful. They were dark, abyssal pits of fury.
"Get your dirty hands..." Natsu's voice was a low, terrifying growl that made the ground tremble.
He squeezed the Nomu's fist, and the smell of burning flesh began to rise.
"...off our teacher."