"Move!"
The frozen state of the world made it feel like Izuku was trying to run in his own dream but something felt different about this suspended moment in time. It felt like there was an ever present sense of dread lurking just beyond its veil.
Darkness pressed in at the edges of Izuku's vision, It came without warning and without reason. A soundless shiver crawled along the back of his neck as the air around him thinned before the the street lights flickered once then twice, though nothing had touched them.
"...So even here you fail" Izuku froze at the voice
Cold spread across his chest like frost on glass and the world around him went deadly silent. All For One's ghostly silhouette drifted behind his eyelids with a hollow smirk carved across a face that wasn't truly there. Although not physically present, the memory of him clung to Izuku's mind like rot.
"Look at you, trembling in the face of me once more. Just like that night you went to save Bakugo" The whisper wound itself around his ribs.
Izuku gritted his teeth while his hands curled into fists without him noticing. His pulse thundered erratically, heat surging up his throat in a flood of frustration.
"A new world. Maybe even fresh start on your heroism and yet even here, you can't protect the ones in front of you" The phantom voice deepened
This caused a thin crack to appear in Izuku's control over his emotional state for just a moment. From fear to frustration then guilt, they all erupted at once like sickening pressure twisting inside his gut.
A thread of cursed energy slithered through his chest, rising from that mix of negative emotion. It wasn't an explosion, just a small unstable leak like a wound finally bleeding through the surface.
"You couldn't save your own world Midoriya so what makes you think you can save theirs?" The ghostly silhouette persisted for a moment longer
Izuku's jaw clenched hard enough to ache and a tremor rolled through him but a stubborn ember buried deep refused to be smothered.
"I' WILL save them because...I AM HERE!" Izuku blinked and the world snapped back into motion.
The Instant everything resumed Izuku's eyes snapped onto the blade heading for Ijichi. His body moved on it's own and the world was pulled into a narrow tunnel within his vision. His foot slammed into the ground with enough force to crater the concrete.
Dust leapt upward in a ripple as the road shuddered beneath him and at the same time the air snapped against his ears with pressure bending around his sudden acceleration. A single step blurred into a streak of emerald light causing the edges of his sight to warp from sheer speed.
He had closed half the distance before the attacker's arm had even completed its downward arc. The blade cut through the air with a metallic shrill and Izuku had met it just before it reached its target.
His right arm shot forward, intending for the metal of his mid-gauntlet to catch the descending blade. It did and with a resonant clang causing small amounts of sparks to snap outward in a brief shower.
The attackers smile vanished and without missing a beat he twisted his body in the same moment and snapped his left elbow straight across the attackers jaw. During this interaction, that small amount of cursed energy from moments ago had transferred into the blow allowing for even more damage.
The impact echoed through the street and the man's head snapped to the side with the sound of his teeth clacking together. His legs proceeded to buckle under his own weight but Izuku didn't let gravity claim him yet.
He threw himself to the floor, dropping onto his side and allowing his upper body to perform what came next. The world pitched sideways as his left and right palm were planted on the concrete which held up the weight of his entire body.
Izuku tucked in both legs before pushing One For All into them and letting both of them slam forward. The heels of his iron soles buried themselves into the attackers abdomen with explosive force.
The man's body folded inwards, his spine curling as the momentum carried him backward. The railing behind him screeched as it met his weight but it didn't hold. The steel warped then bent outward in a violent arc before finally snapping and the attacker disappeared over the edge.
Izuku rotated back upright but his heart still hammered against his ribs. His breaths were short and sharp with steam rising from his body in faint wisps as One For All still pulsed unevenly beneath his skin.
Once he got his barring's back only then did sound return to him along with Ijichi's ragged breathing. Nanami's distant footfalls also came into hearing distance as he was rushing closer while racing up the stairs.
"Are you okay? Did he cut you anywhere?" At this point Izuku went back into hero mode almost immediately and crouching in front of Ijichi.
Ijichi who was on the ground from being surprised, sat stiffly on the concrete where he had stood. His glasses were crooked, his phone lay forgotten beside him, and his lips parted once before they closed again. He stared at Izuku like he was trying to decipher whether the last couple seconds had really happened.
"I...you...he didn't even touch me...I think..." His voice cracked.
Despite his words Izuku's eyes still scanned him carefully anyway. There was no blood, no torn clothing, and no shaking limbs beyond shock the shock. Relief washed across Izuku's face in a visible wave as his shoulders relaxed.
"That's good. Don't worry though, you're safe now" He offered a small encouraging smile.
"Safe?" Ijichi stared at him.
He had just watched a boy move faster than his own eyes could track, intercepting a fatal if not near fatal blow with his forearm, strike an attacker with devastating precision, and kick a full-grown man through solid steel railing.
Now that very same boy was smiling at him gently like they'd merely tripped on the stairs. Confusion completely stole his ability to respond let alone think but that was when a set of familiar footsteps echoed from the stairwell behind Ijichi.
"Deku?" Nanami's voice cut through with authority.
"Everything's okay down here and Ijichi doesn't look injured!" Izuku called back
Nanami emerged at the top of the stairs moments later. His tie was slightly loosened and his glasses reflected the fluorescent light as his gaze swept the scene in a single precise pass. He took note of the broken railing, Ijichi on the floor, Izuku, and finally there was no attacker in sight.
"Are you hurt?" Nanami gaze then settled on Ijichi and asked him directly.
"I- no...I don't think so. I was on the phone and then there was someone and then he was just gone" He cleared his throat, grabbed his phone, and stood up while dusting himself off.
"So...you mind explaining your coworker Nanami?" Nanami nodded at Ijichi's remark
"You were saved by our newest auxiliary asset, Deku" Nanami started by gesturing towards Izuku
Izuku didn't know exactly what to do or say in this moment so he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly in response. Nanami allowed the brief pause of...whatever this was and continued to fill Ichiji in on the details.
"He is not a sorcerer in the traditional sense considering the fact that he's from the countryside. Think of him as... an external specialist with physical enhancement techniques. He's assisting us under strict supervision" He deliberately avoided every impossible detail and used the fabricated foundation Izuku had already laid.
"So he's...new?" Ijichi said while still trying to catch up.
"Very new" Nanami answered simply.
"It's nice to officially meet you, Ijichi. I'm really glad you're okay" Izuku gave a small, sincere bow.
"...I think I need a moment" Ijichi let out a shaky breath
"Understandable" Nanami guided him to an intact part of the railing
As Ijichi steadied himself Nanami lifted his gaze and for the briefest instant it sharpened as it moved back to the ruined railing. Then his eyes shifted to Izuku, the boy was calm on the outside but Nanami could see beneath it.
"He took down an adversary in the blink of an eye. Even I was caught off guard by his sudden display of speed not only that but cursed energy had been brought to life. Itadori wasn't lying when he told us he was fast and had the strength to compliment it"
Whatever had happened in-between the moment of then to cause this reaction was another unknown Nanami didn't like. Nanami made a mental note on the matter since this wasn't the time.
Izuku stared out past the broken railing and into the street that stretched on in silence. The attacker that was once here had simply vanished and Izuku couldn't decide whether that was a good thing or not.
On a different note however, he didn't understand why a manifestation of All For One appeared in his mind but the fact that it happened deeply troubled him. The only other time he recalled something like this happening was in the underground parking when was with that family.
He's not sure if it's a lingering ghost from that basement him and his team was in before being brought here or something more. Despite being only a ghost it still felt real, even now his voice was lingering in the depths of his mind, taunting him and waiting for his turn to appear again.
"The path you've picked is a thorny one..."
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[Act 5: Echoes From Within]
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"So Gojo's been sealed...then the situation really is that bad" Ijichi murmured.
"It is unfortunate but that reinforces the fact that it's even more dangerous now. Especially after what just happened, our enemy is confident in there plans which is why they're freely roaming around" Nanami started
"With what we know, we're going to inform everyone else if possible then do what's necessary in order to get Satoru back. That is also why you're being relocated immediately after this point, return to the safe zone where Shoko is and inform her and Yaga of the situation" Nanami finished
"You don't have to tell me twice, thanks for saving me" Ijichi let out a sigh
"You should be thanking Deku" Nanami looked over to Izuku as he said this.
A few feet away Izuku was knelt down with his notebook in hand. His pencil was flying across the pages as he wrote down everything he could, it seemed like it would catch on fire with the speed he was writing at.
He wrote down everything he could recall from Nanami explaining cursed energy, how to wield it, and how it derives from negativity. He also drew arrows that connected each concept in a bubble in a web of quick and efficient diagrams with smaller notes crowding the margins.
He flipped to a fresh page then began drawing Namami holding his signature weapon. It wasn't perfect by any means but it was instantly recognizable, from his sharp jawline, his tie, and finally his composed posture.
On the left and right sides of said drawing, Izuku had also created a few notes detailing his Ratio Technique. Once completed he taped the pencil on his chin as he thought about the small amount of cursed energy that formed around his elbow.
"So cursed energy really does respond to mental state more than physical condition. That explains the instability earlier..." he muttered softly to himself as he closed the notebook and put it back into a pouch on his belt.
"Do you need us to accompany you to Shoko's location?" Nanami asked
"I think I'll be fine now. My car is parked down there by so I'll just take that" Ijichi said while pointing at his car below.
"I see, then we will at least walk with you to the car then. We don't need any more unknowns popping up" Nanami had have enough complicated events for one night
"Deku, we're leaving" Nanami directed his attention to Izuku who perked up and started to follow without question.
"He really isn't like the others is he?" Ijichi noted
"Not in the slightest but I'm confident in the fact that he will become a great sorcerer given enough time" Nanami stated
The three of them descended the staircase to the sidewalk and before long they had reached Ijichi's car. Ijichi popped open the door and slid into the driver's seat, turned the car on, then he closed it before rolling down the window. Nanami also placed one hand against the edge of the window frame and leaned in slightly.
"I'll inform Principal Yaga and Ieiri as soon as I arrive" Ijichi let himself sink into the seat for a moment
"What about the new guy? Should I inform them of his help?" Ijichi gestured with a slight tilt of his head
Nanami peered over to Izuku who was watching their back by scanning everywhere without any instruction to do so.
"No, It's best not to complicate things right now. I'll make sure to speak to Yaga and the others about him once this is all over" Nanami stood up from the car. Ijichi nodded then focused on Izuku.
"Hey uh...Deku" He called out and Izuku turned and jogged over to the side of the car.
"I should properly give my thanks this time. I...I don't think I'd be here right now if you hadn't acted. So thank you for having my back"
"It's no trouble at all. I'm really glad you're safe Ijichi" Izuku gave an earnest smile and Ijichi offered a small one in return.
Ijichi then rolled the window back up and put the car into drive. As the vehicle pulled away from the curb and disappeared into the flow of distant streets, Ijichi waved in the rear view mirror as he left.
Nanami and Izuku stood in silence as they watched him drive off. Izuku's gaze lingered where the car had vanished, his hands resting loosely at his sides. The earlier adrenaline had fully drained now, leaving behind a post-impact quiet.
"You did well Deku" Nanami was the one who broke the stillness.
"You reacted without hesitation and you read the situation instantly. You put yourself between a stranger and certain death without pause so allow me to personally thank you for saving a trusted colleague" Nanami can confidently say that he has respect and trust for Izuku after witnessing his act.
"I'm glad I saved him but it bugs me that the attacker got away though" Izuku sighed
"It's only natural but it's that frustration that leads into our next steps" Nanami's eyes lifted toward the rooftops and the dark web of overlapping streets beyond
"We could attempt to pursue the attacker however, given the number of possible escape routes both above and below ground it would only dwindle more time" Nanami turned and began walking while motioning for Izuku to follow.
"We should instead focus on searching for Team Zenin since Itadori, Megumi, and Ino were already instructed to search as well prior to us splitting up" Nanami finished
10 minutes later Izuku and Nanami had covered several blocks while heading towards the potential location of Team Zenin. Yet even as they walked deeper into the city, Izuku couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched but nobody was around except Nanami.
There was a sensation that wasn't quite the same as Danger Sense but it was still enough to put him on edge. It's like an awareness creeping at the edges of his mind or something just beyond his perception was observing him.
The silence between him and Nanami was comfortable but Izuku couldn't help but think back to earlier. Ever since Nanami questioned his fake country upbringing, he also never questioned anything beyond that. Not to mention the amount of trust Nanami has entrusted him with.
After the short span of time since they first met, Nanami has proven that he is someone Izuku can trust. His straight forward and blunt way of speaking or approaching certain things leaves out any doubt Izuku may have.
"Maybe I could tell him the full truth and also my actual name..."
"Deku" Nanami said
"My real name is Izuku Midoriya" Izuku corrected him this time but Nanami gave him a looked that required context.
"I've just been thinking about back when you questioned my fake backstory earlier and never questioned beyond it. Not to mention how trust was also mention too so Izuku Midoriya is my name, Deku is just my hero name" Izuku stated
"I see, I was already under the assumption that you didn't give me your real name due to Mechamaru saying that you went by a codename. I figured you were hiding your real name for a good reason since you were mainly telling the truth about your actual backstory" Nanami responded
"I should've figured..." Izuku rubbed the back of his head
"There's something else about my world and why I fight. In my world there's a man who's not a curse or a sorcerer but he might as well be a curse. He steals power from others to build himself into the symbol of fear" Izuku started
"The only reason he can be stopped is because...there's a power that counters him. A power that has to be passed down from one person to the next and I'm the current vessel for it. Every generation before me carried it and when I was told about how I might be the only person or even the last person who has to stop him..." Izuku finished
"You seem like you're burdened by expectations you put upon yourself. Midoriya you mistake yourself for a weapon rather than a person" Nanami said bluntly before stopping
"You are not merely a vessel of power. You are the deciding factor in how that power is being used and this power that came with a responsibility" Nanami continued
"However, don't confuse responsibility with obligation. I'm positive that the ones who passed the power onto you wasn't trying to force you into the position you're in but they chose you for a reason and after what I've seen tonight id say they chose correctly" Nanami finished before stepping forward
"...Thank yo-" Before Izuku could finish his thanks, he blinked and everything vanished
Shibuya was ripped away in an instant, replaced by the same suffocating red from when he first arrived. This type of red was deeper than blood and a hell of a lot thicker, like the inside of a wound.
Wind lashed past him in violent currents, tugging at his cape as it howled through empty space as if the sky itself blew out a candle. Once his cape stopped blocking his view, Nanami was gone as if lost to the wind.
That same malevolent pressure he had felt when he first arrived in this world was now back and something far worse lurked beneath it. There was something so vast and oppressive that it felt like gravity and been doubled. But that's when a vision flooded his senses, one with four eyes.
Every muscle seized as if invisible hands had wrapped around his nerves. His heart hammered violently with Danger Sense detonating inside his skull with such intensity it could make him vomit. The presence wasn't finished however, since this time it decided to speak.
"One vessel" The words scraped against his soul
"Ten souls within"
"I-is it talking about...the vestiges? There's only supposed to be eight..." Izuku's pupils shrank.
The meaning didn't make sense but the weight of it did and soon laughter soon followed. It rolled through the red horizon in waves, vibrating inside Izuku's bones, inside his teeth, inside the places where fear lived deepest.
"You've got a cursed of your own"
SNAP!
The red vanished and Nanami was suddenly in front of him once more with the city intact. The streetlights hummed normally as if nothing had ever happened in the first place. Izuku's body jerked in place as he gasped sharply for air, His heart slammed against his ribs and cold sweat clung to his back.
"Midoriya?" Nanami paused and turned.
"I'm- I'm fine" Izuku forced his breathing to steady, though his pulse refused to calm.
"Are you sur-" Nanami immediately silenced himself upon hearing the faintest of sounds
Nanami and Izuku both refocused themselves before standing in silence. They lowered their breaths and listened as intently as possible for another sound or noise. It came again but it was still difficult to make out so they listened once more.
Clang...
Izuku's caught the faint sound in the direction they were heading. He tilted his head as it sounded like metal clashing or striking.
"Does that sound like metal clashing or striking to you?" Izuku asked
"I would believe so, however my answer as to whats causing it is mixed. Firstly, it could be that assailant we ran into earlier. Secondly it could very well be Team Zenin but either way theres no ignoring it" Nanami unsheathed his weapon
"So we move now Midoriya" With the stakes set, both of them moved immediately.
Their feet struck the pavement in rapid succession as they darted down the street as the made their way to the source of what they heard the sound. The clangs grew clearer with each passing moment before eventually the stopped all together. When they came to the end of the street they had to choose between going left and right but if they go the wrong way it could be bad.
"...Wait" Izuku's eyes swept the initial area before spotting something
He broke from Nanami's side and jogged toward shards of glass that glittered faintly on the pavement beneath a sidewalk advertisement display. He examined it, It's screen was cracked and had to holes punched through the glass. He noticed that they seemed to go to the left with a third impact leading the other two but the last one wasn't a hole but an indent with a nail sticking out.
"A nail?" Izuku plucked the nail out of the indent of cracks on the glass and twirled it in his fingers.
Izuku turned to show Nanami but he was already standing behind him with his gaze fixed on the object in Izuku's hand. Nanami's expression didn't change much but you could tell that he knew who it was.
"Kugisaki Nobara, that's the name of the girl that wields those in tandem with her technique" Nanami said
"Judging by the direction of the impacts, whatevershe was tryingto hit went left" Izuku's gaze then followed the street to the left but that's when he saw blood.
The trail led forward near an entrance that said Bunkamura in bold lettering across the building. One For All surged through Izuku's body in a flash and he crossed the distance in an instant. His iron soles skidding slightly as he reached the glass doors and without slowing down he leaned forward and peered inside.
There just inside the dimly lit space was the very same man who had stabbed Ijichi. The attacker stood over a figure on her knees with blood dripped from her temple as she tried and failed to grab her hammer, this had to be Nobara.
But just a few feet away another girl who lay motionless on the floor with a small blood pool beneath her legs and ankles. Haruta stood casually with his cursed tool raised and eyes gleaming with sick amusement as he drew back his arm ready to strike down Nobara.
One For All raised higher before Izuku flung his arm forward and tore the glass doors off their hinges with explosive force. The glass shattered outward in a storm of fragments, the sound detonating through the lobby like a gunshot.
In one single motion he slammed his fist into Haruta's face before he scooped up Nobara in his arms and grabbed the second girl with black whip. He was then back at the entrance but still on the inside. Once he finally came to a halt it was as if time returned and the attack he landed finally registered on Haruta's face.
CRACK!
Haruta's head snapped violently to the side as the delayed force of the punch finally caught up to him. His grin shattered into shock as his body lifted off the ground and slammed into a glass display case.
Izuku's breathing steadied and One For All simmered before his gaze flickered to Nobara. Her expression was still dazed as she clutched her head but she let her eyes flutter open just enough to register the person who just saved her.
"Are you ok?" Izuku looked down at Nobara in his arms as he released the other girl from black whip gently
"W-who...?" Nobara's vision swam.
"Hey stay with me! You've got a concussion so don't push yourself" Izuku's hero instinct was already coming into play.
A groan from across the room that drew his attention away. It came from Haruta, who was already scrambling to his feet while coughing and gasping.
"Who the hell? Wait did I die?" Haruta's eyes were filled with confusion and fear.
"Stay down" Izuku warned as he tensed slightly, ready to fight.
Crunch
"Stand down Midoriya" Nanami cut through the tension.
Nanami step through the ruined doorway. His suit jacket was discarded outside as if tossed aside without care. He was already rolling up the sleeves of his undershirt, folding neatly over his forearms.
He then loosened his tie and wrapped it around his fist twice. He pulled it tight until the fabric nearly cut the circulation in his hand. His glasses reflected the fractured light of the lobby as he walked past Izuku without another glance.
"I'll take care of the rest" Nanami's tone had a tone shift.
Nanami continued walking until he stopped a few feet from Haruta and he towered over him. Nanami was straight to the point and wasn't interested in playing games.
"Oh? Another one? You guys are reall-" Haruta's grin crept back
"You attempted to execute two non-combatants along with a sorcerer and you did so with evident enjoyment..." Nanami didn't let him finish.
"...Huh?" Haruta blinked
"I'll ask you one thing. What is the names of your allies and their locations..." His tone was calm.
But beneath it was something was an edge of anger carefully restrained. It was compressed into something far more dangerous than shouting ever could be.
"I-I don't know, I swear...I don-" The sentence never finished.
Nanami's backhand came out of nowhere, it wasn't flashy nor did it need to be. The strike cracked across Haruta's face with a concussive thud, snapping his head sideways and sending spit and blood spraying across the lobby floor.
Before Haruta could recover, Nanami was already in motion. His hand closed around Haruta's throat with just enough pressure to lift him into the air. Haruta's feet left the ground as Nanami raised him effortlessly as if he were merely correcting poor posture rather than holding a man aloft by the neck.
"Let me ask you again. What are the names of your allies and their locations..." He said calmly
Haruta clawed weakly at Nanami's wrist as his face flushed with red as panic finally overtook bravado. His grin was now gone or rather it was completely erased from his face.
"I-I don't know exactly....The- they're spread ou- moving. I just follow order-" he choked out.
"That answer...is insufficient" Nanami's eyes hardened.
He released Haruta's throat and immediately seized him again by grabbing his face. He reeled his arm back and slammed Haruta's body through a glass display case with a deafening crash. Shards of glass scattering across the lobby like falling ice.
His body bounced and tumbled violently, rolling across the floor amid broken glass and twisted metal before finally skidding to a halt in a heap. Nanami then adjusted his grip on the tie wrapped around his fist, exhaling slowly through his nose.
"This is your final opportunity to give me something of value" The air felt heavy from his words as he stepped forward.
Glass crunched softly beneath his shoes as he looked down at Haruta, who lay half-buried in shattered panels and twisted metal. The man wheezed, one hand clutching his ribs, the other scraping uselessly against the floor as he tried to crawl backward.
"H-Hey...let's tal- talk about this, yeah? We don't have to-" Haruta stammered but as soon as he looked up, Nanami's shadow fell over him.
"One last time" There was no raised volume, just a calm professional finality that pressed down far harder than shouting ever could.
"What is the names and locations...OF. YOUR. ALLIES" Nanami stared at him.
"T-th- they all uh...went south!! The s-subway tunnels!" Haruta said quickly
It wasn't visible at first, not to the eye but the air itself seemed to tighten. Nanami's posture straightened as his fist clenched so tight his veins popped out. The faint hum of cursed energy began to rise, subtle at first then unmistakable.
"Liar"
"W-wait!" Haruta scrambled
Nanami raised his fist while the Cursed energy wrapped around it in dense oppressive layers, compressing and sharpening like pressure forged into form. It was lethal and absolute, the kind of power meant to end something.
Nanami drew his arm back and brought it down without a second thought or a hint of hesitation. The air screamed but the impact never came, instead two hands had reached out and caught his fist.
The shockwave exploded outward anyway, cracking the floor beneath them and rattling the remaining glass in the lobby. The force drove Izuku's boots into the ground, his knees buckling slightly as he absorbed the blow through his mid-gauntlets and body as One For All surged to support.
"S-stop...Nanami stop this!" Izuku grit his teeth while his muscles screamed.
"Killing him isn't the answer! I know he deserves punishment but not like this!" Izuku looked up at him and expected resistance.
However Nanami's eyes squinted behind his glasses for a second before he exhaled, letting his shoulders ease. The cursed energy dissipated instantly, unraveling as cleanly as it had formed with no argument. He allowed Izuku to release his grip before stepping back a single pace. His expression hadn't changed, his breathing was steady, and his composure was fully intact.
"You stopped..." Izuku stared at him
"You were right, killing him here would have been expedient but it would not have served the larger objective" He glanced down at Haruta who was trembling on the floor
"And because you intervened" Nanami added as his gaze went back to Izuku.
"Now then, we should restr-" Nanami was about to suggest something when a foot slammed down and a voice rang out.
"HEY! BROCOLLI HEAD!"
Izuku turned just in time to see Nobara Kugisaki stomping her way toward them from across the lobby. Her walking was uneven and clearly favoring one leg but it did absolutely nothing to slow her down. Her eyes were blazing, her bangs disheveled, and her expression sat somewhere between furious and feral.
"Uh...me?..." Izuku looked left and right before pointing at himself
"You city boys are way too touchy, y'know that?" She jabbed a finger at him.
She stopped a few feet away before she bent forward slightly and took a deep breath as if she were physically restraining herself from exploding. Then she reached behind her back, pulled out a hammer and it....squeaked.
"What...is that for?" Izuku stared and Nobara's lips stretched into a grin that could only be described as unhinged.
"Oh, this? This is stress relief" she said cheerfully.
"I can explain!" Izuku blurted out but she lunged
"WAIT!!"
Technical Difficulties...
The second floor of the mall was quiet, maybe a little too quiet for its own good. Izuku sat slumped against a wall, legs stretched out in front of him, an utterly exhausted look on his face.
There were a few faint red marks on his cheek and forehead although nothing serious it was enough to tell a story. His hair was messier than usual with it sticking out in even more directions than before.
"...I said wait" he muttered weakly.
Across from him, Nobara sat on a resting seat with her arms firmly crossed and chin tilted upward in righteous indignation. Her hammer now rested on the floor next to her as if nothing had even happened
"Hmph" This was the only response she gave.
On Nobara's left sat Akari who was now bandaged and feeling better than before. Her ankles were wrapped, her leg secured neatly, and color had returned to her face. She looked between the two of them with mild confusion.
"Did I miss something?..." Akari asked softly.
"Nope! Only a broccoli head getting his face smashed in for getting too handsy in the middle of a rescue. Not only that but that asshole who attacked us got away" She stated
"I was saving you! And he only got away because you were jumping to conclusions!.." Izuku protested tiredly.
"Excuses!" Nobara gave no room for argument
A few steps away, Nanami stood with his back to them, pinching the bridge of his nose between two fingers.
"This...is not how we should de-escalate" he said with an almost annoyed tone.
"I get punched way less by the bad guys..." Izuku leaned his head back against the wall before staring at the ceiling.
"Say that again and I'll finish the job" Nobara shot him a sideways glare and Akari giggled despite herself.
"We will discuss restraint after everyone has calmed down" Nanami turned back around
"Whatever. He lived" Nobara clicked her tongue.
After that click, something started to turn the cogs in Izuku's head which in turn caused a memory to flash before his eyes.
"Hey don't sweat it there's plenty of great people that I've met that come from small places. Like this girl I know, she's strong, fierce, and determined as hell but man she can be so full of herself..." Yuji said with a grumpy look on his face.
"Let me guess...hot tempered, outspoken, brash, and trash talks?..." Izuku matched Yuji's tone
"You got one too huh?.." Yuji exhaled
"You have no idea..."
"Wait a minute..." The memory snapped back into place and Izuku's eyes widened.
Everything connected in one horrifying instant. He sat up too fast, far too fast for his own good and before his brain could catch up his mouth was moving.
"Hot-tempered, brash, and full of herself..." He said out loud
"So you're the one Yuji was talking about!" He said out loud AGAIN
The words echoed three times before it stopped and silence exploded across the mall. Akari's jaw dropped, Nanami starred, and Nobara turned slowly before her eyes locked onto Izuku with a brightness that could only be described as murderous.
"Excuse me?" she said sweetly
"I- WAIT- THAT'S NOT- I MEANT- YUJI SAID!" Izuku's soul left his body.
"He also said you were strong! and fierce! oh and determined! That was a compliment! Mostly!"
"Midoriya, I strongly advise you to stop speaking" Nanami deadpanned
"I can still fix this" Izuku was scrambling for ways to fix this as Nobara stood and the squeaky hammer rose into view.
Squeek
"Say another word and I'll introduce your face to modern interior design" she said with a terrifying smile. Izuku in turn covered his mouth with both hands and shook his head furiously.
"Yuji's dead when I find him" she whispered.
This wasn't just any mistake, no this was a career ending social error and somewhere out there Yuji Itadori sneezed.
"I am so sorry Yuji..." Izuku hung his head.
"That's enough" Nanami said while step forward.
Nobara paused mid-glare with her hammer still loosely resting in hand. Izuku visibly deflated as his shoulders slumped in relief and Akari straightened slightly where she sat, sensing the shift in tone.
"Our situation has changed and from this point forward everything changes. Satoru Gojo has been sealed within a cursed object, this was confirmed by Itadori and Mechamaru before my arrival here" Nanami turned to face both girls
"Gojo...sealed? As in that Gojo?" Akari's eyes widened.
"Yeah right. I know he came come off as clueless but there's just no way" Nobara scoffed at first.
"I'm afraid that it is true. Which is way things are only going to get worse from here" Nanami didn't blink.
"Wow...you're serious then..." she muttered.
"Then what happens now?" Akari's hands tightened around the edge of her jacket.
"Since the Shibuya area has effectively become hostile territory. Sorcerers are scattered, communication is unreliable, and enemy movement is ongoing. For now we regroup and seek out this cursed object and free Gojo if possible" Nanami stated
"So the guy downstairs was connected to this?" Akari asked
"He is indeed affiliated with the enemy forces operating in Shibuya" Nanami nodded
"Then what about him? Are we just going ignore the green headed elephant in the room?" Nobara glanced sideways at Izuku and he deadpanned.
"I'm a hero in training and I'm just helping where I can. My name is Dek-" he said proudly before Nanami intervened
"This is Midoriya and he is from the countryside much like you. However, he is accustomed to urban environments and possesses physical abilities suitable for frontline engagement" Nanami said neutrally
"So he's a country bumpkin who learned city manners?" Nobara snorted
"That is a gross oversimplification, he has saved multiple lives since being here and has proven worthy of being a grade one sorcerer at most" Nanami adjusted his glasses.
"Huh, so your whole "hero" title isn't just a personality trait or some self insert Shonen protagonist type thing?"
"No..." Izuku rubbed the back of his head
"Figures" She let out a short breath.
"Huh? Figures?" Izuku raised an eyebrow
"You just scream self-sacrificing idiot" She smirked slightly
"That's just how I've been my whole" Izuku's admitted
"Yeah well that's a good way to get yourself killed" Nobara's smirk faded slightly
"If I don't act or I hesitate even for a moment someone could die. I refuse to let that happen to anyone" Izuku said with steeled resolve
"Ok ok, Mr. big hero energy. I got it" Nobara waved a hand dismissively but there wasn't any malice in her tone.
"So...what's our plan now Nanami?" Akari hummed before shifting her attention to Nanami.
"Before I answer, Kugisaki. Where did you split off from the rest if Team Zenin before this?"
"I think it was Shibuya Mark City, another shopping mall if i remember correctly" Nobara recalled and Nanami hummed in response.
"Then the plan remains the same, however I would like for you and Akari to wait here for the rescue team. Midoriya and I will be heading out to regroup with the rest of Team Zenin and head down to B5 and make our way to Gojo's designated location at the beginning of all this" This made Nobara pause.
"I'm going to-" She was cut short by Nanami
"No you're not. Grade one is the minimum level required for the trials ahead so you'd only....get in the way" Nobara pouts but Nanami was only doing this for her safety
"So please just wait here. Come on Midoriya" Nanami said while walking away
"R-Right!" Izuku jolted slightly.
"I don't mind the company" Akari smiled
"Fine whatever but don't get yourself killed out there! Especially you country hero!" Nobara rolled her eyes but smirked slightly.
"I won't" Izuku huffed with a wave.
As they stepped out of the building, the cool night air greeted them with an eerie stillness. The streets of Shibuya were eerily quiet, the distant sounds of battle and destruction a constant reminder of the chaos still unfolding. Izuku kept pace beside Nanami, his mind racing with everything that had happened so far.
For a while, they moved in silence, weaving through alleys and deserted roads with practiced efficiency. Izuku noticed how Nanami's movements were precise and calculated like he knew exactly where to step, what to avoid.
The mall behind them faded into quiet as they exited through a side stairwell and stepped back onto the street. Nanami walked a half-step ahead, eyes forward, posture composed despite everything that had transpired. Izuku followed, hands tucked into the straps of his pack, his earlier energy subdued.
For a while neither spoke and the quiet wasn't uncomfortable but it was pressing. Izuku's thoughts lingered on Nanami's earlier "Interrogation" on the man that almost killed 3 people tonight.
"Hey Nanami..." He said tentative.
"Yes?" Nanami replied without slowing.
"Back there when I stepped in...I wasn't trying to undermine you or anything.I know you had it under control. I just-" He clenched his fist
"In my world, there were times when killing could be...justified. Necessary, even. But we as heroes still chose not to in the hopes that change or a bright future is somewhere inside them" Izuku continued.
"That's why I moved. Not because I thought you were wrong but because it's my duty as a hero to save everyone...even villains..." He looked down as Shigaraki flashed in his head.
"You place an unusual amount of concern on the burden of others. Despite all that though I dont think you were wrong with what you did" Nanami said honestly.
"However when it comes down to it, killing may be necessary when we face an advisory that is far from saving and their ways are set in stone" Nanami added.
"There was this pro hero named Sir Nighteye I worked with back in my world, it was kinda like a short mentorship. He had this serious no-nonsense attitude and he was really strict about efficiency but deep down he cared a lot" He smiled
"He always looked at things with a certain logic much like you. He also had this incredible ability to see into the future and because of that, he believed outcomes were set in stone" He continued
"But even when the odds were against us, even when the future seemed inevitable...I wanted to prove that we could still fight to change it and in the end I did" Izuku finished
He looked at Nanami and he seem to have a quiet understanding in his eyes. Nanami's gaze remained forward as he processed Izuku's words. The mention of Nighteye, of his belief in an inevitable future resonated with him in a way he hadn't expected.
"There's a certain logic in accepting the inevitable. This world is not kind in the slightest and outcomes often follow a predictable course that can't be changed. If one follows logic then one can minimize risk or even reduce unnecessary sacrifice" Izuku listened carefully to Nanami
"But" Nanami continued
"logic is not absolute. I admit that I have seen people defy reason, seen willpower tip the scales when odds suggested otherwise. But you seem like the type who refuses to accept reality as it is" He looked at Izuku
"I...I can't" Izuku's grip on his gloves tightened slightly
"That can be admirable or foolish depending on the situation. I have lived long enough to know that reckless optimism can lead to ruin but so can rigid pragmatism" Nanami let out a small breath almost like a sigh.
Izuku's mind flashed back to Sir Nighteye's final moments, the way he had smiled at the very end despite believing that his own death was inevitable. That same belief had once crushed Izuku, made him question if his struggle even mattered but in the end, Nighteye had acknowledged him.
"I don't think it's reckless to believe in something. Even if the odds are low, even if the world says it's impossible... if there's even a chance to change something for the better, isn't it worth trying?" Izuku said with determination.
"I suppose that's what makes you who you are" Nanami said plainly
"Is that a compliment?" Izuku tilted his head.
"More like an astute observation." Izuku chuckled slightly. Nanami was a difficult person to read but there was something reassuring about his steady presence.
"You said that this Nighteye had the ability to see the future correct? Did he ever see something he wished he could change?" Nanami continued
"Yes actually...and when he tried he... he couldn't" Izuku recalled the story All Might told him
"There are moments when effort isn't enough or when even your best isn't enough. But the fact that you still try, despite that knowledge is what separates people like you from the rest" Izuku looked at Nanami, surprised by the slight shift in tone.
"I will not pretend to understand what brought you here, nor will I make promises about your future but for as long as you fight alongside us, I will make one thing clear"
"You are one of us now" Izuku's chest tightened slightly at those words, warmth spreading through him.
"I'll do my best Nanami..."
[Shibuya Mark City Shopping Mall]
15 minutes later
Inside the mall was the twisted remains of curses scattered across corridors in grotesque stillness. Blood trails dragged across the floor, leading forward in jagged lines that told the story of retreat rather than pursuit. Nanami followed them without hesitation and so did Izuku although he remained wary.
Up ahead they turned a corner near the central atrium and that's when they noticed two figures. The one that leaned casually but tensely against a concrete pillar was Maki Zenin with her weapon resting loosely in her grip. The other sat several meters away was none other than Naobito Zenin who had his back against the wall, his legs stretched out, and his arms folded loosely across his chest.
His head was tilted back with his eyes shut as if he was resting but the shallow rise and fall of his chest suggested controlled breathing rather than sleep. Maki was the first to notice them as her grip tightened on her weapon just as Nanami and Izuku approached. Her eyes narrowed with suspicion that soon softened into surprise a second later.
"Nanami? What the hell are you doing here and where's Kugisaki and Akari?" she said
"There was a problem but it was dealt with. Akari was injured and Kugisaki suffered a heavy blow to the head but both are perfectly fine. So I advised them to wait for the rescue team, naturally Kugisaki wasn't happy" Nanami replied
"Figures she'd argue about it..." Maki exhaled sharply before she then noticed Izuku fully
"...And who's this? Looks like he'd be a part of the family with that hair color" she said bluntly
"This is Midoriya and he's currently under my tutelage for the time being" Nanami stated
"Nice to meet you" Izuku bowed
"Tut- wait. You took on a trainee now?" Maki raised a brow.
"Correct. Midoriya's combat foresight and his technique alone surpass me. He may as well be on par with me if not higher"
"On par with you?" Maki turned her head sharply toward Nanami.
"That's a bold assessment coming from you of all people Nanami" Naobito let out a quiet chuckle, pushing himself a bit more upright.
Her gaze shifted to Izuku as she stepped closer to him, scanning him up and down with sharp scrutiny. The intensity of her stare wasn't hostile, more like sizing up an unfamiliar presence. Izuku felt the pressure of her eyes on him but he met her gaze with a sense of trying to figure her out.
"Well Midoriya you seem alright at least. Guess I'll keep you around" Maki laughed at that, giving him a light punch on the shoulder.
The air shifted the moment Maki turned her back to Izuku. It was subtle, almost imperceptible but the way her muscles tensed, the minute shift in her footing it was all Izuku needed to realize something was coming.
The shift in Maki's stance was imperceptible to most and to an untrained eye, she looked casual almost like she was simply adjusting her posture but Izuku wasn't fooled. In the blink of an eye her polearm sliced through the air in a devastating horizontal arc aimed straight for Izuku's stomach.
Izuku reacted by dodging to the right, sliding across tile as the blade cut through empty air. At the same time, his right hand snapped up before closing around Maki's wrist. Izuku stepped in close with shoulder brushing past her guard as he redirected her momentum. His left hand chopped her forearm with just enough force so that her grip loosened.
The weapon clattered to the floor and he dropped his center of gravity, pivoted, and swept her leg out from under her with clean motion. Maki hit the ground hard but controlled it by rolling instinctively to absorb the impact before coming to a halt on her back.
"S-sorry! I didn't mean to-" He blurted out.
"Hah! Damn, Nanami wasn't exaggerating" She said while pushing herself up onto one elbow.
"Not bad greenie..not bad at all" She took a breath before tilting her head as a smirk tugged at her lips.
"Clean disarm kid, not only that but you did so with no technique" Naobito whistled low.
"Was that a test?" Izuku said utterly stumped
"Gotta make sure you're not dead weight right?" She was about to get up but Izuku was already offering a hand.
"Are you ok? I wasn't trying to hurt you" Izuku admittedly felt bad
"Y-yeah don't worry about it" Maki said perplexed
Maki was actually caught off guard by the kind hearted nature the seem to radiate from Izuku. He wasn't faking it nor was he trying to score points either so Maki accepted the helping hand and was pulled back up to her feet while having her polearm handed to her by Izuku.
"If we're done playing around, I have some information to relay" Nanami sighed, rubbing his temples.
"Guess you pass...for now anyways" Maki shot one last glance at Izuku as her smirk widened
"Now then on to our current situation, Itadori relayed to me earlier that-" Nanami was interrupted by Naobito
"Gojo's been sealed. Yeah we heard it, damn kid was louder than a Tsunami siren" Naobito grunted
"Wow, you heard that? and her I though you were senile" Maki joked
"I may be old but I'm not deaf! I just tune out whatever crap you spew out of that thing you call a mouth" Naobito shot back
"Anyways...you knowing this saves us time. My plan as of now is that we head down to platform B5 and make our way to Gojo's last location through the tunnels in hopes of recovering him" Nanami stated.
"Well I got nothing better to do so I'm in. What about you old man?" Maki said while flipping her polearm until resting it on her shoulder.
"beats sittin here and havin to listen to you" Naobito cracked his neck before getting up.
"If there's nothing left to discuss then we move forward" Nanami ordered
Maki pushed off first, rolling her shoulder once as she took point and Naobito followed at a calm pace with hands tucked casually into his sleeves.
"Midoriya" Nanami began as he place a hand on Izuku's shoulder
"What is it Nanami?" Izuku raised a brow
"The enemy we encountered against Ijichi and Nobara is just the beginning. What comes next will be dangerous and the individuals and curses operating within Shibuya will not hesitate to kill you" Nanami continued
"In your world, heroes aim to save everyone and that's Including those who stand against them correct?" Izuku nodded and Nanami went on
"It is admirable but that logic simply doesn't apply here. The enemies we face are not merely misguided criminals nor are they broken people waiting to be reformed. They are beings that either cannot change or will pretend they can if it gives them an opening. They will lie, they will feign surrender, and they will exploit hesitation" Nanami said plainly.
"I'm sure that you're accustomed to that from your world already and you aren't wrong for having those ideals but If you hesitate for the sake of an ideal that does not belong to this battlefield, you will die. Not only that but you may take others with you..."Nanami finished and let go of Izuku's shoulder.
Izuku wasn't keen on the idea Nanami has instated but he had to admit that Nanami wasn't wrong either. After seeing the last guy...he was contempt with killing, contempt with toying with the people he injured, and he was enjoying it.
"R-right...I understand Nanami" Izuku was hesitant but agreed
"Know this Midoriya. Acknowledging that difference is not a betrayal of your ideals, rather It is adaptation to a cruel reality" Nanami added.
[Fukutoshin Line]
"You're walking awfully slow but that's expected from someone so old" Maki quipped as she walked ahead of Naobito.
"Hmph please, you're talking awfully big for someone so low on the hierarchy. You should go home and leave this pond for the big fish if you know what's good for ya. Isn't that right grade one sorcerer Nanami?" Naobito shot back
"My input isn't needed" Nanami said while turning to her
"Please I'm far more useful than some drunkard that's for damn sure" Maki scoffed
"Have you really been drinking this whole time?" Nanami paused on second to last step and looked at Naobito and he burped in response
"I guess there's never been a case where I've preferred to be alone" Nanami sweat dropped at this.
As they continue to walk, Izuku was focused on other things and that was taking stock of his inventory. He checked all his pouches and found small first-aid items such as bandages, antiseptic spray, and come portable compressed splints (Designed by Mei Hatsume of course).
"Hm?" Once he got to the last pouch he found a few small energy bars.
He slid one out just as Maki, who was walking alongside him glanced sideways at it. Her eyes flicked to the bar then away again almost immediately and Izuku noticed anyway.
"You...want one? I've got a few, they're uh...great for an on the fly boost" He hesitated for half a second then held it out to her.
"You just carry snacks into combat?" Maki eyed the bar suspiciously.
"You'd be surprised how often it helps" Izuku gave a small smile.
"Tch fine but don't any ideas" She clicked her tongue then took it and she bit into it almost immediately.
"Not bad. What is this?" she admitted after a second.
"Oats, protein, and a questionable amount of sugar. You know, Hero food" Izuku replied.
"Figures" Maki grunted and they walked in silence for a few steps.
"You really disarmed me back there, Nanami wasn't joking when he hyped you up" Maki said suddenly.
"I-I'm still really sorry about that...but I've had a lot of training before coming here" Izuku rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
"Eh it's fine, it was a test so you don't have to keep apologizing" She then finished the bar and tossed the wrapper without looking.
Izuku on the other hand immediately shot out blackwhip without anyone noticing and grabbed the wrapper. There was a convenient trash can to his left so he used blackwhip to deposit it, he doesn't stand idle when someone is in need and the same goes for littering.
Soon after their conversation they descended the stairs leading into platform B5. To everyone else, everything was fine but to Izuku something felt wrong in a way he couldn't explain. His entire head was buzzing but Danger Sense wasn't going off. it was more like A faint crawling awareness that made the hairs on his arms stand on end.
A faint golden shimmer leaked from the edges of Izuku's vision. It drifted upward and outward from his head like thin threads of light while being barely visible. They curled through the air as if responding to something only it could sense. The golden threads stretched forward, being pulled in one direction.
"There's something here" His mind echoed
"Everyone hold on a minute..." His voice echoed down the stairwell.
Nanami halted immediately and Maki stopped a step later while Naobito who was already two steps ahead, glanced back in irritation.
"What is it? We don't have time t-" Naobito asked.
"Something is down there..." Izuku said without stuttering
"...I don't like the sound of this Nanami" Maki didn't argue.
"Oh come on. What are you people huh? a bunch of sissy's? You're trusting a some weird feeling from this kid?" Naobito clicked his tongue.
"That will be enough" Nanami raised a hand.
"Nanami.." Naobito frowned.
"we proceed with caution, assume hostile presence" Nanami unsheathed his weapon.
"Once we reach the bottom of the stairs, I want to see if this sense gets stronger. If it sharpens...or gives me a clearer direction" Izuku said
"You're using yourself as bait?" Maki frowned
"Kinda? Once I draw it out or confirm where it is that's when you all move at once" Izuku added although Maki seemed like she wanted to argue against it.
"Fine by me. We'll get to see Nanami's protégé in action for real this time" Naobito muttered
"Are you certain Midoriya?" Nanami asked.
"I am" Izuku nodded without hesitation.
"...Very well but remember...no hesitation" Nanami adjusted his glasses.
Izuku nodded then proceeded to head down the stairs as the rest followed 2 steps behind. Every couple of steps down the remaining stairs made the buzzing in his skull go up but it was slow.
Once he reached the bottom he stopped and closed his eyes, letting the sensation take its time. before long he felt the sense direct him towards one of the pillars in the room and Danger Sense triggered faintly, signifying the target location.
Izuku opened his eyes and calmly stepped off the staircase, making sure to put distance between himself and the others until he had a clear line of sight. Meanwhile Naobito turned to Nanami and asked a simple question.
"Just where in the hell did you find this kid? Seems to me he has more experience than most who start out" Naobito stated
"He was...recommended" Nanami lied. This wasn't the time for stories, especially one of Izuku's caliber.
With Izuku in position he began to raise his right arm and prepared his hand to shoot an Air Force blast. Emerald lightning erupted around his forearm as One For All surged to 25% percent.
"Now..." Izuku said quietly.
He flicked his finger and the Air Force blast screamed across the platform and slammed into the pillar with catastrophic force. The pillar shattered outward in a storm of debris, chunks of reinforced stone tearing free as the structure collapsed inward.
As a result the cursed womb, Dagon and emerged from the rubble visibly shaken by the sudden attack. Izuku ran back over to the stairs to regroup and support from behind due to his cursed energy not being fully manifested.
"let's mo-" Nanami was slow to the draw.
SHOOM!
Naobito Zenin was already there, in the blink of an eye he had closed the distance with his form barely visible as he weaved through the space between them and Dagon and placed his hand on Dagons back.
It wasn't just speed but Naobito's technique was manipulating frames of movement, distorting reality in a way that made it look like Dagon was lagging behind, forced to move like a poorly rendered animation.
"Did either of you see that?" Nanami was surprised
"I didn't at all...that speed" Maki was equally surprised
Naobito's Projection Sorcery was already in effect as Dagon's body seized up, locked within an invisible constraint. His grotesque form twitched unnaturally, his movements jagged and sluggish like frames skipping in a broken film reel.
Naobito stood with the projection in his hand not even looking at his target. He adjusted his sleeve with deliberate ease, as though he had all the time in the world. Then with a sideways glance he addressed Maki
"Not to bad for an old man huh?" In that instant his arm shot forward.
BOOM!
Dagon's entire form crumpled under the impact and was sent rocketing across the station like a cannonball. His body smashed through a row of pillars before slamming into the far wall with enough force to send dust and debris raining from the ceiling.
"Try not to underestimate your elders" Naobito turned back to her as if nothing had happened
"This guy... is crazy fast" Izuku still processing what had just happened
Dagon groaned from the rubble as a guttural, bubbling growl erupted from Dagon's twisted form as got up from the floor. His grotesque body twitched then spasmed as his rage boiled over. The pain from Naobito's attack was nothing instead it was the memory of loss that burned deeper.
"Hanami..." The creature told itself
He remembered the last time he had seen them, their body reduced to nothing under the overwhelming power of Satoru Gojo. A comrade, a fellow Disaster Curse, obliterated like an afterthought.
SHAAA!!
A torrent of bones and skeletons spewed forth from his gaping mouth like a grotesque river of human remains scattering onto the station floor. Skulls, ribs, femurs, all soaked in the filth of curses and death spilled across the ground in a horrific display. Naobito didn't flinch, instead his gaze remained sharp as he followed the macabre display before him.
"Tell me...just how many humans have you eaten?" He asked not expecting an answer.
Dagon's body began trembling violently and contorting in unnatural ways. His already monstrous form twisted further as his cursed energy swelled, bubbling like an unstoppable flood breaking through a dam.
"Hanami...was killed by them..." His anger festered, cursed energy surging within him like a tsunami ready to break.
This festering anger caused his flesh to ripple, shift, and finally warp. His grotesque limbs elongated while his cursed energy was taking on a form more refined and more dangerous. The stunted, embryonic figure of a cursed womb was gone. Dagon had fully manifested now, his new form loomed over them in a complete, fully realized
"He's changed?!" Izuku's Danger Sense was going haywire
"So that's why you were so damn weak, you were only a cursed womb before" Naobito simply sighed
A deep guttural rumble echoed through the station as Dagon's transformation reached its peak. His entire body pulsed with unfiltered cursed energy and in one devastating motion he unleashed it.
BOOOOSH!
A massive surge of water exploded outward, a cursed tsunami crashing through the station like a collapsing dam. The sheer force threatened to consume everything in its wake but Naobito didn't move. In the blink of an eye, his Projection Sorcery activated and the moment the flood reached him, its course had already been decided.
The water split unnaturally around his body, curving like an invisible force had carved its path. Not a single drop touched him but the others however weren't as lucky since the wall of cursed water surged toward Izuku, Maki, and Nanami as well.
Izuku acted on instinct and unleashed blackwhip to pick up Nanami and Maki in one motion. After he was sure that they were secured he crouched low and shot up to the ceiling above using One For All.
"Hey!" Maki barely had time to register what happened before they were airborne.
The flood swallowed the station beneath them in seconds with water rushing past like a raging current, swallowing everything and anything unfortunate enough to be caught in it. The sheer pressure alone would have crushed them or had them sucked under but they hung from the ceiling, safe for now.
"Sweeping a girl off her feet like this...I gotta say Midoriya, you're bold" Maki teased
"Sorry...please don't beat me with a hammer like Nobara..." Izuku sighed
"Relax. If you dropped me then I'd have a problem. Just don't make a habit out of picking me up" Jutted a finger at his chest.
"R-right. Noted" Izuku's ears burned.
"Teenagers..." Nanami still calmly gripping Blackwhip, glanced at them with an exhausted sigh but that's when Dagon's cursed technique, a relentless surge of liquid death had ceased.
"Tch young curses sure are annoying these days" Before Dagon could react Naobito vanished once again.
In 1/24th of a second, he was suddenly behind the curse. His hand struck out like a blur, a precise devastating palm strike slammed into Dagon's gut. The impact sent shockwaves through the air, distorting space itself. Dagon reeled but Naobito didn't let up, his movements were a seamless series of rapid-frame strikes, each landing before the curse could even register the last.
Izuku narrowed his gaze, trying to break it down in real time when Naobito attacked Dagon. Naobito didn't seem to have any kind of speed technique but it looked more like he was skipping through space itself. Each strike landed before Dagon even had a chance to react as if the curse was moving through delayed time but that's when it clicked.
"He's accelerating his movements within a limited frame, forcing his opponent to process everything a fraction of a second too late. It's like forcing someone into slow motion while you move at full speed" Izuku muttered aloud
"I'm not done yet!" With a final twist, he delivered a brutal palm thrust to the chest.
BOOM!
"Hey you mind letting us down Midoriya? Getting kinda bored up here" Maki exclaimed
"R-right, sorry" Izuku said
"Wait Midoriya. We could use the height to our advantage" Nanami's voice cut in
"What do you have in mind Nanami?" Izuku asked
"I want you to Launch me towards the curse and I want you to follow up with an attack of your own"
"Got it!" Izuku proceeded to use as much strength as possible to hurl Nanami before carfully letting Maki down
Nanami rocketed through the air with hi blade drawn, aimed directly at the frozen curse. As Nanami closed the distance he adjusted his grip on his weapon, angling his blade for maximum efficiency. The moment he reached his target his strike was precise and devastatingly effective or at least it should been. His hit landed true while the frozen frame shattered but Dagon tanked the blow witch his arms.
"Damn, it feels like i hit a wall...either that or it felt more like endless HP" Nanami was taken back by the durability
Naobito was already on the move, vanishing in an instant as his Projection Sorcery activated. With his speed frozen in predetermined frames, he zigzagged through the battlefield like a living stroke of ink on parchment appearing above Dagon in mere moments. His fingers curled into a fist, ready to deliver another devastating blow but the curse was ready this time. Dagon twisted his massive form in time and a tidal wave of cursed energy erupted from his body.
BOOM!
A sudden shockwave burst outward, the sheer impact blasting Naobito backward. His body shot across the station but he adjusted mid-air, twisting his body with inhuman precision to land against a nearby pillar. Even still he winced, Dagon's counterattack had power.
"Old man?!" Maki's eyes widened as she saw that Dagon was about to unleash an attack on Naobito as he momentarily stumbled.
"Manchester Smash!" A powerful downward kick crashed into Dagon's shoulder, sending the curse sprawling, the ground beneath them cracking like shattered glass but Izuku didn't stop. He twisted mid-air and extended from his back, latching onto the ceiling to shift his momentum
"Delaware Smash!" A focused flick of his fingers sent a compressed shockwave of energy slamming into Dagon's chest staggering him further.
Before Dagon could even begin to rise, Izuku shot blackwhip out of his left arm to the broken pillars behind the curse. He yanked himself forward in order to close the distance in an instant, Dagon's head snapped up and his sunken eyes widened as Izuku was already in front of him with his leg cocked back.
"St. Louis Smash!" His foot lashed out in a brutal aerial spin kick, a shockwave splitting the air as it connected with Dagon's torso and shot him up into the air.
Using blackwhip, he pulled himself up to Dagon, once they reached the peak of their ascent Izuku clasped both fists together.
"Double Wyoming Smash!!" His fists came crashing down at full power.
The cursed spirit let out an agonized screech as his form buckled under the brutal onslaught. Dagon's body shot down to the floor, upon crashing to the floor a crater was formed and his limbs struggled to keep up.
The curse was crumpled against the remains of a shattered pillar, its grotesque body twitching involuntarily. The sheer force of Izuku's barrage had driven Dagon deep into the cracked station floor, his body sagging, his movements sluggish, and left defeated.
Izuku exhaled sharply, allowing the tension in his muscles to finally release. He allowed himself to close his eyes for a brief moment, long enough for the noise of the battle, the cracking concrete, and the shouting to fade into the background.
"Is everyone ok? "Izuku then began to turn around as he reopened his eyes.
When he fully turned around and opened his eyes fully, an endless ocean as far as the eye could see stared back at him. A clear blue sky loomed from above and the calm waves from the ocean pressed onto the sand in front of him. But just beneath that water were several silhouettes that glided slowly under its surface and one thing became clear to Izuku in that moment.
This was a domain expansion
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Once again somewhere far from the material world sat Sukuna upon his throne of bone. His four eyes remained half-lidded and unfocused, yet they were aware of everything that mattered. The inner corridor of his shrine had grown dim from no longer walking them and the itch that once bothered him hadn't appeared for some time before it .
He sat in silence reminiscing of the golden thread that sat adjacent to his river of malice. He still didn't know what it meant or why this boy was able to wield such a thing but that was far from what was keeping him silent in this moment.
"Ten souls, all bound to a single vessel..."
The thought lingered, he had sensed them when that Itadori brat fought the Hero and now he had finally caught a glimpse. Most were quiet or rather they were dormant. But one...one felt more like a curse, clinging tightly like a parasite growing over time.
The most notable factor was that this one had no eyes like the rest of those souls, instead all that was shown was a wicked grin. Whatever curse the boy had hidden in his depths was a real demon that was for sure, Sukuna grinned at that.
But then there was the other soul, the 9th one to be exact which only made Sukuna's expression still. This one didn't appear to be dormant because it was waking up, this 9th soul had the kind of fire in it's eyes only brimstone could conjure. Sukuna scratched his temple as a different itch began to take hold under his skin as the memory surfaced.
"Orange eyes..."
The glow had been brief but it was unmistakable, it wasn't fearful nor was it obedient. When Sukuna stared at them they stared back, watching him with a clarity that had cut through distance and reason alike. Whatever lay beyond that orange glow was dangerous and maybe it was power or maybe it just didn't know when to quit.
"So that's what you're hiding. A vessel crowded with potential and one flame that refuses to bow" Sukuna leaned back as if he were satisfied.
"I'll be seeing you soon...Midoriya..."