"Well… even if things deviated slightly from the plan, I still got what I wanted."
While everyone below was anxiously calling out Bakugo's name, a man stood calmly on a nearby tree branch. He wore a white mask, a tall top hat, and leaned lightly on a cane, casually tossing a glass marble between his fingers.
He was a member of the League of Villains—Mr. Compress.
His Quirk allowed him to compress people or objects he touched into small glass beads. Moments earlier, he had launched a surprise attack from the rear and captured Bakugo Katsuki without anyone noticing.
Because of his theatrical demeanor and flamboyant style, many referred to him as a magician. In fact, he had once worked as a professional entertainer.
Just as Mr. Compress prepared to leave, the branch beneath his feet let out a sharp crack.
"There!"
The sudden sound immediately drew attention.
Todoroki Shoto reacted instantly. Cold air surged from beneath his feet, forming sharp ice spikes that raced up the tree trunk, freezing everything in their path.
In the blink of an eye, the entire tree was encased in ice.
But at the exact moment the attack struck, Mr. Compress leapt upward, flipping gracefully into the air. He looked down at them, his voice cold and detached.
"Children today are forced to accept so-called 'correct values.' I refuse to tolerate that. What I'm doing now is correcting this society. Why stop me?"
"That's the one who took Bakugo," Masata said flatly. "Break him first."
Unlike the others, Masata showed no hesitation. His fists ignited, magma surging outward as he launched a blazing punch toward the man in midair—clearly with no intention of taking him alive.
"H-Hey now, isn't that a bit excessive?" Mr. Compress laughed lightly. "I can't catch that with my bare hands~"
Despite his words, there was no panic in his voice.
He flicked two glass marbles from his pocket and threw them downward. They shattered midair with a pop, erupting into clouds of smoke. When the smoke dispersed, the marbles had transformed into solid chunks of stone.
Using them as footholds, Mr. Compress bounded away into the distance.
"You think you're the only one who can fly?"
Masata's eyes burned.
His legs turned molten, erupting with explosive force as he launched himself into pursuit.
"BOOM!!!"
Suddenly, a torrent of blue flames blasted skyward, completely engulfing Masata.
"Another villain?!" Tokoyami Fumikage shouted.
Todoroki and Mezo Shoji rushed forward—and there, standing calmly with his palms raised toward the sky, was a thin man cloaked in blue fire.
Dabi.
For a brief instant, Todoroki felt a strange sense of familiarity—but there was no time to dwell on it.
Masata was still trapped within the flames.
Todoroki raised his left hand, unleashing a wave of crimson fire to counterattack, roaring as the flames surged toward Dabi.
Dabi barely reacted.
He lifted his other hand.
Blue flames ignited in his palm, swelling rapidly before exploding outward in a massive surge that completely overwhelmed Todoroki's attack.
The clash wasn't even close.
"What—?!"
Todoroki, Shoji, and Tokoyami were all caught in the aftermath. The intense heat scorched past them, forcing Todoroki to immediately erect an ice wall to block the flames.
Only then did the attack subside.
At the same moment, Masata burst out from the blue fire.
He was unharmed—though his skin radiated heat.
From that alone, it was clear: Dabi's flames burned at a higher temperature than Todoroki's.
"Oh?" Dabi said lazily. "So you're Igarashi Masata. I'm not your opponent—your opponents are them."
Masata had already begun descending, ready to strike from above.
A sudden roar interrupted him.
From a black vortex that opened beside Dabi, an ice-blue Nomu emerged.
"Another Nomu?" Masata scoffed. "You really think this thing can stop me?"
Without slowing down, he continued his dive as if the Nomu didn't even exist.
"Hmph," Dabi said softly. "You really have never failed before, have you? I wonder if today will be different."
He gestured casually.
"Nomu."
The ice-blue Nomu stepped forward, spreading its arms wide like a wrestler preparing to receive an impact.
"Get out of my way, trash!"
Magma surged across Masata's fist, coating even the surrounding blue flames in red. His legs exploded with power as he accelerated like a missile.
"BOOM!!!"
The punch struck.
Nomu's skin melted instantly under the heat—but it didn't fall.
Instead, relying on its terrifying physique, it was forced backward, carving a deep trench into the ground, yet still managing to absorb the impact.
"…What?"
Before Masata could kick away, the Nomu's massive arms wrapped tightly around him.
Its grip crushed inward.
Masata felt pressure slam into his chest, air forced from his lungs.
This Nomu's strength was overwhelming—far beyond the previous ones.
Normally, this wouldn't matter.
All he had to do was elementalize.
Turn his body into magma, slip free of the restraint, and incinerate the enemy from within. Simple. Efficient. Absolute.
Masata focused.
Five seconds passed.
His body remained flesh and blood.
"…What?"
For the first time since this battle began, genuine shock flashed across Masata's face.
"What the hell… is going on?!"
...
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