Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Hosu Incident (1)
[Third Person's PoV]
A fist made entirely of granite swung toward Iron Man's face, but instead of connecting, it passed right through him. The villain, whose Quirk allowed him to transform into solid granite, looked momentarily confused. Seizing the opportunity, Iron Man retaliated with a swift headbutt. The impact staggered the villain, who clutched his face in pain.
Before the granite villain could react, Iron Man phased through the ground. When the villain looked up, angry and ready for more, he was surprised to see that Iron Man had vanished. Spinning around in frustration, he was greeted by Iron Man mid-air, his leg arced, delivering a powerful kick that sent the villain crashing to the ground.
Groaning in pain, the granite villain struggled to rise, but Iron Man was relentless. He planted his foot firmly on the villain and began stomping, his suit-enhanced strength cracking the ground beneath them. Rubbles flew as each blow caused visible damage to the villain's durable body.
Iron Man then aimed his repulsors at the downed villain and unleashed a blast, burying the villain deeper into the ground. The attack left the man dazed and stunned long enough for Tony to secure him with Quirk Nullification handcuffs. The villain's skin reverted back to normal as the cuffs took effect.
Iron Man crouched down, flicked the man's forehead, and knocked him unconscious with ease.
"I'm done on my end," Tony said, tapping the side of his helmet as he looked down at the subdued villain.
"Same here. I think it's time to call it a day," Melissa replied with a nod.
"Agreed. We've been at this for almost nine hours now," Tony said, stretching slightly.
...
Later, Tony and Melissa stood in front of Stars and Stripes. "As always, great work, you two. See you tomorrow, hopefully."
"Thank you," they both replied, nodding before blasting off into the sky.
"So, as usual, meeting back at the lab after visiting our parents?" Tony asked as they soared through the air.
"Yup—"
Melissa's words were cut off as Friday and Jarvis flashed a warning in their HUDs.
"Boss, the villains who attacked U.A. previously and rescued the Dark Forger have been spotted over Hosu," Friday reported.
Tony's eyes narrowed as he immediately changed course, blasting off toward Japan without hesitation. Melissa followed close behind.
"Friday, text my mother. Let her know I won't be able to make lunch today," Tony said, accelerating toward the unfolding crisis.
…
Earlier…
As Midoriya walked beside Gran Torino, he listened intently to the veteran hero's instructions. "Now that you've familiarized yourself with that Black Whip of yours, what you need now is hand-to-hand combat experience. We'll take the bullet train to a safer part of Japan where you can start small and build yourself up from there," Gran Torino said firmly.
Midoriya clenched and unclenched his hands, his mind drifting to the memory of the Sports Festival—of the strange dream he had after being knocked out. He recalled the sensation of being encased in the same black material as the Black Whip and seeing the other vestiges of One For All.
When the bullet train arrived, Midoriya sat down, lost in thought about his training. *'I noticed that Black Whip responds to my emotions. In any situation, I have to maintain a clear head if I want to use it properly. But what about the other Quirks stored within One For All? What are the requirements to unlock them—mastery or adaptability?'* Midoriya pondered as the train started moving.
Suddenly, the side of the train exploded. Midoriya snapped out of his thoughts as debris flew everywhere. A hero was flung through the hole, crashing into the seats. His heart raced when a Nomu appeared at the breach, its grotesque form looming over the wreckage.
Before Midoriya could react, Gran Torino tackled the Nomu out of the train and away from the civilians. "Gran Torino!" Midoriya yelled, standing at the edge of the hole. His eyes widened as he spotted black smoke rising in the distance.
*'Hosu City… That's where Iida is interning…'* Without hesitation, Midoriya activated Full Cowling, his body surging with energy. In a green blur, he shot out of the train and dashed toward Hosu.
Arriving at the scene, Midoriya was greeted by chaos. Destruction lay in every direction, and the Nomus rampaging through the city seemed different—more mechanical. His eyes widened as he studied their cybernetic enhancements.
Midoriya's gaze locked on a Nomu with a laser-like sword for a hand. It was poised to strike a hero from behind. Acting swiftly, Midoriya became a streak of green light, propelling himself toward the Nomu. He jumped and kneed the creature square in the jaw, enhancing his power with leg boosters that were built into his boots. It sent its head snapping to the side as it flew away from the hero.
Midoriya spun in midair, shooting out his Black Whip to pull himself back toward the Nomu. His arm cocked back, glowing with green energy. With a single powerful punch, which were also enhanced with arm boosters, Midoriya slammed the Nomu ground, shattering the Nomu's cybernetic enhancements and sending its components scattering across the ground.
Sliding to a stop, Midoriya caught his breath and looked around. Heroes were rushing in to contain the chaos. But then a chilling realization hit him: 'The Hero Killer… Iida's in danger…'
Without wasting another second, Midoriya took off in a blur, swinging through the air with his Black Whip, desperately searching for Iida.
Midoriya's heart raced as he swung above the city, searching the dark alleys of Hosu for Iida. His eyes scanned frantically, and then he saw it—a horrifying sight. Iida was pinned to the ground, blood pouring from his wounds. Standing over him was Stain, the Hero Killer, sword raised and ready to deliver the fatal blow.
Midoriya's instincts kicked in. "Stay away from him!" he shouted as he aimed his fist downwards, shooting his Black Whip toward Stain's sword. The whip coiled around the blade, and with a powerful yank, Midoriya disarmed Stain, pulling the sword from his grasp.
In a flash, Midoriya shot two more Black Whips from his arms, latching onto the surrounding buildings. He pulled himself forward using Full Cowling, aiming a flying kick straight at Stain. Midoriya moved so fast that Stain barely had time to react, but his instincts kicked in just in time to cross his arms in defense.
The impact sent Stain flying, crashing into the farthest wall of the alley. His body slammed against the stone, hard enough to make him cough up spit and bile. Stain collapsed face-first onto the ground, groaning in pain.
Midoriya landed in front of Iida, positioning himself in a defensive stance. "Iida, are you alright?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.
Tears streamed down Iida's face as he struggled to respond. "Midoriya…"
Midoriya glanced back at his friend with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. It's going to be alright. I'm here to save you."
But in that moment of distraction, Midoriya failed to notice Stain pulling a knife from his belt. With a swift motion, Stain hurled the blade toward Midoriya.
Midoriya heard the sharp whistle of the knife cutting through the air. He turned his head just in time, but not quickly enough. The blade grazed his cheek, drawing blood.
"Ugh!" Midoriya winced, pressing a hand to his bleeding cheek. His eyes narrowed as he focused back on Stain, who was now kneeling, blood dripping from his nose. A twisted, sinister grin spread across Stain's face.
"Iida, can you move?" Midoriya asked, his tone serious, his eyes never leaving Stain.
"I... I can't. I'm paralyzed… It's his quirk. He licked my blood from his sword," Iida explained, his voice strained and weak.
Midoriya nodded, understanding the situation. "Alright, try to see if you can move, even a little. When you can, take that man with you," he said, motioning toward the other paralyzed hero, who was slumped against the wall in traditional Indian clothing. "I'll keep the Hero Killer distracted."
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