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CHAPTER START---
"Billion? With a 'B'? Seriously?" Star and Stripe ask as she carefully eyes the vial of glowing blue liquid in her hand.
"Well, I can't put a price on it, but that's a good guess for total health, right?" Horizon asks.
They sat atop Lone Star Base's air traffic control tower, eating lunch while several million-dollar fighter jets hung upside down above them, noses pointed toward the runway.
"Right, can't put a price on life. But you said it's incomplete, so why are you giving me this?"
"No, I said it wasn't perfect. It's more than complete. Besides, I made that one specially for you; if you get hurt, drink it, and you'll be healed back to your current form," Horizon says. "But it could get weird considering your Order that transforms your body."
"I can't even get sick, much less get hurt."
"I had to heal you after Tech."
"But I have my Quirk Awakening now, so that'll never happen again," she says.
"Just accept the gift before I take it back," he grumbles.
"Alright alright, fine, at least if anything happens you won't have to do that sword thing to get back over here."
"Yeah, that's always a pain in the ass," Horizon mutters. "Anyway, I need to go organize some stuff now before I officially return to Japan. Have fun explaining this."
"Explaining what?"
Horizon finishes his food and points up at both the fighter jets.
And before she can look back at him, he disappears.
"Tch," Star' frowns, already feeling the headache explaining this would cause her.
---Minutes Later, Horizon Tower, Minato Tokyo…
"What do you mean it's permanent!?" Agpar yells, his voice bouncing around the inside of Horizon's visor through the call.
"Yeah, I figured out how to make it stick, but I can't undo it, so they're just like that now," Horizon says casually as he walks into the living room.
Sero, Shinso, Juzo, and Tokoyami are all there in casual clothes, and he signals to them he's on the phone while taking his seat.
"That's eighty million dollars of military hardware! Get back here and fix this, now!"
"Just put some paint on it and call it art. You're the only place in the world with two permanently floating jets."
"That's not how th—" Horizon ends the call
"All done?" Sero asks.
"Mostly, now. Are you ready for the plan?"
"Always, but it would be better if you told us the details," Juzo says.
"There are only three steps," Horizon says. "Step one, show off to the media that you all caught Toga. Step two, show off that she's being locked in Tartarus. And step three, set the bait. The rest will handle itself."
"So we don't want them to hit the prisoner transport between here and Tartarus?" Tokoyami asks. "Everyone thinks you're in America until you announce something different. We could use that. The moment you officially return, the crime rate will plummet back down to 3%, probably lower now."
Shinso nods, "The government is projecting less than a 0.1% crime rate when you return."
"Wow, I didn't think I was that inspirational," Horizon chuckles.
"You're not," Juzo says. "But criminals fear what the public will allow you to get away with, considering you didn't really get punished for the gigantomachy, and now after saving the world…"
"You could probably execute Toga on live TV and nobody would say a word," Sero says.
"Mmm, well, I'm going to kill her, but if people know then we lose our leverage in the hostage exchange."
"Hostage exchange?" Juzo asks. "I feel like we're missing some important information here."
"You don't need to worry about that right now," Horizon reaches into his jacket and tosses Juzo a vial of green liquid.
Juzo casually catches it and raises it to the light, seeing that it's extremely thin, a few steps from being an aerosol.
"What am I looking at?"
"Trigger, another new strand," Horizon says. "New strands have been popping up in labs all over the world these past three years, but only the basic strands are on the streets."
"So they're developing it for a specialized use," Juzo says. "Private military or new villain group?"
"Unlikely, every strand gets more lethal than the last to the user. The overdrive it causes kills them by depleting their resources or overloading their nervous system, which fries their brain.
"Biochemical weapons," Shinso says. "Why not just take a walk around Japan and find all of it?"
"Because they aren't making this in Japan. A Canadian lab made this, but all of it is flowing toward Europe. You and Juzo will follow the money trail and uncovering how they ship this stuff."
"So we aren't on this Toga plan?" Juzo asks.
"Don't need you, because I am here…"
Hearing those words, Team Horizon smiles, even the ever-dark Tokoyami.
Assured that with their boss back in Japan, they were untouchable.
---Pantu's Office, at the same time…
"So they aren't the same range," Pantu mutters while staring at her screen.
Sitting comfortably in her chair, she eyes the map on the screen, seeing the two points, Lone Star Base and Horizon Tower.
'It only took him one Warp to go from Texas to Tokyo, but he can't actually apply this constantly. So it must be part of his Awakening. He's ten years ahead of our predicted power growth for him.
Between that and his first real super move, Divine Divine, challenging him in a direct fight would destroy whatever region it happens in, if not the entire country he fights in.
That will have to remain Plan B, first I'll use—'
"Lady Pantu," Dr. Ujiko says as he enters her office. "I was surprised to get your call this late at night."
"I hope I didn't interrupt your work, doctor."
"Oh no, I was simply looking over some notes, nothing more," Ujiko says as she directs him to the chairs in front of her desk. "What can I help you with?"
"I'd like a direct report on your progress with All For One," Pantu says as the man takes his seat.
"Well, progress is slow, as always. If I could make some modification to his cell in Tartarus that would help. But without bringing in some custom equipment, I must move extremely slow to avoid giving him leeway to use his Quirks."
"An unfortunate but necessary reality," she says. "Will you be able to learn enough to reverse the Nomu process by studying his body? Before he dies, that is."
"I estimate his body can sustain at least three more years in its current state, which should be enough time to study him. However, the detonation Quirks in his body still make executing him rather…unwise."
"And moving him would simply bait Shigaraki into rescuing him."
"Horizon could do it," Ujiko says. "He could move and execute All For One at any time. Why not have him do it?"
"The less I have him involved, the better. The stability of Japan is most important, so I'd rather simply have All For One die naturally while being studied."
"And might I ask, why this waiting game?"
Pantu reaches into her desk drawer as he continues.
"What outcome are you waiting for, exactly?"
In response, she slides a thick folder across the desk, with a large red 'TOP SECRET' stamp across the front. "Hard copy only."
Dr. Ujiko nods and opens it, amazed by what he's seeing. "These documents, you've built a Level 10 of Tartarus. I thought there were only five levels."
"There are only five levels," she says. "Each level is 100m below the last, with Level 1 starting 100m below sea level. All For One and some other villains live on Level 5, and the organization recently finished levels 6 through 9. But they will remain empty aside from housing redundant systems."
"All for Level 10," Dr Ujiko's eyes widen as he sees the designs. "A cell that can run by itself for decades. This says you intend to move All For One here, or change it for Shigaraki's Quirk."
"On paper, yes. Those details are for when he eventually uncovers those documents."
"Who?"
"We both know who," Pantu says, causing the man to shift nervously in his seat. "My only question is, can you make a cell to contain something like that?"
"Well, I designed the cell for All For One—"
"Who is barely a fraction as dangerous as Horizon."
Dr Ujiko stops for a moment, considering all sides.
'My master said this would happen,' he thinks. 'He told me the government would have two jobs for me. The first was containing and researching him…this must be the second. How did he know this would happen?'
"Doctor?" Pantu snaps him out of his daydream. "Can you do it?"
"In theory, it is possible."
"And what do you need to make that theory a reality?"
"To severely injure him, nearing death but without triggering his Quirk's self-preservation instinct. If that triggers while below Tartarus, he could instinctive warp the entire facility onto the mainland, or countless other disastrous scenarios."
"Alright."
"Hm, 'alright'? That's it?"
"You want a half-dead Horizon, and so you shall have it."
Ujiko looks at the woman, trying to understand how she could say such an absurd thing with such confidence.
"You have a plan for this?" Ujiko asks.
"Two, ideally the first one works, since that is the most…precise. But if that fails, I'm sure the second will deliver what we need."
"I see."
"Doctor, I have one question for you."
"Anything."
"Why are you so willing to help me betray Horizon? Aside from me forcing your hand and implicating you."
"Part of it is patriotism," he lies. "The other part is, I don't want another gigantomachy to happen, and without Horizon, I'd like to think another won't. He is simply too unstable to have such power."
Pantu detects both his lies, but nods anyway. "Thank you, doctor, have a good night."
"Same to you, Lady Pantu," the man takes the folder and leaves the office, allowing Pantu to plan for the next two years in peace.
END CHAPTER---
And thus the new volume begins, please leave a review. Thank you!
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CHAPTER START---
---Minato Tokyo, Matani Plaza…
On the roof of a highrise building, a Japanese man of average build looks through his binoculars, focused on Horizon Tower.
Focused on the gathering crowd of people a few blocks away at the front of Horizon Tower.
The man enjoys the warm morning sun as he analyzes the situation, seeing hateful words on their posters. People line both sides of the barricaded street as they wait for the armored convoy to arrive.
"I can see it from here, but where is my backup?" the man asks through his phone.
"This isn't that kind of job, Crater," Shigaraki responds through the line. "This isn't a breakout. You're just tying up a well-informed loose end."
Crater smiles, thinking about all the dead people he's about to add to his record. "Then I'm definitely the right person for the job."
"I know. I already have an extraction point setup for you. Get back to the safe house when you're done and contact me."
"I won't have to. You'll see how it goes on the news," the man says as the news helicopters and drones arrive.
Late last night, a mysterious source leaked intel that someone captured Himiko Toga yesterday, and that they would transfer her from Horizon Tower to Tartarus via an armored convoy this morning.
And now, mere hours later, people have gathered to get a glimpse of this heinous criminal.
Many of their posters and signs denounce and wish disaster upon the League Of Villains, while others praise Team Horizon for capturing this monster without their boss being in the country.
Soon the convoy arrives, a reinforced armored truck preceded and followed by police and swat vehicles.
Above, Endeavor and Ryukyu fly, the dragon hero carrying Crust and Edgeshot on her back.
In the front seat of the armored truck is Mt. Lady, and standing on top of it is Kamui Woods.
Every hero is ready for action, expecting a rescue attempt from Shigaraki.
"These fools," Endeavor mutters through the comms. "All our warnings and they still gathered outside Horizon Tower."
"This is the first sight of Shigaraki's top commanders in months," Edgeshot says. "People have a lot of hate for them, and want a chance to say their piece."
Endeavor looks out at the civilians, still annoyed but unsurprised that all these people want to rip the villains apart.
"We're getting into position now," Mt. Lady says. "Monitor the crowd. If one civilian takes revenge here, we won't be able to interrogate her in Tartarus."
"Got it," Kamui Woods says as the vehicles turn around and get into position.
Mt. Lady gets out of the truck and stands guard while some of the swat officers enter the building, carrying rifles and riot shields.
The other Heroes take positions above or around, with Ryukyu guarding the skies with Endeavor while the others monitor the crowd.
"I thought she hated him," Crust mutters to Edgeshot as they wait for Toga.
"Who?"
"Mt. Lady, didn't she and Kamui Woods have some big breakup?"
Edgeshot glances at her, seeing she's not listening to them. "The Lurkers broke up after The Gigantomachy. After the whole mess, Kamui Woods thought they should keep Horizon."
"And she thought they should lock him up, right?"
"That's one way of putting it. She had friends in that city, so…she won't be letting it go any time soon."
"Damn."
"Yeah."
"They seem to get along now though."
"It's a slow process," Edgeshot says.
A moment later, the officers exit the building, with a restrained Himiko Toga walking between them.
She had scars and bruises all over her face, along with patches of hair missing, having burnt off. Her frail and malnourished body showed sunken, sleep-deprived eyes.
She'd obviously been through more than a mere few hours in Horizon Tower, but the government had already decided what story they would tell.
At the back of the group, Cellophane and Tsukuyomi strut out of the building, receiving cheers from the crowd.
The sound of which makes Mt. Lady's stomach turn.
Knowing the truth about when they captured Toga, she couldn't imagine what they put her through, what the child suffered through.
Even now, while looking at the broken and battered girls, part of her still saw a lost 16-year-old girl.
"When did you get so tall?" Kamui Woods asks Cellophane as his former intern walks over to him.
"It's good to see you too," Cellophane says as he stands beside the man, now much taller.
Standing at 6ft -180cm- to Kamui Woods 5 ft6 -168cm-, and having a much more muscular build.
"No, seriously, you look intense," Kamui Woods says.
"It comes with the job. Team Horizon can have no weak links. And since I've got the weakest Quirk, I have to make up for it somehow," Cellophane shrugs.
"Oh, that makes se—"
"Breach!" Endeavor yells through the comms as the officers are loading Toga into the truck.
They shove her and the guards into the back as Crater breaches the perimeter, glowing purple as he sprints at the truck.
He moves with absurd speed, his footfalls causing minor quakes and shattering the street as he rushes toward the middle of the formation.
Kamui Woods recognizes what kind of Quirk he has, as does everyone else.
But Kamui Woods reacts first, rushing toward the attacker and growing his wooden limbs to contain him.
Mt. Lady moves one step behind him, and as he grows his limbs in multiple layers to wrap the villain in a dozen-meter-wide ball of reinforced wood, she jumps onto Kamui Woods.
Gigantified, she shielded him from the explosion with her body, curling around him as best she could.
All the while Tsukuyomi and Cellophane don't bother moving, not at all concerned about this feeble attack.
Seconds passed as the crowd, which crouched to take cover, began opening their eyes.
Mt. Lady looks up, seeing the wooden limbs stretching out from below her and the wooden ball beside her, all perfectly fine.
"Is everyone alright? Did anyone get hurt?" She asks while looking around, moving to reveal a perfectly fine Kamui Woods below her.
"Nothing happened," he says while retracting his limbs, unraveling the sphere to reveal that it's empty.
For a moment, the crowd is confused, then the sound of a body hitting the asphalt redirects their attention from Kamui Woods.
"What the hell…did you…my chest," Crater groans as he lies on his back, with Horizon standing beside him, one foot on his face.
It takes a second for the crowd to process what's happening and who they're seeing.
And the moment they do, a roar of cheers shakes the entire block.
Everyone watching at home in Japan feels a wave of relief flowing through them, as to their knowledge, for the first time in months.
Horizon is back in Japan.
Back home.
"Was he the only one?" Mt. Lady asks after the crowd becomes quiet, on account of everyone trying to listen in and record whatever they can.
"His Quirk doesn't exactly scream 'teamwork'. He gathers and detonates his kinetic energy," Horizon says while stepping off the man, leaving him in pain on the ground. "They didn't send him to save her, but to silence her."
"So they're even killing their friends. Well, I shouldn't be surprised. They are villains, after all."
"Now that just leaves one thing," Horizon says as he raises his hand, revealing Crater's heart in his hand, still beating.
Mt. Lady takes a horrified step back, and above Ryukyu has to look away.
Memories of what he forced her to do to Gentle Criminal, and the people that died, all for him to prove a point.
Those memories resurfaced and threatened to bring up her breakfast with them.
"Bring the restraints," Mt. Lady orders some officers, and they rush to do the attacker.
"Don't both, he won't know anything useful," Horizon says as he looks down at the man, raising his heart for everyone to see. "And my world doesn't have any place for creatures like this."
The man looks up from the ground in horror, desperation in his voice as he begs Horizon to stop, feeling pain in his chest as Horizon's fingers dig into his heart.
To her horror, Horizon crushes it in his grasp and drops it onto the man's dying body.
All for the world to see, and all in the time it took Mt. Lady to realize what was happening and lunge forward to grab the heart.
SHAMBLES!
Horizon swaps his position with hers, only for her to turn on her heel and glare at him.
The hate in her eyes was obvious, and Kamui Woods was dreading what would happen next.
She lowered her stance, and everyone held their breaths as she clenched her fist, ready to attack Horizon.
Horizon looks down at her, an amused smile beneath his visor as he takes one step forward.
He looms over her, snuffing out any will to fight she had, as the unimaginable threat stares down at her, daring her to oppose him.
So intense she felt as if her throat was swelling shut.
Slowly, gently, Horizon reached up with his blood-covered right hand and touched her chin.
She flinches, but he continues, cupping her chin, forcing her to look up at him while feeling the warm blood on her face.
The defiance in her eyes was constant, even as her body begged her to run away.
"I know, this isn't what you want Heroes to be, I know," he says, so sincerely that she can't help but believe him.
"I know that while I was away, you worked diligently. Day and night, saving as many people as you can while the crime rate kept rising.
But things are different now.
I am committed to being a Hero, more than ever before. But, things will be a bit more…practical. Some villains can be reformed, but others. People like this. People who are willing to bomb civilians.
Those people have no place in my world."
"You're a murderer," she grits out.
"Yes, I am. But Japan will be safer than ever, because I will deal with problems in the most permanent way.
The people will go about their lives, knowing that the worst of the worst monsters are where they're meant to be, in the dirt.
And even you won't have to work as hard as you did during the summer. So rejoice, a new era of peace is beginning. Because…
I am here."
Horizon walks away, stepping over the corpse in the road as the crowd cheers for him, leaving Mt. Lady petrified.
When the convoy is ready to transport Toga to Tartarus, she snaps out of her daze and looks around, seeing the people she risked her life to protect day after day.
Worshipping the greatest mass murderer in the history of Japan.
Kamui Woods then walks over to check on her and gets her to focus on the task at hand.
And while the convoy moves out to Tartarus, the entire world sees and hears everything that transpired.
And a new era of peace begins within Japan.
The era of Horizon has now begun…
END CHAPTER---
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