บท 17: Mastermind vs. Stain
Iida shielded his head as a katana came out of nowhere, blocking his kick, removing off his helmet, and knocking him to the ground.
"This is no place for a child."
Iida stood and let Stain see the rage in his eyes, "Blood red scarf, knives all over your body. You're Stain, the hero killer! I've been looking for you, but I didn't think I'd find you so soon."
Stain leveled his katana at Iida's face, "Your eyes are searing with vengeance. Be careful what you say next, for even someone your age could be my target."
Iida clenched his fists as rage and hatred clenched his heart, "Are you saying I'm not even a threat to you?" He met Stain's eyes. "My brother is a hero who you attacked! He was the best older brother anyone could ask for. I have come to stop you because he can't anymore. I'm going to make sure you remember my name for as long as you live. I am Ingenium and I will defeat you!"
"Then so be it," Stain said, "die."
Iida leveled a kick at the hero killer, who dodged and returned with a kick of his own, knocking Iida to the ground. Before he could even think to move again Stain's katana was buried in his arm.
"So you're Ingenium's brother. You don't deserve to call yourselves heroes. You're fakes, the both of you."
Iida grit his teeth, "My brother was someone people looked up to! Now he'll never work as a pro hero again. You had no right to take that away from him! I won't forgive you. I'll kill you !"
"Shouldn't you be worried about saving that guy?" Stain pointed and Iida followed his finger to see pro hero Native slumped against the wall of the alley. Iida's stomach sunk. He hadn't even realized Native was there!
"So busy with your grudge, you forgot all about him, right? You planned on using your quirk only for your own selfish desire for revenge. You're about as far from being a hero as I can imagine." Stain slid his katana from Iida's shoulder and licked it, "And that's why you'll die tonight."
Iida couldn't move, he couldn't think. What would his parents think? What would Tensei think? They'd be so disappointed and he wouldn't even be able to apologize. Hot tears fell on the concrete, how could he have been so stupid?
"Goodbye, child. May your death bring about a better world."
Iida closed his eyes and waited for the sharp bite of the katana, but it didn't come.
"Hello again, hero killer. Fancy seeing you here."
"Mastermind." Stain pointed his Katana at the newcomer. Iida tried to look, but could just barely see a dark red boots standing behind Stain, "So nice of you to come. My blade hungers for the blood of the bastard that killed All Might."
"Did you know that the girl who taught me how to fight loves you?" Mastermind asked idly, "When I told her I was killing you tonight, she was so excited. Told me to bring her a vial of your blood." Mastermind fixed Stain with a green eyed stare, "I don't intend to break my promise."
Iida didn't think that was how love worked at all, but he figured that whoever taught Mastermind to fight must be as crazy as he was, so it was best not to question it. He tried to move his fingers but couldn't. Was this how Tensei had felt when he woke up and couldn't move his legs?
Mastermind launched himself at Stain, a long knife in each hand. Stain sliced down with his katana, intending to lodge it in his opponent's shoulder, but Mastermind twisted out of the way at the last second, slashing Stain across the ribs.
Stain hissed as the blade snuck between the metal plating on his suit and left a long gash, "You have excellent aim, Mastermind." He smiled. "Unfortunately I have been at this much longer than you have." He ran forward again with his katana. This time, when Mastermind dodged, he kneed him in the stomach then used a knife he had hidden in his other hand to slash at Mastermind's arm. He brought the blade to his mouth, only to look at the clean metal with confusion.
"A word of advice," Mastermind laughed, "when planning to fight a blood quirk user, invest in excellent armor."
Before Iida could blink, Mastermind was pushing Stain back and he had to bite back a groan as Stain stepped on him before launching forward again. The two had seemingly forgotten about him in their haste to kill each other and Iida didn't think it would be wise to remind them he was still there, frozen on the ground.
This time Mastermind blocked the katana with his knives and twisted, disarming Stain and sending the sword skittering further down the alley. Stain didn't even look toward his fallen blade, instead pulling a pair of hunting knives from his belt and running forward again.
Iida flinched as another knife came sailing toward him and flew over his head. He flinched! Iida tried to stamp down on his growing hope as he thought about moving his fingers and they obeyed him. He could move again! He looked to where Stain and Mastermind were fighting further down the alley and for one brief moment he considered taking advantage of Stain's distraction and working with Mastermind to bring him down. He shook his head and slowly stood up. No. It had been a stupid decision to come after Stain in the first place and if the hero killer had taken him down so quickly, what would he do if both Stain and Mastermind decided to kill him. Both had taken down heroes far more experienced than he was, he wouldn't stand a chance. He couldn't, he woudn't , do that to his family. Not again.
Iida sneaked from the alley as quietly as he could before revving up his engines. He had to find Manual.
"Is that all you got?" Izuku taunted as he stabbed Stain again, "I can see why I've killed so many more heroes than you."
"You're the worst kind of person on this earth," Stain growled, "you let other people do your dirty work and then you take all the credit. You take joy in senseless death and violence with no regard for your effect on society!"
"Oh I understand my effect on society, all right." Izuku said as he blocked another throwing knife, "I understand that they fear me, that they think I'm powerful. That the kid they all thought was weak is stronger than all the rest of them!"
"So it's revenge you're after, is it?" Stain panted as he pulled another knife from its sheaf, "You're just as bad as that kid I'll kill later."
"Revenge? No, I'm afraid it's simpler than that." Izuku replied. "Society is what made me who I am. They tossed me aside and ignored my pain. They agreed that I was only good for being abused and hated, so guess what? It's my turn to be powerful."
Stain rushed at him with both knives, trying to draw blood from the exposed skin at his face, but Izuku simply bent over and stabbed both his knives into Stain's gut before backing away.
"I'll kill you for what you did to All Might!" Stain choked out.
Izuku straightened. The hero killer had lost a lot of blood. He was getting slower and more disoriented the longer the fight wore on. The Hero killer was much better at quick battles that allowed him to draw blood early on. He could feel the conviction in Stain's aura, but he barely paid it any mind, he'd felt more murderous intent from Katsuki on a good day. Izuku slowly sauntered forward and when Stain raised his knife to stab him, he simply knocked his blade out of the way.
"Thanks for the fight, Stain." He said. "It's been a nice challenge."
"Manual!"
Manual looked up from the fire he was putting out when he heard his intern's voice, "Iida! Where have you been?" He took in the blood staining the white armor, the missing helmet, the tear streaks, and the way his intern was limping, "What happened to you?"
"The-the hero killer." Iida choked out and Manual felt sick. "I-I know where he is. He's fighting Mastermind in an alley a few blocks away. I-I couldn't fight him, he was going to kill me. Native's still there. H-he's paralyzed with Stain's quirk."
"Come on Iida," Manual said, "Let's get you to an ambulance."
"No!" Iida cried, "You have to catch the hero killer. You have to save Native!"
"Did you say the Hero Killer?" Manual and Iida flinched as Endeavor came up behind them. Iida nodded, "I know where he is."
"Lead the way, boy." Endevor said, and Iida started running, with Endeavor and Manual close behind. Shouto Todoroki watched them leave from his place among the sidekicks. Iida looked like he was lucky to have survived. He shook his head and focused on sending ice toward some of the fires. Maybe he should have told someone his suspicions about Iida after all.
But, he thought, at least the hate in his eyes is gone.
"Right down here!" Iida called, then stopped short when he saw the blood. Some of it was his, he knew, but there was a lot more of it than had been on the ground when he left.
Endeavor went to Stain, who was lying on the ground, his red scarf blending into its surroundings.
"Surrender, Villain! You cannot escape!" When Stain didn't move, he bent down, keeping one hand on fire just in case. He checked the villain's pulse and swore, extinguishing the light in his hand.
Meanwhile, Manual had gone to help Native. Iida went over to help him, but Manual just shook his head, "I'm sorry, Iida. It looks like he bled out sometime during the fight."
Iida stared at the fallen hero in horror as Manual put his arm around him and led him out of the alley.
"Come on," he said softly, "let's get you to the hospital."
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