Overhaul: "I never expected to use this place so soon... or at all, really."
He stops in his tracks, listening intently as a distant alarm blares, growing louder by the second.
Shigaraki: "Is that... people coming to rescue us?"
He looks at Overhaul and Dabi, his curiosity piqued and hoping for some kind of relief.
Dabi: "Or it could be something else entirely."
He frowns, his instincts telling him something is off about the alarm.
Overhaul: "Judging by the distance, it sounds like it's coming from the weather station nearby. Probably something is approaching. Good thing we're underground."
He walks towards the security system, the cameras activating and showing the exterior. Heavy winds can be seen pushing debris and random zombies around.
Dabi: "That doesn't look good..."
He watches as the storm intensifies, wondering what could be causing it.
Shigaraki: "Damn, this is getting scary. Plus, I think we should stay here and wait until the storm dies down, especially with All Might out there."
He looks at Dabi and Overhaul, seeking agreement.
Dabi: "You're right. It's too dangerous to head back up right now. We'll stay here and wait out the storm."
He nods in agreement, his calm demeanor reassuring.
Overhaul: "Alright, we'll wait it out."
He heads deeper into the facility, spotting actual beds and massive piles of food—rations that could last a small group for ten years if managed properly.
Shigaraki: "Damn, Overhaul, you're a literal lifesaver. But if you brought beer, it'd be a proper party."
He grins, sitting on one of the beds.
Dabi: "So many people should've been holed up here, but then shit happened."
He stares at the camera feed, then freezes.
Dabi: "Wait—is that...?"
Overhaul's body tenses, his ears perking up at the blood-curdling screech echoing through the facility's cameras. The sound is unmistakably coming from above them, outside the underground shelter.
Shigaraki: "That... doesn't sound like the wind."
He swallows hard, his smile fading completely.
Dabi: "What the hell is that?"
Overhaul: "I don't know what that is, but let's just leave it alone for now."
He turns off the camera feed, not wanting to risk hearing more disturbing sounds.
Shigaraki: "We should get some sleep. Who knows when we'll get another good night's rest? Especially with the trip coming up."
He stretches out on one of the beds.
Dabi: "How about we eat first? We haven't had anything in hours."
He looks at them both, knowing they need energy.
Shigaraki: "Sure why not. So what type of food do you have?"
Overhaul: "Any type. I brought a lot."
He gestures to the numerous bags of food stacked along the walls. Shigaraki grins, excited to finally eat something.
Shigaraki: "Let's just go through the bags and grab whatever we want."
He gets up and starts rifling through the supplies.
Dabi: "Yeah, let's just pick whatever we feel like eating."
They begin searching through the bags, finding a variety of canned foods, instant noodles, and energy bars.
(Meanwhile, outside the Hassaikai Headquarters).
The night has fully set in, casting the area in complete darkness. The howling wind carries with it the unsettling screeches of unknown creatures, making the already dangerous environment even more terrifying. Zombies, both weak and strong, are thrown around like ragdolls by the powerful gusts.
(Meanwhile at Shie Hassaikai Underground Facility).
Dabi: "I think I should go for cereal. It's been a while since I had that."
He rummages through the supplies, finding a bag of cereal and a bowl beside it.
Shigaraki: "I honestly don't know what I want. Everything looks so good right now."
He stares at the bags, overwhelmed by the options.
Overhaul: "Just choose whatever."
He sits calmly, eating instant ramen from a cup.
Overhaul: "Nothing's going to expire soon."
He adds, reassuring them.
Dabi: "Where'd you even get that?"
He stares at Overhaul's hot ramen in amazement, wondering how he managed to heat it up.
Overhaul: "I used the microwave. There's one here, and even a kettle. Want some heat on your food too?"
He offers casually, standing up and heading towards the microwave.
Shigaraki: "Yeah, heat mine up too, please."
He smiles slightly, appreciating Overhaul's initiative.
Overhaul: "Okay."
He efficiently heats up the ramen in the microwave, the aroma of hot noodles soon filling the air. Dabi and Shigaraki sit on the bed, watching him move around the facility with a strange sense of comfort amidst the chaos outside.
Dabi: "You know, for someone who was just losing his shit earlier, you're handling this survival stuff pretty well."
He comments, unraveling his share of instant ramen.
Shigaraki: "You've got a point."
Overhaul: "I'm just happy that my boss is still alive despite this chaos."
He says softly as he finishes preparing the ramen, his voice carrying a genuine sense of relief. He hands the steaming cups to Dabi and Shigaraki before sitting down again.
Dabi: "That's good to hear."
He accepts his ramen, the warmth seeping into his cold hands.
Shigaraki: "Yeah, having someone to fight for makes this easier."
He blows on his ramen before taking a cautious sip.
The three sit in relative silence, the only sounds are the slurping of ramen and the occasional distant thunder from the storm outside. For the first time since the apocalypse began, they feel something close to peace, if only temporary. The hot food warms their insides, and the comfortable beds beneath them offer a brief reprieve from the horrors above ground.
Dabi: "This is the best thing I've eaten in days."
He says between bites.
Shigaraki: "Same."
Overhaul finishes his ramen and takes a long drink of water, then sets the empty cup aside. Dabi and Shigaraki continue chatting while eating, their voices low and relaxed in the relative safety of the shelter.
Shigaraki: "So, once we head out tomorrow, any idea where we're heading?"
Dabi: "I was thinking we should head east. Might be clearer roads after the storm passes."
Outside, the wind howls violently, rattling the facility's structure.
Two hours later, Overhaul and Shigaraki are both deeply asleep in their respective beds, exhausted from the day's events and the comfort of the warm shelter. Dabi, however, remains awake, sitting by the security monitors with a vigilant expression. The storm outside rages on, the cameras showing occasional flashes of lightning illuminating the desolate and dangerous landscape.
Dabi: "..."
He rubs his eyes wearily, glancing between the sleeping forms of his companions and the chaotic scenes unfolding outside.
Dabi's eyes widen as he moves the camera, zeroing in on a small figure huddled under a vehicle nearby. The girl appears to be no older than 8 or 9, her tiny body shaking with cold and fear as the storm rages around her. The distant screeches grow louder, more menacing.
Dabi: "A child is out there..."
He whispers to himself, knowing he can't ignore her plight.
Dabi: "And whatever's making those sounds is getting closer."
Without hesitation, Dabi shakes Overhaul and Shigaraki awake, his expression urgent and determined. They stir groggily, their sleep interrupted by the sudden roughness of his actions. The distant screeches are now unmistakably moving closer, the sound echoing through the facility like a bad omen.
Dabi: "Wake up! We have a situation!"
He hisses, pointing at the security monitor displaying the terrified girl and the approaching danger.
Dabi: "There's a kid outside, and something's coming our way fast."
Shigaraki: "What's going on?"
He asks sleepily, rubbing his eyes as he sits up. Overhaul, however, buries his face in his pillow, clearly not wanting to be disturbed.
Dabi: "Shigaraki, look!"
He grabs Shigaraki's arm, forcing him to look at the monitor. The girl is now visible in the occasional flashes of lightning, her small form trembling violently. The screeches are now a deafening roar, something massive and terrifying moving through the storm towards them.
Shigaraki: "You're insane! I thought Overhaul was crazy, but you're even more insane!"
He looks at Dabi annoyed and bewildered.
Dabi: "You're going to leave a child out there with All Might and who knows what else hunting her? We all went to college to become expert heroes. That means something, doesn't it?"
He looks at Shigaraki calmly, but his voice carries an edge of challenge. He knows they have a moral obligation, but he also knows the danger.
Overhaul: "What's going on?"
He finally sits up, his hair disheveled from sleep, voice still thick with exhaustion. He blinks at the scene—Dabi pointing at the monitor, Shigaraki looking annoyed and concerned.
Dabi: "There's a kid outside. A little girl, hiding under a car. The storm's getting worse, and whatever those screeches belong to is getting closer."
Shigaraki crosses his arms.
Shigaraki: "Dabi wants us to risk our lives for some random kid."
Overhaul: "I don't know..."
He runs a hand through his messy hair, staring at the monitor. The little girl looks so small, so vulnerable. He switches his gaze to Dabi, then Shigaraki, weighing the risks against their heroic duties.
Overhaul: "Going out there in this storm is suicide. And whatever's making those noises... it doesn't sound friendly."
He swallows hard.
Overhaul: "But leaving her out there..."
His voice trails off.
Shigaraki: "Ugh fine, I'll go. Your quirk is useless in this rain, and you need to find Random. Mine isn't."
His words are calm but firm. He went toward the door without looking back.
Overhaul: "Shigaraki, don't."
He quickly reaches out and grabs his arm, stopping him in his tracks.
Overhaul: "It's pitch black outside, there's a massive storm, and something that screeches is heading toward that girl. You won't make it five feet before you're a target."
Dabi slipped like a ghost through the rain-slicked corridors of the Hassaikai compound. The air hung thick with the coppery tang of old blood and the sharp ozone bite of an oncoming storm.
Dabi: "Damn... never thought the world would end like this."
He muttered, prying the heavy front doors open just a crack.
Outside, the courtyard was a graveyard. The typhoon had churned the ground into muddy soup, washing away all color but not the stench of rotting Eight Precepts guards. Suddenly, a high, vibrating screech tore through the downpour. Perched on an overturned SUV, a Pale Crawler—twisted, twitching—scanned the area. And beneath the vehicle, a pair of wide, terrified eyes stared back.
Dabi: "The kid."
He hissed. He didn't hesitate. He stepped out, arm extended.
Dabi: "Burn."
A torrent of brilliant blue flames burst forth, painting the dark courtyard in an eerie sapphire glow. But the creatures didn't flinch. They didn't scream in pain—they screamed in hunger. They sprinted straight through the heat, charred skin peeling away as they lunged.
Dabi: "Shit! Fire doesn't stop them!"
He realized it was too late. He blasted the ground with a concentrated flame to launch himself backward, desperately pulling away from the base.
(Back in the surveillance room).
Shigaraki and Overhaul watched the monitors in stunned silence.
Shigaraki: "That idiot is going to get himself killed."
He growled, fingers twitching with the urge to decay.
Overhaul: "We have to split up."
He said, his voice is tight with rare urgency.
Overhaul: "I'll go after Dabi. My quirk can restructure the environment to trap them."
Shigaraki rounded on him, eyes bloodshot.
Shigaraki: "No. You go get the girl. You know this place better than anyone. I'll find that patchwork firecracker."
Overhaul hesitated, gaze flicking to the cowering child on the screen.
Overhaul: "Fine. But Shigaraki? If you die out there, I won't bother retrieving your remains."
Shigaraki: "Good. If we survive this, I'm still taking your hands."
He retorted, already sprinting for the exit. Overhaul reached the courtyard just as the rain swelled into a torrential downpour. He spotted the girl under the car and reached out.
Overhaul: "It's okay. Stay quiet and—"
He froze. A shadow fell over him, larger and more imposing than any Pale Crawler. Standing ten feet away was a nightmare clad in tattered red, white, and blue. Zombie All Might. His jaw hung slack, eyes hollow pits of hunger, yet the sheer physical pressure he radiated was still suffocating.
In the blink of an eye, the monster lunged. Overhaul barely managed to raise his hands. **CRACK.**
All Might's fist connected with Overhaul's forearm, shattering the bone instantly. Overhaul was hurled backward, skidding through the sucking mud. Gritting his teeth against the searing agony, he pressed a hand to his mangled limb to start reassembling it.
The bones knitted back together with a sickening squelch.
Overhaul: "He's too fast."
He gasped.
Overhaul: "I can't fight him and protect the girl."
He slammed both palms hard into the muddy ground. The earth erupted into massive, jagged stone spikes, lancing straight toward the undead hero. Without waiting to check if they hit, he snatched the girl out from under the car and sprinted full tilt for the reinforced compound doors.
In the distance, Shigaraki spotted the massive stone spikes erupting from the courtyard.
(In his mind).
"Overhaul's in trouble."
He thought, glancing toward the apartment complex where Dabi had vanished. He was torn.
"If I go to Dabi, Overhaul and the kid die. If I go to Overhaul, Dabi's done for."
(Out of his mind).
He scanned the rubble at his feet. He couldn't beat All Might, but he could be a distraction. He grabbed a chunk of heavy concrete and hurled it at the compound's metal gates, a thunderous CLANG ringing out through the rain-soaked streets.
Shigaraki: "Hey, Symbol of Peace!"
He yelled into the wind.
Shigaraki: "Over here!"
He watched the hulking silhouette of Zombie All Might turn away from the Hassaikai doors, drawn inexorably by the noise. Shigaraki didn't wait a single heartbeat—he ducked into a narrow, rain-slicked alleyway, his heart hammering hard against his ribs
The zombie that was All Might turned back to follow Overhaul, moving faster than he expected. The creature appeared right beside him, punching him straight toward the vehicle where the child hid. A sharp metal spike pierced through Overhaul's side.
Overhaul coughs up blood, jaw tight with rage.
Overhaul: "Damn it."
He activates his quirk to disassemble the embedded spike. He touches the vehicle, pulling it apart and reshaping it into jagged metal spikes that launch toward All Might. He gets up immediately, presses a hand to his bleeding wound, snatches the child, and runs as fast as his legs can carry him.
Overhaul: "Hopefully that'll buy enough time."
He thinks, clutching the child tightly to his chest as he hurries back toward Hassaikai Headquarters.
(Meanwhile, in an abandoned apartment building.)
Dabi hides in a closet inside the crumbling structure.
He peeks out, noticing the creatures roaming the room below, searching for him.
(In his mind).
"My flames don't work on them, so what am I supposed to do?"
He stays pressed into the closet wall, listening to the heavy rain and crack of lightning outside. Moments later, a deafening crash shakes the floor under his feet, like a lightning strike hit close by.
"What's going on out there? Hopefully those idiots aren't off doing something stupid while I'm stuck here."
(Out of his mind).
(Meanwhile, back inside Hassaikai Headquarters.)
Overhaul: "Don't worry. Everything is fine."
He glances over his shoulder, just as lightning strikes the metal spikes outside. A loud crack rings out, and the entire building lurches slightly. The child looks up at him, sees his wound still bleeding, and trembles uncontrollably with fear.
Overhaul: "Everything is fine."
He sets the child down inside the base and shuts the heavy door, then slides down the wall. He activates his quirk, disassembling and reassembling his torn flesh to heal the wound fully once more.
Overhaul: "We have to keep moving before All Might comes back."
Overhaul gets to his feet and leads the child down to the underground facility. Once inside, he pauses, noticing Zombie All Might on the security cameras, roaming the upper levels searching for him.
Overhaul: "Please don't come inside."
He says softly, voice tight with uncharacteristic panic. He leans closer to the screen, and watches All Might pause at something before turning to leave the base.
Overhaul: "What did he see?"
He zooms the camera in, and spots a shadowy figure sprinting away from the entrance.
(Meanwhile, on the streets just outside the Hassaikai base.)
Shigaraki huddles in an alleyway, catching his breath.
Shigaraki: "Hopefully that drew him off."
He mutters, still replaying his reckless gambit to draw the zombie hero away in his head.
(Flashback)
Shigaraki sprints straight back toward Hassaikai Headquarters, spotting Zombie All Might just about to step through the base entrance.
(In his mind).
"Don't worry Overhaul, I'll draw him off."
He grabs a handful of loose rocks and hurls them at the nearby metal spikes, clattering out a loud noise guaranteed to catch the zombie's attention.
"He's looking. Time to run."
(Out of his mind).
He immediately bolts from the area, ducking straight into the narrow alley.
(End of Flashback).
He glances up for half a second, and freezes—Zombie All Might is standing on top of the dumpster directly above him, glaring down with hollow, hungry pits for eyes.
This will continue in the next chapter