Chapter 34: The Heroes
The Central Plaza was a graveyard of shattered concrete and frozen villains.
Roronoa Zoro stood like an immovable mountain in front of the paralyzed Symbol of Peace. The pure white hilt of the Wado Ichimonji was clamped firmly between his teeth. His stance was low, and his eyes were completely focused on the two deadly villains charging straight at him.
"You're in the way, swordsman!" Shigaraki hissed, his red eyes burning with madness as he and Kurogiri closed the distance. "I'll turn your blades into dust!"
Zoro didn't flinch. His muscles tensed, ready to unleash a lethal flurry of slashes the absolute second Shigaraki entered his striking range. He was fully prepared to cut down anyone who dared to step closer to All Might.
From the sidelines, Izuku Midoriya watched the nightmare unfolding.
He saw All Might, completely frozen in his muscular form, surrounded by steam and unable to move a single muscle. He saw Zoro, bravely standing as the last line of defense. But Midoriya also knew the terrifying reality of Shigaraki's Quirk. If he touches Zoro's swords... they'll crumble! If Zoro gets touched, he'll die!
Panic and desperation flooded Midoriya's mind. He couldn't just stand there and watch. He had to act.
Suddenly, glowing red lines of power flared across Midoriya's legs, pulsing with raw, uncontrollable energy. One For All!
BOOM!
Midoriya exploded from his standing position with unimaginable, blinding speed. The sheer kinetic force of his launch cracked the concrete beneath him.
A few yards away, Bakugo, Kirishima, and Todoroki gasped, completely stunned.
"What the...?!" Bakugo's eyes widened in absolute shock, watching the green-haired boy blur past them. That speed... it's exactly like All Might's!
But the explosive burst of power came with a horrifying price. Midoriya hadn't regulated the output. As he soared through the air like a fired bullet, a sickening CRACK echoed beneath his trousers. Both of his legs shattered instantly from the overwhelming recoil of One For All.
Midoriya ignored the blinding agony. Tears pricked his eyes, but his focus was razor-sharp.
He was flying directly toward Kurogiri, pulling his right arm far back, channeling the terrifying power into his fist.
"GET AWAY FROM ALL MIGHT!" Midoriya roared at the top of his lungs, his voice filled with raw, unyielding heroism.
Zoro's eyes darted upward for a fraction of a second, catching the green blur soaring over him. Midoriya?! What is that idiot doing?! His legs are completely broken!
Shigaraki halted his charge toward Zoro, his red eyes snapping toward the screaming boy flying straight at them.
"Ah... I remember you," Shigaraki muttered, a chilling, twisted smile spreading across his chapped lips. "You're the brat who hits hard. But I won't let you interfere again."
Instead of dodging Midoriya's incoming, devastating punch, Shigaraki lunged forward and thrust his right hand directly into Kurogiri's swirling purple mist.
Midoriya thrust his fist forward to strike the mist, but suddenly, a small warp gate opened right in front of his face in mid-air.
From the dark void of the portal, Shigaraki's pale, decaying hand reached out, its fingers spread wide, aimed directly at Midoriya's face.
Midoriya's eyes shrank to pinpricks in pure horror. He was entirely airborne. He had no way to dodge, no way to change his momentum, and his legs were shattered. The hand of death was mere inches from his skin.
Zoro pivoted violently, his blades slicing upward to sever Shigaraki's arm, but he was grounded, and Midoriya's momentum had carried him too high. The portal was out of his immediate reach.
I'm going to die! Midoriya thought, the terrifying reality crushing him.
BANG!
A deafening gunshot echoed through the massive dome of the USJ.
A high-caliber bullet tore through the air from an impossible distance, ripping straight through Shigaraki's hand just a millimeter before his fingers could graze Midoriya's face.
Blood splattered across the mist.
"GAH!" Shigaraki screamed in agony, violently yanking his bleeding, shattered hand out of the warp gate. The portal instantly closed, saving Midoriya from the lethal touch as he crashed heavily into the ground, rolling across the concrete.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
More gunshots rang out in rapid succession. Bullets rained down on the villains, striking Shigaraki's arms and legs, forcing him to fall to his knees in a pool of his own blood. Kurogiri quickly expanded his mist to shield his injured leader from the sniper fire.
Zoro lowered his swords slightly, his eyes tracking the trajectory of the bullets. He looked up toward the ruined main entrance of the USJ, located far at the top of the massive staircase.
Standing behind the paralyzing steam, All Might finally let out a long, heavy breath. A genuine, relieved smile formed on his face.
"They have arrived," All Might said softly.
At the top of the stairs stood the Pro Hero Snipe, his smoking revolver aimed down at the plaza. And behind him, flooding through the shattered doors, were Principal Nezu, Midnight, Present Mic, Ectoplasm, and a massive army of U.A.'s elite teaching staff.
The heroes had finally arrived.
.
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Cavalry Battle It will begin.
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