The Sludge Villain

I sprinted to the scene as fast as I could muster my legs to run. It was a few blocks away and the sidewalk was already being filled by bystanders curiously looking on.

The smell of ash reached me, the increasing blaze ahead let me know I was close. It flickered and grew as the constant sounds of explosions happened. Whatever was happening it wasn't good at all.

Shifting my legs to a stop, I grate the asphalt below as I finally reach the full view of the threat. A sign showed I was in a shopping district.

I squinted at the scene, the bright flashing inferno finally died down enough to see a recognizable villain "Isn't that the sludge All Might chased?"

Seems like the heroes are already here, multiple ones too.

"It's holding a child hostage." One of the heroes said, a man with a tall muscular build and a noticeable square jaw.

He punched his fist together as he charged in.

"You coward!"

Leaping into the air he punches using his right toward the sludge villain. The impact was powerful, I could see ripples across the gelatinous body of the villain.

Though it wasn't anything he felt. A single swipe from the villain was all it took to throw off the hero, he smashed into a closed garage door as it caved in from the force.

So blunt attacks aren't doing anything, that's good to know. If they just use that information and try finding out other weaknesses they could give enough time for the hostage to breathe.

The kid, maybe no more than 15 was already struggling hard. I knew what he felt, just like the time I died, the lack of breath and slowly losing your consciousness while struggling isn't the best feeling.

The sludge villain laughs and mocks the heroes. "Don't get close to me!"

While in their grasp, the hostage breaks out part of himself and screams at the top of his lungs. "I won't let a sewer man like you swallow me up! You son of a…"

*Boom!*

Another explosion ripped through the air, and the people around me flocking to the fight struggled as the ear-shattering noise reaches the other end of the street.

Even I had to cover my ears, despite somehow feeling I get used to such decibels of noise.

Bringing up my hand to cup my mouth, I spoke under my breath while the fight happened in the background. "Eugen? How do we do this? I don't want to expose myself this early but I need to help."

"My? Asking for my help this early? Fine, you could always use something to cover yourself and attack from a range and close in for the boy."

I could remember through Eugen's memories that I do in fact have a quirk, or at least I think it's my quirk. Rigging that I could conjure up but I need somewhere to hide so no one would guess what I looked like.

I scoured the area, multiple buildings around this shopping district can be used or just a simple alleyway like before, though where would I get something to hide my identity?

"Why don't you just forget about hiding yourself?"

"What?"

"Are you deaf? Maybe the explosions did affect you somehow. I said, maybe forget about hiding yourself?"

"That's crazy. I don't want to cause trouble…"

"You want to help the innocent do you not? Look at the heroes."

I did as instructed and focused back on the situation. The giant lady from earlier this morning was coming over but stopped as soon as she reached the entrance.

"Wait! I need at least two lanes to do this!"

I felt a nerve pop from that.

…Seriously?! You're concerned about that?! Just do anything else for God's sake! Throw in some water from water towers or I don't know maybe something as simple as carrying firetrucks over? If it doesn't work then keep trying something else!

The man made of wood from earlier also arrives and snags two boys trapped surrounded by flames. He carries them to safety along with other civilians. He speeds away as the intense heat swelters along the ground.

"I don't do well with explosions, I'll leave it to someone else."

At least the man was still risking his life to save people in the flames. Where are the others though?

"I can't grab him at all and the boy with the Quirk is struggling!"

"It's a minefield. These conditions make it tough!"

"There is no one here now who can take care of this!"

"We can only wait for a better-matched quirk!"

Excuses, excuses, excuses! Are all these heroes standing around doing nothing? The boy is already halfway through getting assimilated! Maybe if you all actually made the effort to try maybe there'd be a chance!

Heroes my ass! I thought heroes were supposed to save people, not themselves! Self-sacrifice? Moral duty? Is none of that here?!

"Let's contain the damage." A man with hoses for a quirk advised.

Up on the rooftop, hanging by the ledge was the man made of wood. "I'm sure someone will come soon!"

That's all you can do?! Wait?! You might as well be condemning him to die!

"You hear them right?" Eugen tells me in a cold tone.

"…"

I narrow my eyes.

"What do you feel?"

I feel boiling anger coming from within. A deep sense of contempt reaches over my limit as I watch these sorry excuses for a hero.

"I feel…" she cuts me off.

"You feel angry, am I right? Can you imagine feeling it? How much has that boy been suffering ever since we came here?"

"I do."

"Do you feel angry at those who have the power but will not act to use it?"

"I DO!"

"Good~ Give in to your anger, don't hold back against the villain, and save the boy's life."

I falter for a bit at hearing not holding back. Villains had a life too maybe such was still the case?

"I… just need to save him, quick retrieval."

"Hmmm~ are you worried about the villain? Maybe you are just like the government, worrying more about the villain than the innocent? Like how the government ignored your family? Wouldn't it be better if you cripple them for an eternity?"

No, if they hurt others then perhaps it's best to take the best approach. Force.

"I won't hold back."

I straightened myself up, wearing a look of scorn as I slowly will my quirk to activate.

"Good, very good."

Just as I was about to charge in, another child comes in to intervene. Tossing his backpack full force without even thinking about his life.

I saw something in him that even these heroes didn't have. I felt something change within me as I observed the act. A small smirk formed as I fully willed my quirk into existence.

"How amusing~," I said out loud.

Civilians turn around to see my rigging in full view. A pair of shark-like appendages attached to my back. Parts of the Prinz Eugen's ship formed the bow and stern heads at my side. Mechanical workings inside sounded as I ignored the police officers holding the line.

"What?" "Who?" "Woah!"

[Bow] from the left closed and opened its metallic jaws shut with a harsh snap, like how waking up from bed and yawning. [Stern] from the right slithered its way in front, moving away civilians and police alike.

I didn't care what I just said as a passerby near me stood aside in shock. Not just from the boy charging in but also because I was now going in as well.

"Hey! You can't use your quirk here!"

I turn to the hero in question, the same person with a prominent jaw. The exact same one who attacked once and backed off.

"Oh? I can't? Let me see you try and stop me like how you pathetically tried stopping him?" I point my thumb behind my back. Pointing it straight at the sludge villain.

"…"

"Nothing to say? Good, stay that way. It'll be better for everyone."

I rush to the sludge villain with both boys still desperately struggling, the hostage thrashing around while the green-haired boy clawed desperately. Just as the sludge villain recovered from him getting blinded by the notebooks that hit him. I send out [Bow] to fire on him.

"Feuer!"

[Bow] opens its mouth for the attack. A concentrated naval shell shoots out and expands, heading straight for the eye. A weakness the green-haired boy discovered while he ran in.

I should thank him for that later.

*Boom!*

The smaller naval shell travels through the air, not in its typical shape. Compressed and stuffed into a smaller size, it still packed part of the power of one fired directly from a cannon.

It spun and sucked in the air, flames danced inward as the shell directly enters the sludge villain's eye and explodes from the inside.

"GAAAAHH! My eye!"

It hits its mark as the sludge villain splatters around for a second, an opportunity presented itself while the sludge villain tried to recover from the unexpected attack.

"[Stern]!"

[Stern] acts upon my command, extends from the back and grabs the postage boy out of reach from the villain.

A single throw launched him away from the fight as [Stern] goes for the other boy as well.

"You're not going to get rid of me that easily!"

Enraged by the loss of one of its eyes, the sludge villain starts a vortex of disgusting-looking sewer water. It begins to surround me in itself.

I pull the green-haired child to me as I grin while looking at the vortex that the sludge villain was making, hoping to entrap me like how it did so with the last hostage he had.

The boy was quivering in fear as tears left his eyes, and his face started swelling from the emotions he held which I looked at in awe. He was afraid yet he charged right in. Admirable.

Maybe I should take that line from All Might. He's supposed to be popular right? It should help him relax.

"Boy, relax."

He looks up at me, slightly letting down his stiff expression of fright.

"Because I am here."

His eye shines on the quote, like a memory being brought back to light. It was cheesy but hey, if it can make him relax then I'm all for it. I look back at the sludge villain, now lunging at us.

"You will make a fine replacement for that boy!"

The sludge villain strikes, his remaining eye glaring at me while it closed in, threatening to encase us in its goo. His body grows in size and compresses toward us two.

"[Unbreakable Shield]!"

Hexagons formed with blue light surrounding the area around us. It attached itself and combined into a single spherical construct that held together.

The ground buckled and gave way at the sudden force applied by the sludge villain yet the shield held. The boy was staring at me with stunned eyes. Seems like I made quite the impression.

"Nothing interesting… small fry."

"You!" The sludge villain exclaims in surprise.

"[Bow]! [Stern]!" I call out.

The two mechanical shark-looking rigs propped themselves at my side and prepared to fire every shot it has loaded in their cannons. I crack a wide-crazed smile as I ordered my command.

"[Broadside]!"

Shells were let loose as concentrated fire rang out toward the sludge villain. Each shell implanted itself inside his body and exploded outward. The cascade of explosions ripped out its body and shot out into the area.

A flurry of orange and red was seen, the smell of gunpowder further invigorating me. Most of all, it was the feeling of eliminating the villain and doing better than the heroes who were only spectating.

A thunderous end to a simple fight was what followed. The area was filled with remnants of the villain strewn all over buildings and the street.

The dust settled and I triumphantly stood in the middle of it all.

This warmth enveloping me, this excitement I feel, it was all so gratifying. I wasn't even sure if I was myself anymore, I wanted more, more, MORE!

"Commander, don't get too engrossed in your fight. People are watching you, you know?"

Just as Eugen said, people were now staring at me, at what I had done. In blatant violation of the quirk laws. The multitude of heroes now freed from the responsibility of fighting the villain now turned their full attention to me, still basking in the glory of victory over a villain.

I was supposed to hide my identity. I forgot about that part.

"See? I told you, we saved them right?" she commented.