Chapter 88

- Jiro!

The brunette suddenly raised her head and stepped between the girls and the newcomers running towards them. She almost cried with relief when she saw that it was Ochaco and Bakugo.

- Oh my God, what happened to you?

Ochaco cupped Jiro's face and wiped the ash from her skin with her thumb. Her tears had drawn lighter furrows on her dirty skin.

- We've... there was...

The relief of leaving the forest - of not having to fear that the pyromaniac would come back to finish the job - was so great that Jiro couldn't help herself and cried again.

And as if Tsuyu and Momo had only been waiting for this, they also started to cry.

Katsuki and Ochaco exchanged glances as the three teenagers broke down.

The brunette rubbed Momo's back while Jiro cried loudly against her shoulder.

- Hey, it's okay... we're here now, it's all over...

Momo wiped her nose with the back of his arm. 

- We thought... he was gone, so we thought... we wanted to...

She burst into tears, unable to stop.

Katsuki opened his mouth but closed it again when he realized that he had nothing relevant to say.

He wondered what they had gone through in this forest that none of them could talk about it without bursting into tears.

He pointed with his chin at some kind of gauze-wrapped mummy they'd brought with them.

- What's that?, he asked.

His question was a real wake-up call for the girls.

Their crumpled faces regained their composure and they wiped away their tears with a sharp gesture, although their eyes were still shining.

- It's Toru, the villain has... (Jiro inhaled sharply). The villain burned her alive.

Katsuki licked his dry lips.

- Is she...?

Momo's lips quivered.

Jiro looked at her worriedly.

- No, of course she isn't. She was still breathing when we left... The blonde grabbed the wrapped body of the teenager and lifted her with ease.

- We have to get back to the camp. The dining hall is not far, if we go there, maybe we can-

Momo shook her head:

- No, we have to find Aizawa-sensei. The dining hall is not far from the forest and I don't want to... if the villain... .... (She inhaled sharply). We have to find Aizawa-sensei

Tsuyu, who hadn't said a word until then, nodded vehemently.

Katsuki studied their tense postures and realized that they'd be ready to snatch Toru's body out of her hands so they wouldn't have to approach the forest again. But Ochaco insisted.

- But the dining hall...

- No. This time, it was Jiro who spoke: she physically sided with the two girls.

Ochaco looked pleadingly at Katsuki, who ignored her.

- The school is not far away and I saw Aizawa going there earlier

The relief on their faces was indescribable.

They set off, Katsuki leading the way. As they moved forward, he noticed that each of the three girls who had been in the forest couldn't help but turn around and look behind them, obviously expecting someone to jump from the edge and kill them all.

- Hey, did you see that ? A

ll heads turned sharply in the direction Ochaco was pointing.

Tsuyu, Momo and Jiro had unconsciously moved closer together. Katsuki squinted to see what she was pointing at.

All he could see was the line of desert that cut through the horizon and nothing else.

- It was fire

The three girls moved closer together.

Jiro whispered the fateful question:

- Was it blue ?

Momo clasped her hand in hers.

Ochaco frowned as if the idea was stupid.

- Blue ? No, it was red. Katsuki's eyebrows rose so high that they disappeared into his hairline.

- I think it's Todoroki, Ochaco said

Then she frowned as if thinking.

- But what would he be doing alone in the desert ?

Katsuki clenched his jaw.

-On his own ? What makes you think he is ?

The brunette shrugged.

- We were all surprised by the explosion and since Todoroki tends to stay alone, I think he might have been cornered by a group of villains...

Katsuki's mind raced as he imagined the boy alone and without reinforcements in a sea of sand.

How long could he hold out until they warned Aizawa-sensei ? Was his Quirk enough against the villains he was facing ? What if there were more of them? What if-

Even as they spoke, the teenagers didn't stop running for a second.

They entered the camp and arrived near the campfire. Katsuki put Toru down and turned to the girls.

- I have to go and see what's going on in the desert

Momo said aloud what the other two girls were thinking:

- It might not even be Todoroki, it might just be the villain we've already encountered...

- And if it's Shoto, it means that he's all alone up there, with no one to help him

The girls hesitated, but Katsuki didn't give them time to think:

- You go to school and tell the teacher where I'm going, and I'll go to the desert.

Katsuki didn't ask them to send reinforcements because he didn't think that any villain would be a match for him and Shoto together.

As long as it wasn't the USJ birdhead, they would be fine.

- We can't let you go alone, Momo muttered. What if something happens on the way?

- I'll go with him.

The blonde was surprised.

- You sure about that ?

Ochaco nodded.

- Our Quirks fit well together

Katsuki smiled carnivorously.

- It's settled, he said. Let's kick some vilain's ass.

*

It was pitch black now. If it hadn't been for the flames that ravaged the forest and lit up the surrounding area with their shimmering light, Kirishima and his friends would have been reduced to rubble by the villains long ago.

- Deku, you okay ?

The teenager nodded, clutching his bloodied arm.

The Wendigo that had targeted Izuku had taken a harassing approach to him: Kirishima had taken on the role of standing between the villain and his friend because the sharp teeth couldn't pierce his skin - and even though Izuku seemed to be able to regenerate ad infinitum, the time it took for each new healing was getting longer and longer.

Besides, watching the Wendigo eat human flesh in front of their eyes was not something the boys watch easily.

Séro and Sato had set their sights on the other villain and were responsible for keeping him at bay, though the clown was so evasive that Séro had never even managed to graze him with his stripes.

- We need a plan.

- Any ideas ?, Kirishima asked.

Then he lunged forward and threw his arm into the mouth of the Wendigo that was about to decapitate Izuku.

The villain grunted and retreated, irritated that his attacks failed again and again because of the little red-haired thing.

- We could clear the way for one of us to go to the camp for help, Séro suggested.

Izuku shook his head.

- Impossible: There are only enough of us to face the two villains, so if one of us leaves...

Sato swung his fist at Mister Compress: the clown crouched down as if he'd seen it coming and held out his hand to turn him into a marble.

Séro threw his bandage, which struck the villain's fingers.

He cursed and jumped back to avoid capture.

- Thank you !

Izuku's arm was almost healed now.

He'd regained his mobility now that the nerves in his forearm had grown back.

- We could...

The teenager closed his mouth, unsure of how to say it.

Kirishima threw a right hook at the Wendigo.

- Any idea is a good one, considering our lack of options, Deku.

- ... one of us could play the role of bait. Kirishima was so stunned that he froze.

Fortunately for him, the hardening of his skin had long since become a subconscious mechanism, so he barely reacted as the Wendigo's teeth crashed into his rock-solid neck.

- This is a bad idea, Séro replied.

There were half a dozen ways this scenario could play out, and every one of them ended with one of the boys dead.

Sato frowned.

- But we don't really have a choice... do we ? 

Kirishima looked at the boy as if he had betrayed him. 

- How can you even suggest abandoning one of our own?

The boy raised his hands in defense.

- Hey, I didn't suggest it.

I just said it was a good option since we don't really have a choice.

Kirishima opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by Izuku:

- No one would be in danger if we did that, he explained. I'd just have to step back...

- You would sacrifice yourself for us ?

Even if he could regenerate ad infinitum, that didn't mean he wouldn't suffer every time the villain skinned him.

And if Kirishima felt sick just watching the monster eat pieces of Izuku, he could only imagine how the other boy felt.

The teenager nodded determinedly.

- Yes Kirishima watched him in silence, feeling a sudden respect for this unassuming boy.

If someone had ever told him that it would be the puny Izuku from the back of the class who would offer himself as a decoy...

Mr. Compress clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

- You know that we can hear everything you say ?

He sighed contemptuously.

- Playtime is over.

He pulled two large handfuls of turquoise marbles from his pockets. The four teenagers drew closer, sensing danger.

- Moonfish, come back !

The Wendigo stepped back to stand beside his partner.

A mixture of saliva and blood stained his lips, a piece of tendon clenched between his teeth.

The boys kept him in their peripheral vision, too disgusted to look him in the face.

The clown threw his marbles right over the boys.

- Séro !

The teenager smiled, his band ready to attack.

- I'm in !

His bandages hit a whole bunch of marbles, sending them tumbling away.

There were still plenty left, but if he hurried...

Mr. Compress frowned.

- I only wanted to make sure none of you escaped, but never mind

He snapped his fingers.

The bullets exploded in a puff of smoke.

Immediately, a shower of car carcasses, lampposts, and benches fell from the sky.

Kirishima's eyes widened.

- Run !

They tried to flee to the left, but the marbles deflected by Séro had just released their contents, blocking their path.

Kirishima gritted his teeth as he stood with his back to his comrades, facing the rain of debris.

They wouldn't be able to escape fast enough : the impact zone would be too large, and if they decided to run, they would end up knocked out and at the mercy of the Wendigo.

What they needed was someone to shield them.

- Kirishima !

- Sato ! Get behind my back and support me !

The boy stood right behind him, back against his, his feet planted firmly in the ground and his hands behind his back.

- This is insane, he muttered

Kirishima smiled over his shoulder, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple.

- We have no choice, do we ? Plus Ultra and all that

Izuku and Séro quickly joined them, crouching behind Kirishima as if they were under an umbrella.

- We're counting on you, buddy, Séro encouraged. Kirishima nodded, his legs shaking.

Lives - human lives - depended on him.

He had no right to make a mistake.

He hardened his skin like never before, clenched his teeth so hard he thought they would break.

He clenched his fists and decided to simply act as a wall against the debris: if he tried to punch it to deflect it at the speed it was going, he'd break every bone in his hand.

A traffic sign fell on him: Kirishima pushed it away with a scream, his heart beating fast.

Then a wooden garbage can, a bench, and a billboard fell.

Thanks to Sato, who had put his back against hiss and supported him with all his strength,

Kirishima hadn't lost his balance once. He felt hope rising in his chest.

- Watch out !

He gasped.

A truck nearly three meters high and two meters wide was heading straight for them.

Kirishima's skin hardened so much that he became as immobile as a stone statue.

- Sato, when I tell you, you're going to throw me right at it.

- What ? No !

- If you don't, we'll all be crushed and the Wendigo will have our remains for lunch !

The image of the beast eating his thigh made the boy retch.

- Okay, tell me when I should do it !

Kirishima sweated profusely.

At that moment, he was grateful that none of the boys could read the fear on his face.

Why did he want to be a hero again ? There was nothing funny about this job.

Kirishima licked his dry lips and mentally prepared himself for the coming impact.

He had to hit the front bumper, and if he missed...

The truck came closer.

Kirishima wished he could see his life flash before his eyes, to be distracted for at least a second from what he was about to do.

- Three seconds !

The image of his bones piercing his flesh and his skull crushing like a rotten tomato flashed through his mind.

- Two !

He shook so hard that his vision blurred for a second.

- One !

It was too late to back away now. He could taste his own vomit in his mouth.

- Now !

Sato let out a scream of anger and sent Kirishima flying like a cannonball.

The boy split the air at breakneck speed, the wind whipping his skin and pressing his tears against his cheeks.

He gritted his teeth and braced himself for the impact.

If I get out of this, I'll give up Yuei.

His forearms hit the bumper.

Kirishima heard something creak like metal being bent.

To his horror, he realized that it was the bone in his right arm that had just snapped.

The boy felt his mind go fuzzy and his muscles relax in spite of himself.

- Kirishima !

The screams of the boys under his care were like a cold shower.

He bit his tongue until it bled, forcing himself to stay awake.

He kept pushing, pushing, pushing, feeling his broken bone about to pierce his skin.

He wanted to die, but he couldn't.

Adrenaline coursed through his body in a fraction of a second, giving him a strength he'd never known he had. He felt himself dying, but he also felt stronger than ever.

Kirishima let out a scream of rage, his skin hardening until it became transparent - like a diamond.

A new sound of metal bending.

The bumper buckled under his attack. The whole truck shook. The cab window exploded.

One of the truck's wheels came off.

Kirishima closed his eyes to protect himself from the glass. He was amazed to feel that the truck no longer resisted him.

When he opened his eyes again, he realized that he had just passed through the truck.

Sero's straps wrapped around him and pulled him back to the other boys.

As if in a dream, he watched as the two halves of the truck crashed to the ground with a sound that shook the earth.

The boy landed softly on the ground, his eyes wide open.

He looked down at his hands as if they didn't belong to him.

- I... I did it ?

He smiled in disbelief.

- I've mad-

- Kirishima !

The boy looked up too late.

A scooter fell from the sky and hit him on the head.

- Watch out !

He felt as if someone had just hit him in the head with a baseball bat.

His vision went black, and the last thing he saw was the Wendigo's giant teeth closing in on him.

*

Katsuki looked around: no one was there.

- You sure you saw fire ?

- Of course, Ochaco replied, looking around nervously

The cold sand dunes were devoid of the slightest trace of footwear or sign of battle.

There was neither noise or a living soul.

Katsuki felt doubt creeping into his heart : he cast a sideways glance at Ochaco, who kept looking around.

- What do we have here ?

The hairs on the back of Katsuki's neck stood on end.

He didn't even think about it and sent the biggest blast he could muster behind him.

The force of it was enough to send him flying. He rolled in the sand to break the impact of his fall.

- Bakugo ! Are you okay ?

Katsuki spat out some sand.

- Yeah, I'm fine

He slowly stood up and wiped his chin with the back of his hand.

A cloud of sand mixed with the smoke from his explosion covered the spot where he'd been a second before. Katsuki blinked and watched the dark silhouette behind the smoke.

The man was tall, very tall. At least as tall as All Might.

The teenager forced himself not to show his concern, but a drop of sweat rolled down his temple.

The atmosphere had become heavy on his shoulders, the air almost suffocating. Katsuki felt like he was wading in oil, his every gesture difficult and laborious.

There was something different about this guy compared to the other villains he'd met so far.

Something... dangerous. 

- Who are you ?

Katsuki's voice rang loud and arrogant.

He forced himself to remain calm because he was better when he was calm - and he could feel that the slightest mistake would be fatal with this villain.

- I've been called many things in the course of history...

He stepped out of the wall of smoke. Katsuki gritted his teeth when he saw that he was wearing leather shoes.

This could only mean one of two things: either he was extremely arrogant, or he was powerful enough to afford such arrogance.

Then his tailored pants appeared. Katsuki looked up at the face still hidden by the smoke.

- Babayaga, boogeyman...

At the sight of his face, Katsuki felt fear clench his stomach.

A huge black breathing mask covered the lower part of his head, mandibles curled around his neck like spider legs.

His eyes... he had none. Skin covered their sockets, as if he'd been badly burned, healed, then burned again.

The skin of his cheeks rose up to what seemed to be the corners of his eyes.

It took Katsuki a few seconds to realize that he was smiling at him.

- ...but you can call me All for One

*

Author's note :

Power stones goal for the sunday bonus chapter = 250

If you want to support me/read ahead of schedule, you can do so on my P@treon, Nar_cisseENG

See you in the next update everyone !