50 Chapter 49 – Aftermath (part 1)

Aizawa's POV

As I dodged another sloppy blow from the hand-villain, Shigaraki I think, he got even more infuriated than he already was and shouted:

"Nomu, kill him."

I saw a black form emerging from a portal Kurogiri had just opened and, moments later, I saw a black fist coming my way before….Pain, explosive pain, then darkness.

.

I opened my eyes blinding lights and realized on a makeshift bed Momo had created. Then the pain came, and the realization that most bones in my body were broken. I hope there wouldn't be permanent damage.

I looked around me and saw that all the students were safe and sound, they didn't even notice that I had woke up, they were watching something.

Directing my gaze to where they were looking, I saw a man with twelve arms (what?) being punched by the Nomu, propelled through three different walls.

I then realized that the man with the arms was Raiko. This was why someone had twelve arms, he had used his second quirk, he also had probably distracted the Nomu long enough for the students to take me to safety and was now only stalling for time, until All Might arrived.

But I couldn't say he was doing a good job at stalling really, he was taking punches that had destroyed most of my bones left and right and was only starting to look injured.

I knew next to nothing about his second quirk, I only knew that he had extensive over his cells but that it consumed his lifetime to use, and it was probably the reason why he was still alive, he maybe could regenerate himself or had another way to prevent taking too much damage.

Still, when I saw yet another of his plethora of arms bending in a strange angle after blocking a hit from the Nomu, I was got anxious from him.

And from the look on the student's faces, they were too, especially Kyotaka, she looked truly distressed.

I sometimes had my disagreement with Raiko, but I did respect him. Especially right now, when he was putting his life on the line for the safety of his students, that was something I admired.

I wanted to be able to help him, so badly in fact, but my body wouldn't listen to me, I couldn't move a single limb properly. It was infuriating, I was feeling powerless.

But at least Raiko was here.

.

Even though the situation was bad, it looked like Raiko would be at least able to pull through until the other heroes arrived. Until it took a turn from the worse.

Shigaraki, which I hadn't realized was unconscious, probably Raiko's doing, woke up and, in a still half-dazed state, managed to order the Nomu once more.

"Kill the students first…And kill All Might when he'll show up."

Immediately after he said that, Raiko knocked out Shigaraki once more, but the damage was already done, the order was given.

The Nomu started to dash at a mad speed toward us, I was barely able to follow it with my eyes and I knew some students would be seriously injured if it ever reached us. We needed something.

And it happened, Raiko used his second quirk again, this time in an even bigger magnitude.

Hundreds of arms got out of the ground and restrained the Nomu, stopping it for getting closer to us. It was a scene straight out of hell, but the beast was stopped, that's all I asked for… Even if it was insanely creepy.

The monstrosity was stopped, but clearly not for long, it was already starting to get out, and if it got out…

I looked at Raiko, and saw that his eyes were glowing, he was probably taxing his second quirk a lot right now, stopping the Nomu must've been heard, I had felt its strength first-hand. I wondered how much of his lifespan is would take… I hope not too many years.

Then, even more arms and other limbs started to appear, thousands of them, pilling up on the Nomu and immobilizing it. Then, even more, forming a small hill of piled up limbs.

I looked at Raiko and saw something that horrified me. I always had my doubts when Raiko had said that his second quirk consumed his lifespan, but now I fully believed him. His hair and finger nails were growing uncontrollably…he looked as if he was again rapidly, then de-aging, then again, etc.

His was sacrificing years of his life for students… Not many would be able to do that, to voluntarily, knowing full well the consequences, sacrificing so many years of their lives for students they had met less than a month ago.

He was a hero.

.

The prison Raiko had created fortunately was able to hold the Nomu, but Raiko was getting more and more tired, I don't know for how long he would be able to hold out.

Fortunately, just as Raiko looked like he would pass out, All Might with his signature shout, other heroes accompanying him.

Raiko passed out, I'm pretty certain, but he was still standing with both his arms in the air and his quirk was still active.

We explained everything that had happened to All Might, the villain's attack, the Nomu that was made to kill All Might, Raiko's fight against the villains and the Nomu.

Soon, the police arrived, to take the villains and the Nomu into custody. The Nomu was kind a hassle to take into custody, and the thousands of limbs that surrounded it crept out more than one.

Still, about an hour later we were all back at U.A., the students safe and sound. I was detained against my will at the infirmary, next to a still unconscious Raiko.

A few moments later, I was swarmed by students who had multiple questions what had happened, but mostly about Raiko.

"Calm, down, only one question at a time, Aizawa- sensei is still recovering. I normally wouldn't've even let you see him…" Recovery Girl fortunately ordered, saving me from a tragic fate.

When Recovery Girl said something, it was always in your best interest to listen and the students understood that very well, so they obeyed her.

"Is Shuzenji-sensei okay?" Midoryia worriedly asked.

"Yes, he has no life-threatening or serious injuries." I answered, much to the relief of the students.

Their concerns were understandable, they had seen their teacher take multiple blows that had broken most of my bones like it was nothing. I don't know what Shuzenji was made of, but I suspected that he had healed himself with his second quirk, that's why he was very minimally injured.

"Was the power Shuzenji-sensei used against the monster a second quirk?"

"Yes," I replied, I knew that it wouldn't bother Shuzenji very much if I explained his circumstances, the students would know anyway, might as well do it.

"Isn't a having a second quirk extremely rare? Why didn't he tell us or used it earlier? Wouldn't this quirk be very useful for a hero? We saw him overpower a monster made to defeat All Might himself," Momo rapid fired questions, having temporarily forgotten that she was only supposed to ask one question at a time.

'Sigh'

I took a deep breath and prepared to answer all of her inquiries, and spoke again.

"Yes, Shuzenji is a rare case of someone having awakened a second quirk, I don't know the details nor does it concern me, or you for that matter. To answer your other questions I need to explain in detail what his quirk is."

"His second quirk is called Self-Biomanipulation, it allows him to use his Life Energy to manipulate his cells, but I don't exactly know how it works. More importantly, Shuzenji only produces slightly more Life Energy than normal people, but not nearly enough to fuel intense usage of his quick," I continued, the students all intently listening to me.

"That's where another part of his quirk comes into play. I also don't know it works, but he can transform his lifespan into huge amount of Life Energy, that he can then use to fuel his quirk."

"That's why Shuzenji-sensei never told any of you his quirk and that he doesn't use it often, his quirk slowly kills him," I finished explaining.

There was a shocked and slightly awkward silence for a couple of seconds when the students digested the information, but it was broken by the very person we were talking about.

"Thank you for this explanation Aizawa," Raiko said, much to the surprise of everyone here, straightening up a bit on his hospital bed.

We didn't expect him to wake up before a couple of hours, but it seems he wasn't so easily taken down. He looked fine, in fact. By looking at him, you wouldn't suspect he had taken down something made to destroy All Might a couple of hours ago.

"Now, to answer the question you all want to ask me," Raiko spoke again, in a serious and grave tone, "I lost nineteen years today."