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Chapter 4: A Fateful Raid – Part 1.
🕑 Added 2024-01-29 15:28:14 +0000 UTCWelcome back for the 4th chapter, I hope you're having a good day, I know I am(looks out the window at how fucking hot it is as I write this). As the last chapter said at the end, and the name of this chapter hints at, we're moving away from the drama happening with Izuku and her classmates in U.A. and directing our gaze on something big, the first real counterattack against the League. Let's see how things do for the pros, shall we?
Chapter 4: A Fateful Raid – Part 1.
With the sun long set, a special group had gathered in Yokoyama city for what was planned to be a critical blow against the growing criminal element in Japan. When the last person stepped in, Tsukauchi, not wearing his regular attire and coat but instead a police standard-issue vest nodded at them as he turned to the rest of the people. “Good, you’re arrived, so let’s begin.”
Before him stood an assortment of pro heroes, not just any but rising stars and members of the top them as well, including both the number one and 2 heroes, the two aged old rivals having been called for the same mission. It wasn't just them as dozens of his men stood in full riot gear, armed with weapons and tools that one would associate more with the armed forces than cops, especially in their day and age. Lastly, there were 2 dozen of his superiors or people above them in the pecking order from both the police but also the Public Security Intelligence Agency and Hero Public Safety Commission.
“I won’t waste time talking about the League’s actions over the past year, only that they’re a stain on society that has been allowed to continue for too long.” He stated each person present recalled the tragedies the League had inflicted from their debut at the USJ to their last and deadliest terror attack yet.
"I understand that many of you carried out your investigations, working alongside police to try and corner and apprehend these villains, it was because of your efforts that we managed to hit the ground running with this multi-city operation." His gaze swept over the room as he said that, lingering longer on Best Jeanist and Edgeshot, the two silent under his eyes before he moved on.
“Those weeks of investigations have yielded fruit as we have ample evidence that points towards Kamino ward, here in Yokoyama city. More accurately, they’re two locations that we’ve already secured warrants for and will be raiding in the next hour and a half.” The screens turned on to display a map of the city, with dots showing their locations along with pictures of the areas taken by his men over the last few days. "Because of that, we're splitting you heroes into groups of two."
"It's about time that we handle this pest problem," Endeavour said, his flames burning bright with his anger over the situation. Having seen the hell that was Hosu, he had been less than pleased to learn that his efforts only held them back, not defeated them. Then there was the fact his masterpiece was nearly killed during the license attack, paralyzed thanks to Gang Orca before the League made their move.
"Indeed, but do not believe yourself the only one that wishes to see these evildoers pay for their crimes. It's not just U.A. that has been made to suffer because of their actions." Ryukyu stated.
“Even if that was so, innocents have been harmed, that can’t be ignored. Please continue detective.” Edgeshot said, the man composed even if he wished to leap out and track the League down.
The detective understood their feelings, as he had to handle that same mix of guilt, grief and fury for a while now. “Like I said, we have two targets. The first is a hidden bar in a reportedly abandoned building which after the last week of surveillance we know for a fact is a League hideout thanks to this man being seen entering it, who matches the description of the fire quirk user from the License exam attack.” An image of that same person, a sketch was shown on screen and compared to one of the only footage they managed to uncover from the License attack, with the two side by side, it was clear it was the same person.
“The second is an abandoned warehouse which the city has tracked still using power, we have no witnesses who have seen comings and goings, but evidence points to it being a depot of sorts, one that the League most likely enters and exits via their teleporter.” That was tricky, as it meant that they didn't know much about the place, as drones that flew by couldn't stay long nor could plain clothes cops get too close in fear of setting off any alarms or traps. All they knew was the place seemed to be using power 24/7 and that from heat signature scans of the place, there were at least 10 warm bodies inside that seemed to never move, probably Nomu that hadn't been activated yet.
"As we're not sure about the numbers or strengths of the League, or their Nomu, we're splitting the heroes gathered into two teams that would be able to handle both. For the bar, the pros will be led by All Might, along with Edgeshot, Crust, Kamui Woods and Gran Torino. There'll be an additional 11 local pros and 40 police with you." He gestured towards the number one, who in a rare instance wasn’t smiling.
On the other front, they had selected the number 2 to lead the second assault. “For the warehouse, the pros will be led by Endeavour, along with Best Jeanist, Ryukyu, Mt. Lady, Mirko and Shishido. For your side, another 14 pros and 30 police have been made ready.” The man ticked but said nothing as he figured he was sent on the one where they suspected more action against those Nomu things. However, for such a group of highly skilled pros, something was lacking, a certain pair of red wings.
“Where is Hawks? I would imagine someone of his talents, lazy as he might be, would be here for this.” He didn't like the number 3 pro and made no secret of it as his laid-back demeanor and lack of drive to reach the top infuriated him. That being said, he would be a fool to disregard his skills and achievements, not just for his rank as directly below him, but for breaking his record of being the youngest person to make the top ten when he managed it at the age of 18, beating his old record of making it into the top ten at age 20.
“It does seem off that our second fastest member hasn’t been included in these plans.” Best Jeanist noted that while the young man was known to be a sort of crazy jeans, he was effective and capable.
“I’m afraid I don’t know the details myself, only that he’s busy with another investigation relating to the League.” It wasn't the detective who spoke up, but one of the representatives from the HPSC, which meant that whatever Hawks was doing, they deemed it as important if not more so than this and kept him back.
While some thought about that little nugget, others considered the task at hand as Kamui Woods, so new to the scene that was the top 50, couldn’t but feel the atmosphere. “I have to admit, standing in the same room as so many top pros is quite overwhelming, but my concerns over the raid supersede that as I can’t help but feel that this is overkill.”
“It is a strange and rare event, as I can’t remember a time when even just 3 of the top ten were needed for the same mission, never mind 6 but the League has proven to be far greater a threat than others.” Ryukyu didn't disagree with him, as the higher the rank of a pro, the more they could get done. To the point that those in the top 50 could handle threats and workloads that pros below them would need help from others. Calling in more than one was typically exclusively for natural disasters, to have done so now was unprecedented.
That being said, she turned to her work studies student, still feeling reservations about her being included in this, but she had been asked to bring help from her agency to bolster things and Hado had the skills for it. "They've hurt too many people, taken too many lives to be treated with anything less than the kid gloves off." The girl, normally so bubbly, was stone-faced, having heard more than a few horror stories about the League from her juniors in class A.
Shishido scratched his cheek. “Frankly, after what happened with Gang Orca, I would say that we need more.” If they had another couple of days, they could have included him but the medical staff had been clear that they wanted him to remain longer to ensure all injuries were handled.
“Then there is the issue of the public’s faith in heroes. The League has gone after that consistently and chipped away at faith that had been built up over decades.” Edgeshot added that one could see it on the streets, and feel in the air. People were scared, people were worried and people were angry. All this was an unstable and dangerous mix of sentiments which they aimed at them. It wasn't enough that the Shie Hassaikai scandal reminded people that heroes could be bribed, but then the public saw them fail repeatedly to do their jobs.
“Then let’s not waste time and crush these bastards.” Mirko punched her palm, ready for action.
"I agree, it's shameful for us to allow such evil doers to continue to operate, especially when they defile human corpses in sick and twisted ways to make their Nomu bioweapons," Crust stated that they had already been informed of what Nomu were after they examined those recovered and were all horrified to learn that they were humans twisted and altered through who knew what.
Of course, it was only them who knew that, as they kept it from the public to keep from panicking as no one wanted people to start wondering if that beast was a friend or loved one, they hadn't seen in a while, or if they could end up as one.
“Calm yourselves, you two. We can’t move recklessly,” Gran Torino, the oldest person in the room, cautioned them both and despite using a cane and being far smaller than everyone, the two hot-blooded pros listened, perhaps recognising his age meant vast experience.
“After all, I was included in this because we suspect that at the center of the league, is an old threat. A powerful villain the likes of which the rest of you couldn’t possibly imagine. One I thought long dead.” He frowned, feeling that age caught up to him as he had spent his entire life battling that monster, and he had finished that years ago.
An official of the police took things from there. "That is correct, the rest of you may not have heard about this villain, which was our part as we sought to bury him and leave his name to history but his quirk would be the most likely way for the League to create their Nomu bio-weapons. More than that, he's a man of considerable power, comparable to All Might." Not even Endeavour would hide his interest after hearing such a statement, while the symbol stood solemn and straight-faced.
"Should he be spotted, you under no circumstance are to fight him alone, take him on as a group and radio for All Might should appear at the warehouse." The police officer didn’t mince his words, being as blunt as a hammer to the face. Mirko would have scoffed at such a statement, as she didn’t like she had been roped into this at all, but hearing that this was something close to the big guy’s level kept her silent as she thought about what kind of monster they could be up against.
“That being said, should you find yourselves battling you, you are not to hold back, fight to kill, else it might be you that ends up in the obituaries.” The detective added, understanding the weight of his statement as they weren't on a capture mission, but on a search and destroy with this yet-to-be-spoken villain already dead in the eyes of the law, they were merely his executioners.
Mt. Lady who had been silent up till now raised her hand. “Is such a person even possible, All Might is kinda the strongest around.” The up-and-coming hero worried, understandable so as she could still recall watching All Might handle that slime villain last year with a single strike, a single strike that had enough power to temporarily change the local weather. The idea that anything outside a natural disaster could threaten them, or just keep up with him was frightening.
It was All Might himself that answered her. "Believe me, Mt. Lady. If you've seen him do the things I have, you'll think twice about that statement." His mind was in another place, another time when he felt his fist near crush a man's skull, where he nearly died and believed that he had finally done it, done what those before him couldn't and ended that monster.
Line Break
All for One, the kind of the Underworld, and man that once controlled all of Japan and much of Asia from the shadows, sat in the very same warehouse that was soon to be raided. He wasn’t surprised, having suspected some sort of counter from the heroes for his student’s actions, their informant had only confirmed the date and time.
He along with his closest confidante watched as brainless proto-Nomu transferred supplies and equipment out of the warehouse via a warp gate to another secure facility. “Is that all you want me to move?” The shorter, fat man asked him, turning his gaze to the beast of a man that stood next to him. Coming at 2.25m, and weighing 138 kg, All for One certainly had the physique of the man called the Demon King, or at least he once did as his last encounter left him scarred, his face all but erased and replaced with gnarled, ugly scar tissue, robbing him of his once handsome features.
Regardless of the fact he needed medical equipment just to live, he was not a man to be trifled with as his words carried that and so much more in his response. “Yes, we’ll keep the lesser ones here, to keep them from figuring out that we’re moved, and to act as tools for when they do show up.”
The doctor, long accustomed to how terrifying his employer and friend could be even when he wasn't trying to intimidate, merely nodded as he turned his gaze to the side, where four black-skinned, exposed brains stood. Their bodies are different shapes and sizes but each of them is a monster of his creation. “What about those 4, shouldn’t they be taken as well?” They were also time-consuming and expensive to create and he'd rather not lose them if they could help him.
"And spoil the fun, good doctor? I think not. Besides, they're already been awake for the last 2 hours. Let them stretch their legs first." All for One joked as the beast of science spoke their piece.
“If we can fight strong heroes, we don’t care.” One stated.
“It’ll be fun to battle them.” Another, the sole female of the group seemed the most eager for the coming carnage.
“Still, to remain behind is risky, even for you.” That was the crux of the issue, wasn't it?
“It’s only a risk if things don’t go as I wish for them. It’s been fun, doctor. Truly it has but as pained as it is to say out loud, our time is coming to an end.” All for One sighed, though if that was true emotion was anyone’s guess as most believed he was incapable of it. "I'm merely choosing to go out on my terms, and possibly drag a few of these vaunted heroes with me."
The doctor couldn’t deny that, as his last battle with All Might left him greatly weakened, and while they had reason to believe that All Might was a setting sun as well, that didn’t mean things were equal. “Things won’t be the same without you.” They had some good fun over the decades, plotting and creating some wonderful things.
All for One chuckled, as he wouldn’t lie, he didn’t like this and what it meant, but he had accepted it. Besides, there was a little surprise he had managed to prepare for All Might, a sort of gift from the heavens that had fallen into his hands.
“I’m sure that Tomura would prove an interesting person to converse with, he’s turning out to be quite the villain. I swear, if I still had eyes, I would have shed a tear when he was immediately classed as low C from their first outing to the USJ, now he’s considered to be mid-A.” Truly, the boy was living up to that title as the Symbol of Fear, and he would only continue to grow once he left the nest.
The doctor wasn’t as convinced but the boy had made an impressive showing of his potential. “He’s a brunt, first and foremost, but it will be fun to create an army fit for him as your successor.” With the last of the materials moved, the doctor turned to walk towards the warp gate, stopping just long enough to look toward his friend for what might be the last time. Bowing to him out of respect and gratitude, he said his piece. “I hope you have fun,” With that, he left, the warp gate closing behind him and leaving All For One with only the Nomu as company.
“Oh, I will, doctor, I sure will.” He chuckled as he walked over to the side, and picked up a navy blue, skull-like gas mask with angular tubes at the top. The unit's collar was fitted with a life-support system that was attached to the additional equipment around his neck. He wondered if he would have his chance to pay All Might back for his current, weakened state.
But on the other hand, would it be fair for him to land the finishing blow on things? It was his protégé’s plan after the USJ to always strike where All Might wasn’t, to open the eyes of the people to the weakness and inadequacies of other heroes, a brilliant move on his part as it was all meant to make the fall of the Symbol of Peace all the damaging as if he went down, and other heroes were made to already look back, well it only suited their goals better.
Still, if nothing else he planned to put on the greatest show of the decade.
Line Break
"The place has been cleared?" Shigaraki asked once Kurogiri returned to the bar, having been called away by the master for an important job now that they’ve been made.
“That is correct, all materials and supplies have arrived at their destination, Master Tomura.” The warp gate user replied while the rest of the bar listened, old and new members alike.
"And what about us? Are we just going to sit here and wait for them?" Magne asked as she took a sip of her cold beer.
“I welcome the challenge! No way, let’s book it!” Twice seemed to agree with her, or perhaps not, his split mind it hard at times to figure out what he meant, but that was a good question as he didn't like to retreat, not without some sort of constellation prize, but looking around while he had some good fighters like Dabi, Muscular and Magne, and support in the form of Compress, Twice and Tesla, and a few grunts that made it through the Licensing attack, he wasn’t foolish enough to think this would be enough. They’ll kill a few pros, but ultimately be taken down by such high-level bosses.
But his eye lingered on Twice, and an idea popped into his mind. "Who said we just let them roll in here like they own the place? Twice, I have a little task for you."
Line Break
“Hurry up with that box, the pros will be here any minute!” Shigaraki yelled as the bar was being cleared out, everything of importance was being taken with them.
"It's not like it's light, you pale-ass bastard," Dabi replied, carrying a box of stuff over his shoulder.
"You're the last person to give me lip about my skin, you burnt-out asshole, so get to work!" Shigaraki yelled back at him as Kurogiri made warp gates for them to use.
“How the hell did they even find this place?” Magne, returning from the other side of the portal asked.
“Hell, if I know, the scout saw them a few minutes ago, we need to get to the underground tunnels and light this place on fire, they can have the burnt-out husk," Tesla replied as Muscular grabbed the largest box there and placed it onto his shoulder, reaching for another with ease.
“Oh, I hate having to change venues so suddenly.” Mr. Compress said as he used his quirk on the liquor that the bar had. No sense leaving it behind, right?
“Can’t you compress more of it?” Twice asked him, the man taking out the TV and other electronics.
“I’ve already handled most of it, but my quirk does have limits you know.” Mr Compress replied, with Twice's follow-up being interrupted when there was a knock on the door. The entire room froze and turned to it.
“Hello, I got a pizza delivery here.” They heard on the other side, and not a second later, Tesla dropped what he had been carrying, his quirk already flashing.
“Shit-they-!” He didn’t get the chance to do anything as the wall behind him exploded.
“Smash!” Through the new hole, the number one hero called out one of his signature catchphrases. The sight of the man caught them off guard as up close like this, it was like standing next to a Demi-God.
“Dammit, they’re here!” Magne reached for her support magnet, but All Might flicked his finger towards her, sending her flying over the counter, landing in an ungraceful pained pile.
“Kurogiri, gate!” Shigaraki yelled out, he and Muscular already jumping towards All Might to take him, Dabi remaining where he was but a hand already stretched in their direction, ready to cook All Might alive, but that wasn’t to be as the man pulled back, allowing a second figure in.
“Pre-emptive binding,” Kamui Woods, swinging in via his arm, reached out his other one, from which dozens of branches shot out, wrapping around the arms, legs or torso of those he caught. “Lacquered Chain Prison!” In a single action, he had captured the entire room, with Muscular having the same wraps as 5 people to keep him in check.
"Wood?" Dabi was about to set himself on fire and be done with this trap but got kicked in the head so hard he was knocked out before he even realized what had happened. Meanwhile, Gran Torino, the man who had knocked him out was already moving back, the veteran using the air shooting from his feet to fly around like a human bullet.
“Just what I would expect from a rising young hero and a veteran that can move faster than the eye can see.” All Might praised both as he quickly knocked out Muscular before he could even try to escape, reducing the League’s total count of heavy hitters by 2.
“Dammit! That lousy scout didn't give us enough of a warning.” Tesla, wrapped up on the floor yelled out.
“One tends to forget defense when on the offensive,” Another voice stated as Edgeshot slid in through the space between the door and frame, his body temporarily as thin as paper before he opened it. “But we didn’t come alone, the entire building is surrounded.” Letting in numerous armed police, meanwhile, the entire building had been surrounded with Crust acting as a backup unless one of these villains made a break for it.
“How-” Shigaraki asked, which All Might took as shock and anger.
“It was thanks to the hard work of the police who worked tirelessly to track you down and identify every single one of you.” He replied, as they had dug up every detail they could on them, barring just the three, Kurogiri, Shigaraki and Dabi-all of whom most likely had never been registered to begin with. The warp gate user seemed like he was going to try something, but Edgeshot put an end to that quickly, piercing his body and knocking him out.
Hearing that made Shigaraki shake as his emotions started to get the better of him. “Dammit, after all the trouble I went through to grind and level up our equipment and party members, the final boss decides to break the game and show up early.”
All Might walked up to him, towering over him with his reward-winning smile, though it had an edge to it. "This isn't a game, Shigaraki Tomura. You and your dastardly league have hurt too many people and taken too many lives. It's over, every one of you will answer for your crimes." What he expected was for Shigaraki to try and fight back, rage at them, maybe give up and come quietly now that their operation had been compromised.
What he hadn't been expecting, much of the rest of them was for the man to start to chuckle, as if finding the entire situation to be funny or remembering a good joke, before it became a full-blown laugh as if the man had lost his mind.
“What’s so funny, villain?” All Might asked, wondering if the man had lost his mind, wouldn't be the first time a villain did so.
“It would be game over,” He said through his laugh that wouldn’t quite die, a sound that was only added to when they picked up the sound of rushing fire, followed by the screams of the men in the corridor as the pros and pros in the room turned around in horror that blue flames were being blasted from down the way, but that was impossible! The blue flame user was here, knocked out and bound! "If we were here." They realized the deception as they looked toward Bubaigawara and the details of his quirk came to mind.
“They’re clones!” They yelled as Kamui Woods made a wooden shield against the flames as Gran Torino leapt over it, blowing the flames back with his quirk, giving Edgeshot, having dispatched Kurogiri’s clone, to fly in and handle the clone, ending the flames.
“Search the entire building, they must be buying time!” All Might yelled, but then the floor trembled before it exploded, as a full-muscled Muscular came barrelling towards them like a deranged mole.
“Finally, some action!” He yelled in glee as he struck at Kamui Woods's barrier, smashing right through it and forcing the man back lest he be crushed underneath such a behemoth. It wasn't just them, as around the police outside, gray slug-like portals appeared and from them, Nomu came pouring out, before jumping at the police like wild animals, forcing Crust into action.
“Open fire!” The police ordered as they brought their guns to bear and fired on them, but found that it was terrifyingly ineffective as many seemed to be bullet resistant if not bulletproof, even the ones that seemed to take their shots didn't go down even when half their magazines were dumped into them, rather it just threw them into a frenzy as the bloodied, bullet-riddled bodies of the monsters crashed into like a blood-soaked wave, police screaming as they were overwhelmed by the beasts and set upon like prey before a pack of wild dogs.
"You'll need more than that to stop me, now let's brawl!" Muscular laughed as he used his thick muscles to keep Edgeshot out, as the man found his efforts to pierce through so many layers too slow, with Muscular attacking anything and everything.
"What the-how'd they get here?! Didn't they secure the other site by now?” Kamui Woods, having moved to destroy as many of the clones as he could, asked it seemed like for everyone they handled, another 2 appeared! The police stuck in the middle of the battle, were helpless as they tried to throw in aid, but despite their bullets taking out clones, there were just too many of them as a group of them found themselves covered in bright blue aura and pulled towards Magne, a clone of Dabi waiting for them as they cried out for help.
“Don’t you know it’s rude to barge in where you’re not invited?” He asked before unleashing a blue hell on, the group was only saved when All Might clapped his hands together, creating a shockwave which blew the flames away before in a flash, he handled the clones, their bodies turning to mush before they hit the ground.
“Take them out, they’re just clones, a single strike should do it!” All Might through the chaos of the fight, as some of the police raced to find where Twice had holed up, as he must have been the source of this wave of clones.
“This doesn’t make any sense; how could they have prepared for our arrival like this?” Edgeshot asked, having finally pierced through the back of Muscular’s head, the man going stiff before falling to the ground, his body falling apart in what was starting to lose its punch.
"It's clear they had more of an early warning than just a scout with a phone, the real ones are probably long gone by now." Gran Torino stated, jumping around the place faster than the clones or the Nomu could react and despatching the former before they could stop him, with help from the others to keep the Magne clones from throwing off his jumps with her quirk.
“Doesn’t mean we can leave these clones alone, we need to handle them, the Nomu and check in with Endeavour’s team!” All Might yelled back, slamming the clone of a Shigaraki into the wall, their skull turning to paste.
“Damn monsters, just go down already!” Outside, the police and Crust were engaged in a fighting retreat, even when the pro moved to save one, another would come under threat and as much as it pained him, he wasn’t able to pull those unlucky ones to their lines.
“Dammit, I can’t get anyone to pick up from team Endeavour!” Tsukauchi yelled over the chaos and gunfire, having tried to contact the number two, and those sent with him but having got no response.
“Toshinori, what now?” Gran Torino landed by his student’s side.
“They knew we were coming; this back-up was already prepared to be sent here.” All Might replied, coughing into his hand as he looked towards where the warehouse was. ‘He must have guessed it, but how?’
Line Break
"Lady," Jeanist stated as the giant woman slowly lifted her foot, encased in a small truck before she brought it down on the wall to the warehouse, destroying it and no doubt scattering anyone that might have been inside while others would still be in a state of shock.
“Move!” Endeavour wasn't going to give any of them the chance as they rushed in, followed by the others. The pros rushed in, acting as the vanguard to whatever waited but found the place lifeless, with only pods which contained the sources of those heat signatures, which they quickly shut down and pulled the monsters from, leaving it to Jeanist, Ryukyu and Lady to restrain them.
"Looks like they aren't active," Ryukyu noted of the other anticlimactic raid, but with it under their control, they could continue with the knowledge that the other raid party wouldn't need to worry about these Nomu.
“Then it was as we suspected; this is a storage site." Endeavour kept his eyes peeled, looking for anything out of place, landing on the back where he saw some pods but that didn’t line up. They hadn’t gotten that far yet…so where were the Nomu that they should have contained?
"God, what sort of sick bastard would do this," Shishido asked, looking over one of them, missing the glint in the remaining gutters above them, before in a flash a massive black-skinned figure was nearly on top of him, the other only seeing it when it was halfway there, all but one that had already been on the look-out.
“Flashfire first: Jet Burn!” The number two fired a super concentrated blast of heat from his fist, striking the figure and sending it back, but it quickly recovered mid-fall, flipping and landing on its back, revealing itself to be a Nomu, its dark skin telling that it was far superior to the ones they had captured. With that alert, Mirko jumped towards another side, her kick aimed for a wall and shattering it on impact, which forced another black-skinned Nomu, one with a tentacle-like attachment to its head to dive to avoid the strike.
Endeavour fired a stream of fire towards the other end, blocking what appeared to be an assault from high-powered water bullets as a feminine-looking Nomu came into the light, growling at them with eyes that didn't speak of a lack of intelligence but a murderous intent. In fact, in all three, what he was seeing couldn't be anything but actual awareness, they had waited for them to enter hidden from view, then tried to ambush them.
"Looks like they weren't all asleep, Jeanist, Mt. Lady, handle the other ones, we'll deal with these ones!" Endeavour ordered before he was attacked by the first one, which recovered from the severe burns he had inflicted and the loss of its fingers even faster than the black one he killed at Hosu.
“Are you…strongest?” As if that was concerning enough, the thing spoke, it was slow and slurred as if both suffering a concussion and drunk at the same time, but the fact it could speak spoke volumes of its intelligence. A shared ability as another one of them, the woman he was keeping an eye on seemed to laugh, as if amused by this turn of events.
“It can talk?” Shishido, now on his guard with the rest of them, asked as there was nothing in the reports about such an ability for these mindless beasts. Endeavour could see that the file would need to be updated. That just meant that he would need to take at least one of them alive, not an easy task but as the number two, he didn't do easy.
He was given no time to act on that new plan as the newly healed Nomu dashed for it, using the jets on its back and its superhuman physique to close the distance between them at an insane pace, the two being launched out of the building with the man hearing the others yell out to him as he found himself being taken somewhere else. That served as the bell as Shinsho and Mirko were already moving, their eyes trained on a Nomu a piece to handle while Ryukyu and Lady pulled out with the ones they had to hand over to the police, Jeanist moving to assist but unknown to them, a warp gate opened up above them and a fourth Nomu was sent through.
As it fell to earth, its arms bulged up, its palms facing the warehouse. “Die, heroes, die!” The artificial being cried out as it fired a powerful blast of air towards the damaged building, the heroes and police only having a moment to realize what was about to happen before the building, and everything else in a 3-block radius was reduced to rubble.
And we'll cut things here. There was more planned but man, did I go ham with this and before I knew it, I was at 4K words and could see the writing on the wall, so I made the decision to cut this into two. Of course, there is more to it than that, but I think this was a pretty solid opening to the Hosu Raid arc, not a long arc, as my stories in this series aren't that long, but a very important one which helps to build things going forward, so I'll leave you to guess how the change of the League being prepared for the raid does to the story of things as if it wasn't clear before, it should be now that this will go VERY differently to canon. Either way, please leave a review if you liked this.
