MHATG: Chapter 376/380

Chapter 376: Tetsutetsu’s Encounter!

"Quick! Put this on her!"

Momo handed the newly made gas mask to Awase of Class B, then quickly helped Aoyama Yuga put his on.

"Oh oh oh, thank you, thank you!" Awase accepted the gas mask with a joyful expression.

"Where is this poisonous gas coming from? And what's with that blue fire?!" Aoyama gripped his mask tightly, clearly panicking.

"I'm not sure. But it's definitely not a natural disaster. It's most likely man-made." Momo replied calmly, eyes fixed on the blue-lit night sky as two golden pistols materialized in her hands.

"Get ready!"

Sure enough, Mandalay's telepathy came in the next moment, confirming her suspicion.

"Then what should we do now?" Awase asked helplessly as he helped Shiozaki put on a gas mask.

Even though he was a boy, he instinctively chose to follow Momo's lead. Her calm demeanor gave people a natural sense of security.

"There are probably others who've passed out from the gas. Please take us to them, Awase-san!" Momo made a decision after just a few seconds of thought.

"Got it!"

With a clear goal in mind, both Awase and Aoyama gradually calmed down, and the three quickly headed toward Class B's waiting area.

To scare Class A, Class B had made a simple plan earlier. They were waiting in pairs at predetermined spots along the courage test route.

Now they were rushing there, delivering gas masks to everyone before regrouping and heading back to the facility together!

You had to admit, the Hero Course lived up to its name. Even in the face of a sudden accident, everyone sprang into action immediately.

They were people who aspired to become heroes!

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the forest, Tetsutetsu was helping Kyoka toward the facility.

"Kyoka, can't your costume fly? You should head back first!" Tetsutetsu shouted as he ran.

"No way, I'm not leaving you alone right now!" Kyoka refused.

Tetsutetsu groaned. "I'll be fine, but you're the one at risk. What am I supposed to tell Kaminari if something happens to you?!"

"Then stay by my side. How do you know there aren't any villains who can fly?" Kyoka argued, then added before he could respond, "Fine, we'll go together. It's safer that way."

"...Alright." Tetsutetsu sighed, scanning their surroundings warily. "But put your combat suit on!"

He couldn't help but feel a bit jealous that Kyoka could wear her battle gear anytime. Facing an enemy without his "cloak of justice" just felt off.

"I already put it on," Kyoka said from behind. Tetsutetsu turned and saw the black, close-fitting combat suit already covering her.

"That's so convenient!"

"Tetsutetsu, look out!!"

As soon as he turned his head, he saw Kyoka's expression change drastically.

Bang!!

A powerful stream of water blasted Tetsutetsu away. He hadn't had time to activate his Quirk, so as he slammed into the ground, dirt and rocks tore at his clothes, leaving him in a sorry state.

"Ugh... What the hell was that?!"

Coughing up water, Tetsutetsu staggered to his feet and looked toward the source.

Sure enough, a tall, thin man with black hair and blue eyes was walking toward them, a football-sized ball of water hovering above his raised palm.

"Let me introduce myself. I'm Bo Tao Blue Gun of the League of Villains' Development Team. You'd better remember that name, or you might write it wrong on the wanted poster." The blue-eyed man smiled as he spoke.

"League of Villains…"

The name instantly reminded Tetsutetsu and Kyoka of the USJ incident. As for Hosu City, they hadn't experienced that firsthand, so the impression wasn't as strong.

"As for my mission… can you come with me, Tetsutetsu? There's a higher-up who wants to meet you." Bo Tao Blue Gun spoke teasingly.

"That depends on whether you're strong enough to take me. Actually, I should be the one inviting you! Want to come along with me instead?" Tetsutetsu shot back without flinching, activating his Quirk and transforming his body into steel.

"Tetsutetsu, Mandalay just told us not to engage," Kyoka said hesitantly.

"They're attacking us. We don't have a choice. Do you think they'll just let us go?" Tetsutetsu said firmly, his steel fist clenched.

"True..." Kyoka nodded.

"Two against one. Let's finish this fast!"

With that, Tetsutetsu charged forward. His explosive leg strength allowed him to move as fast as Iida in short bursts.

He quickly appeared in front of Bo Tao Blue Gun, leaped into the air, twisted his body, and launched a powerful spinning kick.

"Steel Tornado!!"

Boom!

The collision between the water blast and his steel leg marked the beginning of a fierce battle in this part of the forest.

"As expected of a pro."

At the entrance of the dorm facility, Dabi looked up at Aizawa Shota, who had just dodged with his metal bandages and clung to the wall.

He smiled and extended his right hand to attack again.

"Not happening!"

Aizawa's eyes glowed red as he used his Quirk to erase Dabi's Quirk.

Swish!

He then threw out his bandages, wrapping Dabi tightly, and yanked him forward.

Bang!!

Aizawa slammed his knee into Dabi's head mid-air. The moment they landed, he pinned Dabi's face to the cold ground.

"Talk."

"Your objective. How many of you are there? Where are they positioned?!"

It took less than three seconds for the fight to end. Aizawa's hand-to-hand skills and Quirk were brutally efficient in close combat.

"Why…"

"Because this is what happens otherwise!"

Crack!

Without hesitation, Aizawa broke Dabi's left arm. He was running out of patience, and his frustration showed.

"Next will be your right arm. Stay cooperative. If I break your legs, escorting you will be a pain."

"Getting angry, Eraser Head?" Dabi glanced past him and smirked.

Crack!

Aizawa immediately snapped his right arm.

"Sensei!!"

At that moment, Iida, Ojiro, Mineta, and Koda burst out of the forest. Nao, arms already broken and wrapped in bandages, stood up behind them.

"What?!"

Aizawa was shocked.

"You really are a hero through and through. Eraser Head, your students matter to you, right? Then protect them… to the end."

As he finished speaking, Dabi's body dissolved into a pool of black mud and scattered into the ground.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 377: Choice and Guessing

"Huh, a clone." Aizawa didn't give it much thought and rushed into the forest again. At the same time, he shouted to the four nearby students, including Iida, "Go inside immediately. I'll be back soon!"

Blue flames, the choking smell of burning, and dangerous poisonous gas had begun to spread throughout the forest.

By now, the moon was completely obscured by thick clouds.

"Sensei!!!"

As Aizawa swiftly weaved through the trees, he soon spotted Midoriya running toward him, carrying Toru Hagakure on his back.

"What's wrong with her?" Aizawa asked solemnly.

Midoriya answered anxiously, "There's a strange poisonous gas in the forest. Anyone who inhales it will fall unconscious!"

"Poison gas, huh... Alright, take her back to the facility. There's a Hero first aid kit there. Bradkin knows how to treat it!" Aizawa didn't waste time and immediately gave the order, preparing to head back out to rescue more students.

But Midoriya stopped him again and told him about Kota being alone on the hilltop, as well as Kaminari's earlier call.

At first, Aizawa looked troubled by the situation. But after hearing the rest of the report, his expression relaxed slightly.

"I'm just worried Kaminari might be held back by Mr. Bradkin, or that he'll choose to go find Kyoka and the others first..." Midoriya said, clearly distressed.

In his mind, even though his classmates were important, they were trained Hero Course students, far better equipped to handle danger than Kota.

If it were him, he would've chosen to save Kota first, no question.

"Don't worry. If Kaminari was the type to follow orders that obediently, he wouldn't be Kaminari. And as for making a choice... don't forget, Kaminari Denki is also a trainee hero."

Just as Aizawa said this in his usual calm tone, he noticed a flicker in Midoriya's expression, and then realized that a golden shooting star was reflected in his eyes.

"That's..." Aizawa turned and looked up, watching the glowing figure disappear into the distance alongside Midoriya.

"Sensei, you're right! That's exactly where Kota is!" Midoriya shouted excitedly, pointing at the night sky.

"It's not surprising. That's the most logical outcome," Aizawa said quietly, lips pursed.

"Also, since you have your phone, call Mandalay and tell her this..."

At the same time...

"Kota!"

"Can you hear me?! Come back to the facility right now!"

"I'm sorry. I don't even know where you usually are. I'm sorry, Kota! I really can't save you. Please come back!"

Mandalay's voice, filled with guilt, worry, and anxiety, echoed through Kota's mind. But right now, he couldn't focus on that at all.

Because in front of him stood a tall man, wearing a loose black cloak and a white baseball-style mask.

The pressure radiating from him and the sound of his footsteps slowly approaching made Kota instinctively back away. A creeping fear began to consume his heart.

"I was looking for a good vantage point, but I didn't expect to run into a little brat. Still, I think I saw you on the target list," said the masked man, who was well over two meters tall.

"But it doesn't matter. This mission allows for some free hunting."

"Although... you don't really look like a hero."

Hearing that, Kota's fear could no longer be hidden. His face twisted in terror, and his body trembled violently. He wanted to run, but there was a cliff behind him, and his legs were completely unsteady.

"At least your hat looks nice, kid." The man took off his white mask and continued, "How about trading it for this old one of mine?

"They said the newcomer trial period was too short and made me wear this toy. I don't even know what that crap means."

"No... don't, ahhhhh!!" As the masked man approached, Kota's instinct for survival kicked in. He staggered and ran down the mountain with stiff steps, trying to escape.

"Hey, don't go. Let me warm up a bit before I find that blond kid!"

Bang!

The man suddenly pushed off the ground with explosive force. The area beneath his feet cracked, and in the blink of an eye, he landed directly in front of Kota. The impact shattered the ground beneath him as well.

"Is that good enough?!"

As he spoke, his thick arms emerged from beneath the black cloak. A mass of pink muscle tissue rapidly surfaced from his skin, forming a layer of muscle armor.

However, due to the force of his movement, his black cloak and hat were blown away by the air pressure.

At that moment, Kota—trembling in fear—got a good look at the man's face. It triggered a memory deep in his mind.

After his parents were killed, he had seen this man's face on the news.

Unknown real name. Nicknamed "Muscular." A rugged, fierce face. Short blond hair. A left eye permanently damaged during the fight with his parents. His Quirk was pure physical enhancement!

All of this perfectly matched the man in front of him.

Bang.

There was a sharp sound as the white mask was thrown to the ground. The man's muscle-covered arm swung toward Kota.

"Dad... Mom..." Kota, unable to move, was overwhelmed with fear. Tears welled up in his eyes as his parents' faces flashed through his mind.

Boom!

The muscular fist came crashing down, instantly obliterating the ground within a four- to five-meter radius with sheer force.

But there was no satisfaction in Muscular's eyes, because a faint golden light flickered just before impact—a brief golden flash!

"Hmm?!"

Muscular retracted his fist and looked up, only to see a blond boy glowing gold, wearing an ornate golden robe. On the back of the robe were five dark golden Chinese characters:

The First Raikage!

"That boy really is the protagonist. Just like I guessed... it happened," Kaminari said softly, holding Kota in his arms.

He hadn't even considered looking for Kyoka, Momo, or the others he cared about most. For some reason, his instincts led him here—because of his gut feeling about this world.

If his guess was right, then something had definitely happened to Kota!

"Yo!"

"Turn around. You look familiar. Let me see if I've got the right guy," Muscular said, cracking his neck.

But Kaminari ignored him and whispered to his suit, "'Pikachu' mode."

The next moment, the golden robe on his body began to glow and detached itself, transforming into the familiar Pikachu.

"Pika!"

"Kota, follow Pikachu back to the facility," Kaminari said softly.

"But... but... that guy, he's the murderer!"

"What?" Kaminari froze.

"Water Hose!"

"He's the one who killed my mom and dad!!" Kota cried out, his voice shaking. Kaminari's expression darkened, and he fell silent.

"Really? So you're the child of those heroes?" Muscular said with a laugh. "Well, isn't that fate?

"Let me think... Water Hose, right? The ones who damaged my left eye a few days ago?" Muscular touched his prosthetic eye and the scar around the socket.

"Well then, maybe today you'll get to see your parents again. Even if it's just their Quirks..."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 378: Have You Ever Been Kicked by Lightning?

"Can I still see my dad and mom?" Kota, who had been overwhelmed with emotion, suddenly perked up after hearing the words from Muscular.

Although he had accepted the fact that his parents were gone, the mere suggestion that they might return was enough to make him irrationally hopeful.

But Kaminari, standing in front of Kota, remained clear-headed. He heard the man behind him mention Water Hose's Quirks, not the people themselves.

"See their Quirks again..." That line triggered something in Kaminari's mind. He stood up straight and turned to face the enemy.

Just by turning around, Muscular got a clear look at Kaminari's face, and his expression instantly lit up with excitement.

"Hahahahaha, it's you, Kaminari Denki!" Muscular's eyes gleamed with a twisted mix of excitement, cruelty, and mockery.

"They said you'd let me experience everything I wanted. Is it true, strongest Hero?"

But faced with such a malicious question, Kaminari's expression remained unchanged. He responded coldly, ignoring the provocation.

"ALL FOR ONE gave Water Hose's Quirks to someone else. And that person also participated in this operation, didn't they?"

Muscular raised an eyebrow, staring at Kaminari with a playful grin. "Kid, you sure know a lot."

"So it's true..."

Although the man hadn't confirmed it directly, that response was more than enough. Kaminari let out a quiet sigh. If Kota encountered that person, it would cause him unimaginable pain.

"Dad... Mom's Quirks were given to someone else?!"

Kota had overheard everything. He was young, but that didn't mean he didn't understand. It clicked for him, at least in part.

Now, he didn't know what to think or feel. What should he do? What was he supposed to do from here?

"This is awful... this is too much. It's because of people like you that things like this happen!" Kota stood behind Kaminari, glaring fiercely as he shouted.

"Of course a kid would say that. Always blaming someone else when things go wrong. That's not good."

Muscular didn't care about the accusations. His expression turned calm, and the excitement from before faded.

"It's not like I hated them for messing up my eye. I just wanted to kill someone, and they tried to stop me.

"That was the result of adults doing what they wanted to do.

"What's wrong is that they tried to do something beyond their abilities. To put it bluntly, your parents were just too weak!" By the end of his sentence, Muscular could no longer hold back his laughter.

Hearing all of this, Kota was left speechless. His head hung low, his body trembling violently. But Kaminari, still standing between them, actually found himself intrigued by Muscular.

He hadn't expected a musclehead like this to say something so... rational. And he didn't think what Muscular said was completely wrong.

Back in school, Midoriya had once told him that being a Hero was about risking your life to do beautiful things.

But Kaminari had always felt that risking your life wasn't enough. If you wanted to do beautiful things, you needed the strength to make them happen.

"Kota, this guy might not be very smart, but his words... they do make sense." Kaminari stared at Muscular and spoke softly to the boy behind him.

"You... you..." Kota looked up at Kaminari's back in disbelief.

"Remember this: whether you want to be a righteous Hero or an evil villain, you need to have the power to do what you believe in."

Finally, Kaminari shared a quote from another world.

"Power is different from will. It is the interaction between forces. Power itself isn't good or evil. The one who wields it defines justice and evil.

"And in the end, only the one who wins gets to decide what justice really means. That's the risk of believing that justice will win."

Isn't that the truth? Muscular defeated Water Hose. That's why he was standing here now, telling their child his version of the truth.

But if Water Hose had defeated Muscular instead, they would've been the ones warning Kota about how evil Muscular was.

"Hahahahahaha!!!"

Muscular suddenly threw his head back and laughed. This time, it wasn't the same crazed laughter from before. Now it carried excitement, admiration, and something else.

"That's perfect. That was exactly what I've always wanted to say... and you put it into the best words!"

His gaze toward Kaminari became fiery. He could feel his blood boiling.

"'Justice will prevail'? Sure it will... because the heroes won, that's all!"

And finally, he said, "As thanks for letting me hear such amazing words... I'll do my very best—to kill you!"

BOOM!!!

As soon as he finished speaking, Muscular exploded forward, crushing the ground beneath his feet. His overwhelming muscle mass gave him terrifying strength and explosive speed.

A golden flash streaked through the air. Just a second before Muscular reached them, Kaminari and Kota vanished and reappeared at the spot where Muscular had been standing. A small crater had already formed from the earlier impact.

Even though Muscular was fast, he still couldn't match Kaminari, who had trained specifically for speed!

"Go. Like I said before, you're still too weak to avenge your parents. So go back and start getting stronger." Kaminari gently patted Kota's shoulder as he spoke.

"This... this is..." Kota looked down in shock at the golden lightning flickering across his body. His whole body felt light.

"Haha, this is just a little preview of what it feels like to be strong," Kaminari said with a smile, then reached out and ruffled the boy's hat.

Soon, Kota, guided by Pikachu, quickly headed back down the mountain. Meanwhile, Kaminari dropped his gentle expression and turned to face Muscular with a blank stare.

"I didn't expect you to be so patient. I'll thank you for waiting those ten seconds."

Muscular cracked his knuckles, grinning as he said, "I don't care about that brat. I just want to have a proper fight... and bring your body back with me!"

As he spoke, he pulled a mechanical prosthetic eye from his pocket and slotted it into his damaged left eye socket. It was a multifunctional support device.

"Let me just say this first. You're fast, I can see that. But don't even think about running away. If you do, I'll just go find someone else to fight!"

That made Kaminari frown. Honestly, he had thought about flying off to find Kyoka or Momo.

But dragging this kind of dangerous guy to them would've been a disaster.

"In that case, let me show you some bad news."

CRACK!

A flash of lightning tore through the air. Kaminari turned into a streak of gold, instantly crossing the 20 meters between them and appearing at Muscular's right flank. At the same time, his leg, wrapped in a high-voltage current, swept toward his face.

"Speed is weight. Have you ever been kicked by lightning?"

(To be continued.)

Chapter 379: Momo and the Nomu!

Elsewhere, the team composed of Momo, Aoyama Yuga, and Awase Yosetsu from Class B had just located several Class B students hiding in the forest.

Among them were those who had lost consciousness due to the poisonous gas, like Shiozaki, as well as some who had quickly noticed the abnormality and managed to cover their mouths and noses in time.

For example, Class B's class representative Kendo Itsuka, the international student Pony Tsunotori from the United States, and Lin Feilong, an international student from China, along with several others.

Thanks to the students who were still conscious, Momo and the others felt significantly less pressure. After all, if everyone had been unconscious, transporting them back to the facility would have been a serious problem.

At this moment, two rows of boys and girls, all wearing gas masks, were lying on the damp ground.

"There shouldn't be any more groups left," Aoyama Yuga said, exhausted and sweating as he looked at the others.

Kendo nodded. "Yeah, just Kamakiri, Yanagi Reiko, and the others are left."

Meanwhile, Momo was examining the surrounding trees. A sharp glint of thought flashed in her eyes.

She quickly turned around and said to the group, "Aoyama and I will head to Yanagi Reiko's group next. But before we go, I want to tell you a way to transport all the unconscious students back to the facility!"

"You have a plan?" Kendo looked at Momo in surprise, then smiled. "As expected of the class genius. I was just thinking about lifting them manually with Pony and the others. What a dumb idea."

Her original plan was straightforward. Her Quirk, "Big Fist," allowed her to enlarge her hands, boosting her strength several times over. Pony's Quirk, "Horn Cannon," allowed her to launch and control up to four horns at once.

With each of them carrying one person, plus four more on Pony's horns, another on Lin Feilong's back, and one on Awase's, they could evacuate eight students at once. With two trips, they could carry everyone out.

But since Momo said she had a plan, it had to be better. Kendo was more than willing to defer to her.

"I'll create some woodworking tools and also draw up blueprints for simple wooden carts. While Aoyama and I go find Reiko, please use the trees around here to build enough carts as quickly as possible!"

As she spoke, Momo activated her Quirk, producing saws, rulers, nails, and other tools from her arms.

"But... we don't know how to do carpentry. We've never made a cart before. It sounds simple, but without experience, we'll definitely mess it up," Kendo and Pony said, exchanging a helpless glance.

"I can!"

At that moment, Awase Yosetsu stepped forward. Seeing him, Momo smiled.

"Yes. I thought of this plan because Awase previously mentioned that, due to his family background and his welding Quirk, he's very skilled in this kind of work."

"That's right!"

Awase's eyes were serious. He wouldn't joke around when it came to the safety of his classmates.

"If I want to use my Quirk to become a pro hero, I need to be skilled in using tools and welding to quickly restrain villains. So as long as I have the right tools, building a cart is easy for me."

Lin Feilong, who had been silent, spoke up. "In other words, our job is to collect enough wooden boards, wheels, and axles according to the blueprints."

"Exactly. And you won't be doing it alone. I'll help too. Making boards and wheels is no easy task for amateurs," Awase replied, confidence on his face.

"I see. Using me, Pony, and Lin Feilong's Quirks to quickly cut trees, then relying on Awase's skills... it's totally doable!" Kendo said thoughtfully.

"But Momo, why not just create the carts yourself?" Pony asked, puzzled.

"Because the fat in my body is limited. And now that we're under attack by villains, if I use up too much here, I won't be able to handle emergencies later."

"If it were just one or two carts, it wouldn't be a big deal. But there are over ten unconscious people."

"Plus, the forest environment limits the cart size. If they're too big, they won't fit between the trees. That means we need to make several smaller carts," Momo quickly explained.

She had one more unspoken reason: since Class B students had the ability to construct these themselves, they should use their Quirks and skills instead of relying on her to solve everything.

She was happy to help, but only within reason. Everyone needed to take responsibility and be able to protect themselves.

With that, the discussion ended. Momo took Aoyama with her and rushed toward the last group's location, while Awase and the others picked up tools and began chopping down nearby trees.

"All Class A and B students! In the name of pro hero Eraser Head, you are now authorized to fight!"

"Repeat, all Class A and B students! In the name of pro hero Eraser Head, you are now authorized to fight!"

As Momo and Aoyama ran through the forest, Mandalay's voice suddenly echoed in her mind. The message made her heart tighten.

"So the situation really has gotten that bad..." With that thought, Momo shouted back to Aoyama, "Let's move faster!"

"Ah? Ah, okay!"

Panting, Aoyama replied. At this point, he had completely given up on thinking for himself. If Momo said it, he'd follow!

Just a hundred meters ahead, Kamakiri and Yanagi Reiko from Class B were being chased by a terrifying creature.

"Damn it, what even is this thing?!" Kamakiri growled through gritted teeth, using the blades protruding from his arms to block attacks from drills and chainsaws.

Clang!

With the sound of metal breaking, Kamakiri's expression darkened. This was already the fifth blade that had been shattered.

"What do we do, Kamakiri?!"

Yanagi Reiko used her Quirk, "Soul Body," to telekinetically control nearby rocks and fallen trees, launching them at the unnatural monster as she shouted in panic.

There weren't many large objects in the forest at first, but thanks to Kamakiri's evasive maneuvers, they had knocked down a good number of trees.

That meant more ammo for Reiko—essentially adding another layer to their fighting capability. It had to be said, Kamakiri's combat instincts lived up to his reputation as a future hero.

But unfortunately, they were facing a Nomu. This bio-engineered monster had multiple Quirks: machine creation, hardening, strength enhancement, and more. The gap between them was just too big.

"Raaahhh!"

As expected, Kamakiri eventually ran out of blades. They were all shattered, and he had no strength left to grow new ones.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 380: Mazara!!

The high-speed rotating electric drill viciously tore into Kamakiri's right arm, but thankfully, it was at a critical moment.

Yanagi Reiko, beside him, had done her best to use her telekinesis to shift the drill's trajectory, diverting it slightly.

If not for her intervention, it wouldn't have just cut into his arm—it would have torn it clean off.

"Ahhhhhh!!!"

Even so, the searing pain forced Kamakiri to his knees. Meanwhile, the telekinetic strain on Reiko had her brain feeling like it was being pierced by countless needles.

Step. Step. Step.

Heavy footsteps approached steadily, bringing with them a growing sense of dread. At this moment, the two of them fully grasped a harsh truth.

Being a hero didn't just mean wealth, fame, flowers, and applause—it also meant facing danger head-on, even danger that threatened their very lives.

Buzz buzz buzz buzz.

The piercing sound of machinery spinning cut into their nerves, driving them to the brink of collapse.

Faced with death, it was impossible to stay calm. They had families. They had dreams. They didn't want to die!

"This one must not be killed. The boss specifically ordered that he be brought in alive."

Just as the Nomu was about to bring its spinning saw down on Kamakiri, a wave of purple-black energy suddenly surged up around him.

"But it seems I'll have to send him over right away... I'll bring Mandalay along while I'm at it."

The next moment, the blood-soaked Kamakiri vanished within the swirl of dark energy.

The spinning saw instead slammed into the ground, sending soil flying and smacking against Reiko's pale face.

"K-Kamakiri... Kamakiri's gone?!"

The Nomu stood still for a moment, seemingly confused by its target's sudden disappearance. But within seconds, it turned its attention toward the dazed Yanagi Reiko.

Buzz buzz buzz buzz.

Four saw blades and a drill whirred to life once again. Its orders from temporary controller Dabi were simple.

Hunt all living beings freely!

"Reiko, get down!"

Biu!

A laser beam and a streak of golden electricity slammed into the Nomu. The laser's piercing force knocked it back two steps, and the electric current caused it to twitch from paralysis.

"A real person?"

Momo burst from the trees, quickly pulling the trembling Reiko into her arms. But as she stepped over the blood-soaked dirt, her pupils contracted.

"Whose blood is this?"

Though she asked, she already knew the answer. Reiko had no visible wounds. And Kamakiri was nowhere in sight.

"K-Kamakiri... he just disappeared, swallowed by this... black smoke," Reiko stammered, still shaking.

"Teleportation Quirk? So the villains have someone like that..." Momo narrowed her eyes, quickly analyzing the situation.

But there was no time to dwell on it. The Nomu was moving again!

"Wait, no! I hit it with my laser, but it didn't even scratch it! That laser can pierce two meters of concrete!" Aoyama cried in horror.

"This must be one of those multi-Quirk monsters Kaminari mentioned before. According to him, in the USJ incident, it took everything All Might had to win." Momo placed an anti-poison mask over Reiko's face as she spoke with grave seriousness.

"Then... isn't this hopeless?" Aoyama's fear transformed into pure panic.

That thing was something even All Might struggled to take down. How were they supposed to stand a chance?

But Momo had made a critical misjudgment—she assumed this Nomu was on the same level as the one from USJ. In truth, their power levels varied significantly. It was a flaw caused by incomplete intel.

"Then there's only one choice. We run!"

She quickly ordered Aoyama to keep firing lasers to delay the Nomu, then turned to Reiko.

"Can you still move?"

"Y-Yes!" Reiko, though shaken, knew she couldn't slow them down. She gritted her teeth and got to her feet.

"I'm sorry... I can't use my Quirk right now," she said, clutching her head.

"It's okay. Just run toward the facility as fast as you can. Aoyama and I will hold it off!"

Momo began to retreat while firing explosive rounds at the Nomu.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Buzz buzz buzz buzz.

Their strategy was simple—hit and run. But no matter if it was lasers, electricity, freezing bullets, or explosive bombs, all they could do was make the Nomu flinch momentarily.

Among their attacks, Aoyama's laser and Momo's freezing bullets were the most effective. So, Momo began focusing on producing more freeze rounds.

But as time passed, Aoyama's condition grew worse. His face turned pale, and a dull pain bloomed in his stomach. Momo noticed immediately.

We can't let Aoyama keep fighting. And we definitely can't lead this monster to Class B—it's too dangerous!

With that thought, she suddenly changed direction and shouted.

"Aoyama! Take Reiko and head back to the facility. I'll lead it away!"

Aoyama froze. "W-Wait... no! What about you?!"

"I'll find a way to survive! There's no time to argue—go!!"

Momo calmly swapped her explosives for a high-powered burst, then launched a freeze grenade at the Nomu to buy time.

Freeze grenades operated similarly to freeze rounds, but had a wider area of effect and longer duration—though they consumed far more of her body's fat reserves.

"O-Okay... please be safe!" Aoyama finally obeyed, retreating quickly with Reiko in tow.

"Alright... now to figure out how I survive this." Momo muttered to herself, staring down the Nomu as it began breaking free of the ice.

This was without question the most dangerous situation she had ever faced.

"But no matter what... I'm not going to die here."

Buzz buzz buzz buzz.

The piercing whine of drills and saws echoed again across the forest, accompanied by the flickering blue glow that lit up the night sky.

"Damn it! It's like this guy's wrapped in a freakin' turtle shell!"

Elsewhere, Tetsutetsu and Kyoka were locked in a fierce fight, using high-speed movement and flight to strike a large spinning water sphere.

Inside the orb stood the young man who called himself Blue Gun, face twisted in smug arrogance.

He sneered as Tetsutetsu and Kyoka attacked him like buzzing flies, their iron kicks and sound blasts barely creating ripples before being deflected by intense centrifugal force.

"I don't know why, but this move seems familiar!" Tetsutetsu grunted as he was once again flung back.

"Me too." Kyoka, still in midair, echoed his thoughts with a frown.

"Is that all your attacks amount to? Then it's my turn!" Blue Gun grinned arrogantly.

"Come out, Mazara!"

The next moment, countless streams of light-blue water began gathering from the air, rapidly taking shape outside the giant water sphere.

(To be continued.)