(AFO POV – ???)
The monitor flickers softly in the dim room, painting half my ruined face in cold, shifting light. On the screen, Tomura slouches at the bar of our little den of monsters, meeting his "new team" with the hospitality of a feral cat.
I lace my fingers together, leaning back in my chair.
"…Underwhelming, isn't it?" I murmur, watching the two recruits with idle amusement.
Dabi sits in sullen silence, smoke curling faintly from his staples. Magne gulps down her drink beside him, trying to calm down after nearly being disintegrated by Tomura after their first meeting. A first impression always sets the tone.
"It's to be expected." Kyudai chirps as he scurries from one terminal to another, adjusting dials on my medical devices with frenetic energy. "More villains will come in time. After all, you did take one of the prospects for yourself."
"Ah, yes." I tap in a slow rhythm on the armrest. "But I couldn't pass up on this opportunity. That quirk is far too useful for the plan to leave to Tomura. And the quirk we'll gain, is invaluable."
Kyudai's eyes gleam behind his goggles. "Invaluable? It's revolutionary! Once I can replicate it, the high-ends will be incomparable to what they are now. It'll speed up the rate I can produce quirks. Just imagine the efficiency! My research will advance by years!"
He descends into excited mumbling, listing theories, potential augmentations, and possible mass-replication methods in a torrent of scientific mania.
I allow myself a small chuckle.
If I possessed that quirk, perhaps I wouldn't even need to lurk in the shadows anymore. Conquering the world would be so much simpler.
Through the monitor, my gaze once more falls upon Tomura.
I've spent years, decades, even… cultivating this successor.
Molding his pain.
Sharpening his hatred.
Giving him a world where every injustice bears the fingerprints of heroes.
All so he could become a blade aimed squarely at All Might… carrying the spark to overcome OFA and get my dear brother back.
After All Might's final strike destroyed my body, I intended to take Tomura's once he fully ripened.
'But thanks to Kata… my plans have changed.'
Kyudai finally stops muttering, and a comfortable silence settling once more within the room.
"Bring him in." I say softly. "It's time."
Kyudai practically jumps with excitement. "At once, Master!"
He scurries out, the door sliding shut behind him.
I sit in the dark for several minutes, the quiet hum of machinery the only sound. A constant reminder of my fragility. But I've long since gotten used to it.
Then heavy footsteps approach.
Two hulking Nomu enter, each a grotesque mountain of engineered muscle. Slung over one shoulder is a limp, bound figure.
Jin Bubaigawara.
They drop him unceremoniously at my feet.
"Jin Bubaigawara." I say, the name rolling off my tongue as a grin stretches across my face. "Otherwise known as Twice."
Kyudai bobs his head eagerly. "His quirk, Double allows him to create perfect replicas of anything, from objects to people. The downside is that the clones are less durable and retain their own independent will. It's a truly fascinating ability."
I hum thoughtfully.
Under normal circumstances, a quirk that complex would be unwise for me to take.
Everyone has a limit to the number of quirks they can possess… even me. My limit might be higher, but limited nonetheless.
And anyone who exceeds their limit… simply dies.
And my body is not what it once was. Ever since All Might destroyed it, the number of quirks I could have at a time has decreased significantly.
'But there are exceptions. And this is one of them.'
I turn to the silent Nomu Kyudai has prepared. It's a blank slate, reinforced to hold as many quirks as possible, without regard for functionality.
"It's unfortunate." I sigh, placing a hand on its massive frame. "That I must part with some of these."
I begin siphoning quirks out of myself and into the Nomu, and it's as though a burden is lifted from my soul.
Bloodlet.
Antigen Swap.
Body Bulk.
Three copies of Brawn Boost.
Hypertrophy.
Muscle Augmentation.
One by one, they vanish from within me.
I planned to use these to hold my own against All Might. But in the coming battle… raw strength will be meaningless.
Kyudai adjusts his glasses, his voice reverent as he gestures to the Nomu that carries Twice. "This Nomu carries Super Regeneration as well."
'Perfect.'
In short order, I move on to that Nomu and take the quirk for myself. Super Regeneration may not be capable of healing old wounds and scars, but it would be useful in combat.
"Now then…" I turn my gaze to Twice.
He groans faintly, still unconscious. Quite fortunate for him.
My hand descends onto his head with delicate finality.
"…let's not delay."
And with a mental command
In one instant—
Double is mine.
The strain of Twice's quirk settles into my body like a second pulse. It's uncomfortable… but manageable. The strain is sharp enough to remind me that I am, regrettably, extremely weakened… yet it's dull enough that I can ignore it.
"This quirk is a little complicated to master." I murmur as I sink back into the chair, crossing one leg over the other with practiced ease. "But utility always excuses difficulty."
Double is… particular. A precise, clear mental image is required to create a clone, as well as dimensions and measurements. Most would find that level of mental calibration exhausting. Furthermore, it's limited to creating 2 clones at a time.
'But my clones would be capable of producing more clones…' The corner of my mouth lifts.
'An endlessly compounding horde of myself… What a nightmare. They'd betray me rather quickly.'
A low, indulgent chuckle escapes me.
"With some practice, I'll wield it well enough. And then…" I say, glancing toward Kyudai. "We proceed."
"Yes, Master!" Kyudai practically vibrates as he bows and scurries out, leaving me alone with the monitors and the faint hum of machinery.
My eyes slide to the intelligence report we received earlier. The grin that spreads across my face burns with greed and hunger.
"Cathleen Bate… traveling all this way simply to evaluate young Kata." I continue tapping the armrest. "How thoughtful of her. It would be rude not to return the gesture."
I activate the mic feeding into the League's hideout. "Kurogiri." I call. "Your presence is required."
Tomura appears onscreen, scratching his neck with restless irritation. "Master… why do you need Kurogiri? What're you doing?"
"A brief excursion." I answer casually. "And I intend to bring… companions."
He stiffens, but the monitor cuts out before he can protest.
'Tracking her route will require using a few favors.' I think. I begin forming crude, partial clones, mere shadows of myself, as I test the quirk's boundaries and refine my mastery.
Although each attempt ultimately fails… each clone comes out better formed.
Progress is progress.
I've already devised a method to deal with rebellious clones, and as such…
"A crucial moment is nigh." I exhale, a soft smile unfolding across my face. "If I obtain New Order… then truly, nothing will remain beyond my reach."
(Cathleen POV – Airport, Evening)
The warm night breeze meets me as I stride across the tarmac, my hand extended, and grin wide.
"It's been great seeing you again, Master!" I laugh as I shake All Might's hand firmly and energetically. "And meeting an up-and-coming hero with insane potential? It's been three highlight of my week! I'm glad I came running."
All Might chuckles, his massive frame relaxing. "Master? I don't recall ever taking you on as a student."
"You saved my family." I say simply. "Then you inspired me to save others. A teacher affects eternity. He can never tell where his influence stops."
He rubs the back of his neck, cheeks warming with embarrassment. "Then I'm afraid I never taught you properly."
"You taught me more than you think." I wink, and he finally gives in, smiling back with genuine pride.
Nezu stands beside him, hands folded neatly behind his back. "We're grateful you accepted our invitation, Ms. Bate. If you ever need assistance from U.A., our doors are open."
"I appreciate that." I give him a respectful nod. "And tell Kata I expect to see him sooner rather than later."
"We'll pass the message along." They answer together.
I board the private jet, the door sealing behind me as engines hum to life. As we rise into the darkening sky, I watch the lights of Japan shrink below, a warm excitement buzzing inside my chest.
'I can't wait for next time.' I think, settling into my seat.
Minutes later, our altitude stabilizes, and I slip my earpiece in and connect to the fighter jet frequency with a practiced ease.
A grin spreads across my face.
"What took you boys so long?" I tease, reclining casually, as I stare out the window to see a fighter jet finally fly along side mine.
"Had to give you a head start, Star." A familiar voice crackles through the comms, playful and smug. "If we didn't, we'd already be halfway home without you."
"Yeah, what… were you lonely up here without us?" Another voice cuts in, and the entire squadron bursts into overlapping laughter.
I lean back in my seat, letting their noise wash over me. It gives me a sense of peace I didn't realise I needed.
"Please." I snort, grinning. "Without you clowns? My life would be way too peaceful."
"Ohhhh, she missed us!"
"Star's goin' soft!"
"She met All Might for a day and forgot we existed!"
I feel my grin twitch… then my hands.
A desire… an itch… to hit something… someone.
"You boys really wanna test me today?" I ask sweetly.
A collective, uneasy chuckle shivers through the channel.
"I mean—you always talk about All Might." One smartass tries, as if stepping into a minefield very slowly. "We were starting to think you were, y'know… in lo—"
"Finish that sentence." I say, still smiling, "and I'll fold your jet like a candy wrapper."
Dead silence.
One audible gulp.
"That's what I thought." I mutter, rubbing my knuckles. "How about a welcome-home spar when we land?"
Immediate protests explode across the network.
"STAR—NO—"
"I'M ON MEDICAL LEAVE—"
"I NEVER SAID ANYTHING—DON'T PUNISH THE INNOCENT—"
"DON'T YOU PIN THIS ON ME—"
Their panic makes me burst into a warm, genuine laughter.
Even with my admiration for All Might burning in my heart…
Even with Kata's potential buzzing in my head…
Nothing beats this.
'Nothing beats home.' I smile softly.
We exchange stories, with me telling them how All Might looked healthier than expected despite his age, how Kata's power was more refined than the reports suggested, how Japan was a whirlwind of insane potential and unexpected moments.
In return, they tell me how they wandered the city, got lost, nearly got detained, and sampled every street food they could find.
My cheeks hurt from smiling.
Then—
"Star. We've got company in our route."
A voice cuts sharply through the chatter. All traces of humour are gone.
The entire squadron goes still.
"What is it?" I ask, already unbuckling in unspoken understanding, and sprinting toward the cockpit.
The moment I see it…
The thing materializing in the distance… makes my heart drop like a stone in water.
Time slams down to a crawl.
I don't think. I move.
The cockpit glass shatters from my punch, shards spiraling away into the roaring wind.
"NEW ORDER—" My hand slices through the air, fingers carving command into reality itself.
"THE AIR ONE THOUSAND METERS AHEAD WILL CONDENSE INTO A SHIELD!"
The atmosphere contracts, as though space is shrinking.
Pressure buckles with a deafening—
KRA—KOOOOOOOM
The barrier erupts into existence just in time.
The sky flashes white.
And the world explodes.
(AFO POV – Above the Ocean, Seconds Prior)
A black portal unfurls in the sky like ink dropped into water.
I step through it with the quiet ease of someone entering their own living room. Air compresses beneath my foot, forming a platform—silent, unseen—courtesy of Air Walk. The sea stretches out infinitely below, the horizon burning gold in the dying sun.
"It's been quite some time since I was out…" I murmur, inhaling through the filtration plates of Kyudai's mask. "I'd nearly forgotten what fresh air tastes like."
The sunset paints the ocean in molten amber.
Exquisite.
Almost enough to tempt reflection.
Almost.
"But beauty is a luxury." I continue softly, folding my hands behind my back, my posture impeccable. "And I came here with business in mind."
Far ahead, the faint glint of metal reaches me as jets cutting through the sky. They move quickly, with a focus and discipline that reflects their training.
"Right on time." I whisper, smiling beneath the mask.
Two more portals bloom beside me, their edges shimmering like torn starlight.
Two perfect replicas of myself step through, movements synchronized, expressions hidden behind identical masks.
"Gentlemen." I say, my voice dipping into amusement as I spread my arms. "Let's begin, shall we?"
They don't respond and simply raise their arms.
Four quirks intertwine in their palms:
Radio Waves — the air distorts, crackling with black lightning sparks with purple outlines.
Impure Beam — gold lightning coils around their arms and palms like serpents.
Air Cannon — the sky warps with compressed pressure.
Dark Ball — black spheres bloom around us, humming with lethal promise.
Black lightning threads with gold, clashing, snarling, knotting into the vortex of destruction.
The atmosphere thrums with the building power, as the air seems to twist from the force.
Four arms.
One purpose.
I tilt my head slightly… a gesture that seems polite.
"Fire."
Four tsunamis of lightning, compressed force, and scorching heat roar outward.
The four beams merge mid-flight into a single spear of annihilation, and the sky vanishes inside a sheet of blinding light.
Even from kilometers away, the shockwave hits me with heavy force, air smashing against my suit, rattling the platform of condensed air beneath my feet.
My two clones don't fare nearly as well. Their bodies rupture, liquefy, and drop away in sizzling ribbons of black viscous sludge. Impure Beam alone would've caused sufficient damage to destroy the clone, and combined with three supplementary quirks… naturally, they'd disintegrate.
I extend my hands lazily, and new biomass pours from my palms like ink, reshaping into two pristine replicas of myself within seconds.
"Remarkably convenient." I smirk.
The new clones immediately raise their arms, wordless, obedient, and prepared to fire again.
"I would be gravely disappointed if America's Number One perished to a single attack."
And right on cue—
The smoke is ripped apart from within as multiple jets burst through the haze.
They're unburned, undamaged, their formation just as tight and disciplined. The private jet veers off, returning to safety as the hatch pops open and a figure leaps into open sky.
Cathleen Bate lands atop a fighter jet that swoops beneath her like a trained hawk, and the pilot then pulls her back into formation, bringing her level with me.
She stands on the jet's hull with casual confidence, arms crossed, looking every bit the respectable hero despite her civilian clothes.
Her eyes narrow to furious slits as she glares at me, her scowl deepening.
'Delightful.'
I activate Radio Waves, letting my voice slide uninvited into their comms.
"I take it you found my welcoming gift… unsatisfactory?"
"Identify target—" A pilot begins, before Cathleen cuts him off—
"It's All For One."
The name ripples across the squadron—fear, disbelief, urgency…. All of it audible to me.
I chuckle.
"I'm flattered." I say. "I didn't realize people still remembered me."
"Who would?" She shoots back instantly. "Kata said someone as deformed as you would be hiding behind a mask."
Ah.
Interesting.
'So Kata has seen my face. Curious. That boy has more secrets than a dragon does treasure.'
But this is neither the time nor the place for such curiosity.
"No matter." I reply lightly. "I suppose the surprise has long since been ruined."
I send the silent order to the clone on my right.
It raises an arm, and a second barrage fires. The beams dense, lethal, and vicious.
The clone disintegrates immediately, from the attack, but it served its purpose.
I expect her to shield from the attack once more, which would be the logical use of her quirk.
But instead—
Her voice punches the air with absolute authority.
"NEW ORDER: THIS ATTACK WILL BE REFLECTED BACK!"
Reality snaps.
The beam halts as it makes contact with her outstretched hand, compresses, then bends in an impossible arc straight back at me.
I raise my brow slightly.
'Clever.'
I send a command through Radio Waves immediately, and a purple wound tears open in space before me as Kurogiri's portal swallows the blast whole. Another portal blooms above a jet, spitting the attack downward.
"It takes two to play catch." I muse.
Then, my remaining clone unleashes a fresh blast.
Cathleen reacts instantly. She carves another rule into existence—
"NEW ORDER: THE AIR ABOVE WILL FORM A SHIELD!"
An invisible dome hardens above her squad, absorbing the redirected blast. The jets pull apart in unison, breaking formation just in time to avoid the forward-facing strike.
And in the span of three heartbeats, I learn three crucial things:
She doesn't maintain her defenses.
She will protect her squad.
And her quirk has limitations that stop her from killing me now.
'Fascinating.' I think, watching her.
'If her quirk were truly boundless, she could have negated both attacks effortlessly. So… there is a limit.'
She requires contact with whatever her rule is applied to, as seen by her touching my attack to reflect it.
So, there's a limit to the number of things she can affect.
She glares at me across the open sky, hands curled into fists.
I smile beneath the mask.
"Shall we continue, Ms. Bate?" I ask, my voice smooth and warm, as if inviting her to dance.
Her eyes blaze.
"Gladly."
(Cathleen POV – Above The Ocean)
'He's dangerous.'
The thought isn't panicked. It's coldly analytical, weighing our every exchange so far. His blasts are more deadly than artillery, and every one of them tremors through my shield hard enough to make my bones vibrate. And with his cloning… He can fire without pause or fatigue.
'And those damn portals…'
Anything I throw, he just sends back with interest.
But worse than all of that… worse than the power, or his smugness…
'He's aiming for my bros.' My jaw tightens in anger. 'I'm not gonna let that happen.'
I slam a fist forward.
"Close the gap! Long-range won't cut it!" I bark.
"Roger that, Star!" My pilot shouts over the comms, the jet's frame rumbling below me like a living beast.
AFO remains nonchalant, hiding behind his clones as he listens to our communications through some unknown method.
'Fine. Let him listen.'
The jet thrusters roar, and we fly forward, weaving through the storm of light and pressure as a feral grin splits across my face.
'Let's see you stay calm when I'm knocking on your front door, bastard.'
AFO raises a hand lazily, looking almost bored. More clones shimmer into existence, each one raising an arm in perfect unison. Their palms light up.
"Evasive!" My pilot calls, and the jet whips into a sideways arc so sharp it nearly launches me off.
Blasts streak through the space where we had been a moment ago, boiling the sea beneath us into white steam. The clones fire again. And again. And again. Trading their lives for a chance at ours.
We weave through it, circling tighter and tighter, closing in like wolves around prey.
AFO's voice cuts through our comms like a blade dipped in oil. "While this game is amusing… I don't have time to entertain you."
He creates 2 more clones, and they raise their hands on an all too familiar posture. Two clones give birth to four. Then eight. Then sixteen.
An exponential bloom of AFOs, marching and stepping on the air like a battlefield as they layer themselves into perfect rows, each clone locking into a firing stance.
They all aim at once.
"Brace for impact!" I yell, forming a shield of air around our formation.
Then the storm hits.
The world becomes blinding white and filled with deafening sound. Every blast crashes into the shield like a hammer, forcing me to reinforce it again and again. The air distorts. The jet rattles violently…
But we hold.
"This resistance is pointless." AFO's voice reverberates from behind the wall of clones. "Don't burden yourself with suffering that changes nothing."
'Shut up. Think. THINK.'
I need contact to kill him instantly. And for that, a path through the clones is essential. But their formation—
My breath catches.
There.
There it is.
The mistake.
"NEW ORDER: THE AIR DOES NOT EXIST… ONE THOUSAND METERS IN FRONT OF ME!"
The space around the AFO army seems to implode as a vacuum us created.
The clones' footing evaporates, and gravity lays claim to them for a moment, before they start floating.
'Tch. Of course he has a flight quirk.'
But without footing—
Without stability—
"They can't fire properly!" I yell. "Move in!"
And we do, engines howling as we dive directly into the disoriented cloud of AFOs.
As we do, a portal appears behind the original, and he floats into it, and reappears outside the range of the vacuum.
'Vacuum's are effective on him, but he can easily get away.' I think with narrowed eyes.
Then, his clones shoot another volley.
But without stable footing, the recoil is disastrous, blasting clones through the air before they dissipate as they smash into each other. The impacts, along with some shockwaves cause clones who have yet to attack to dissolve.
'So they die if they're hit, not because they fired an attack.' A smile blooms on my face. 'Bingo.'
It's time to capitalize on that info.
I spread my arms wide.
"NEW ORDER: THE AIR ADHERES TO MY MOVEMENTS, BUT ONE THOUSAND TIMES BIGGER!"
The atmosphere obeys instantly, thickening and condensing into a silent and invisible titan that mirrors my visage.
This causes the vacuum to disappear, but…
'It no longer matters.'
I swing both arms inward and clap.
My own hands hit with a satisfying crack, but the air—
The air slams together as two invisible mountain-like palms collide.
A deafening THUNDERCLAP erupts an instant later as hurricane level winds explode outward and deadly vibrations ripple through the sky itself.
The clones don't even have time to scream.
They rupture into sludge mid-air, shredded by the sound and pressure until only the original remains, floating much firther away, clutching his chest while recovering from the vacuum attack.
"Come on, boys! This is our opening!" I shout, urgency cutting through the wind.
"Roger!!" Half a dozen voices snap back in perfect sync, my bros turning in formation with precision and trust built over numerous years. Thrusters ignite at full burn, blue fire streaking across the sky, as we close the distance in a spearhead.
"Laser cannons!" I command, and six jets harmonize in a rising hum, electricity gathering in their cores.
"Fire!"
Six lances of light burst forth, roaring toward AFO like divine judgment.
He doesn't flinch.
He doesn't even dodge.
With a lazy wave of his hand, six portals unfurl around him like petals opening.
Each laser vanishes within them, before reappearing behind me, the heat of them prickling the back of my neck.
'Predictable.' My grin spreads viciously.
"NEW ORDER: THE LASERS ARE HOLDABLE!"
The beams bend, not like energy, but like solid, obedient steel, and slam into my waiting hands. My enhanced strength allows me to stop their momentum. They thrum violently, trembling in my grip like barely restrained suns.
And never for a moment did we stop advancing.
One hundred meters.
Ninety.
Eighty—
'Almost in range… One touch. One touch and this ends.' I tighten my fingers around the solid laser, ready to swing it like a titan's blade—
When his voice kills the world's sound.
"Ah… how amusing." He says in a soft, reflective voice. He carries none of the signs of cornered man. Just…calm. Like a teacher reviewing an exam he already knows the answers to.
"How utterly embarrassing that I worried." He muses, a low chuckle bubbling beneath the words. "Imagine… fearing that I might fail to defeat you."
A chill races down my spine.
"I held back." He says, and my stomach twists. His tone shifts, carrying no arrogance, just brutal honesty. "I thought… that even if I revealed every piece at my disposal… even if I revealed every trump card… I might still fail to seize New Order. And if I failed, hero society would bury me beneath their fury."
He tilts his head upward, thoughtful and contemplative. And the sea churns below as if listening to his every word.
"But now that I've seen your strength…" A quiet hum escapes his lips. "…I understand."
A portal unfurls behind him… massive and silent, swallowing the horizon like a black sun.
"I overestimated you." He spreads his arms as if greeting salvation, angling his gaze back to me. "New Order is not as invincible and absolute as I expected. You are dangerous, yes… but only so long as I'm cautious."
My grip on the laser tightens.
"And now… now that I've decided to win this fight… once I've won this fight…" A soft laugh vibrates through the air. "…Anything the heroes do becomes irrelevant. Their resistance reduced to a ceremonial gesture. The conclusion was written the moment I saw your limitations."
Behind the mask, I can feel the smile.
Cold.
Triumphant.
Certain.
My instincts ignite, as every sense screams at once. A primal warning, sharper and louder than anything I've felt before.
"PULL BACK!" I shout, hurling the laser like a spear with all my might.
The air cracks as it tears forward, carving a glowing trail.
My squad doesn't hesitate. They tilt away instantly, engines roaring as they break formation to evade, but…
It's too late.
"Gigantomachia." AFO murmurs, malice laced into his voice.
"…Awaken."
The world rips open.
"GROOOOUUURRRAAH!"
A roar detonates across the sky. So deep it shakes the air, as colossal arm bursts through the portal, muscle wrapped in stone-hard skin, swinging blindly with a force that distorts the air and swatting the laser, making it shatter like glass, before managing to clip a jet's wing.
Metal shears, and the craft begins to spiral as fire trails behind it like a dying comet.
"EAGLE SIX!!" A voice cracks through comms.
A monstrous head pushes through the breach, teeth bared, eyes wide and unthinking. Then the upper torso. Then the shoulders, as an impossible giant forces itself into our world.
My blood runs cold, as my heart hammers in my chest.
(AFO POV – Above The Ocean)
'Enhanced strength. Two rules active at any time. Requires physical contact. Rules can't extend to anything she hasn't touched, and she can't grant special properties to things.'
The data forms cleanly in my mind, conclusions slotting into place.
Those are the boundaries of New Order… and boundaries are all I need. Once I understood her quirk, I realised I need not be as cautious.
Barely a minute has passed… and the battle is already drawing to its true beginning.
Through Radio Waves, I can communicate and command the Nomu, and I when I called…
Gigantomachia answers.
I extend a hand, viscous liquid rippling around my fingers as two clones drip into existence beside me. One gestures, creating a clone of itself, and then places its palm on Gigantomachia's monstrous wrist as he emerges through the portal.
Air Walk.
Float.
Quirks blossom down the titan's form like living veins.
Something normally impossible, as clones are not meant to host Quirk Factors.
But my knowledge of vestiges… my intimate understanding of their metaphysical shape…
Allows me to recreate even that.
"Let the fun begin." I murmur, my smile widening beneath the mask.
The clone that offered its quirk loses loses its ability to fly and begins falling through the air. Yet even in that moment, it lifts an arm…
IMPURE BEAM.
The blast sears through the air, cutting through a jet's wing, causing it to spiral before falling out of the sky. The clone then dissipates.
Two of six jets crippled.
The other clone, makes one more copy of itself. Then Gigantomachia fully steps out—towering twenty-five meters tall—air compressing beneath him as he immediately makes use of the new quirks.
He bows low.
"Master." He rumbles, trembling with excitement. "I am honored to serve again. What are your orders?"
"Destroy the jets." I answer simply.
A single nod, then the titan surges forward, his steps shaking the sky as Air Walk converts them into footholds. A walk becomes a run. A run becomes a full-speed charge. And then he's a meteor hurtling toward my enemies.
"I should thank Kyudai." I muse as my clones move to my sides. "His fascination with keeping records meant I had Gigantomachia's measurements on hand."
My remaining clone forms a clone of itself, then uses its second cloning slot to create a copy of Gigantomachia, complete with his new quirks.
Then it's clone repeats the process.
Over and over, the process builds.
Four Gigantomachias emerge, sprinting across the sky like airborne calamities.
But…
"They're too slow." I decide, never having expected them to match the jets.
Another of Kurogiri's portals open behind me.
A high-end Nomu—Hood—launches through it, before hovering in front of me.
Purple skin. An elongated neck, and vertebrae protruding from it like a spined crown. It's eyes glowing yellow with loyalty.
"M-master!" Hood croaks, stabilizing in midair. "Wh-what do you r-require?"
An intelligent Nomu. One of the only 12 Kyudai has perfected.
Muscle Augmentation.
Super Regeneration.
Shoulder-Mounted Jets.
Transforming Arms.
Power.
Storage.
The clone to my right steps forward. Another clone forms. Then that one presses its hand to Hood.
And once more, the process repeats.
Clones of Hood—four in total—burst into existence, each trembling with barely-contained aggression.
"Attack." I command, gesturing lazily toward the sky where Cathleen's jets blaze in retreat. "But do not kill the woman standing on them. I need her alive." I grin.
"YEEEESSS!!" They roar in maddened unison, launching forward with bone-snapping velocity.
The sky distorts with movement. Gigantomachias charging, generating foothold as he sprints forward, Hoods streaking forward, dozens of clones raining attacks, beams, dark spheres, tearing holes through the air.
The horizon fills with my advance as a storm of living weapons overwhelm the enemy.
The clones that can't create more clones simply aim and fire continuous, brutal volleys directed toward Cathleen and her squad. They are forced to weave between giants and blasts, holding tight formation as she shields her team from attacks they fail to dodge.
But…
"It's not enough." I murmur, irritation slipping into my tone.
Two minutes since the battle began.
I'm certain the heroes have long realised what's occuring here, and have sent backup. Backup I can't allow to interfere.
Just as much as I desire to end this, Cathleen desires to drag it out—forcing a long engagement, counting on reinforcements, and betting on time.
"And time," I say quietly, "is the one thing I will not permit her."
My clones align behind me, rows and rows—dark silhouettes waiting orders.
I grin, a plan forming in my mind.
'My victory is at hand.'
(Cathleen POV – Above The Ocean)
The air around me shudders as another one of his attacks detonates against my shield, causing an explosion so loud it should rattle my bones, yet it's become nothing more than background noise. The rhythmic stomps of Gigantomachia's colossal footsteps vibrates through the sky, each one followed by the crushing swing of a titan-sized arm. Hoods shriek as they rocket toward us in swarms, claws flashing, mouths wide with animalistic hunger.
My chest tightens. Four jets remain. Only four.
'Two of my brothers are dead.'
The thought cuts deep into my heart mercilessly, but I swallow it down. Mourning is a luxury I can't afford… not when we're surrounded by an army trying to kill us.
I've already cut my strength enhancement to divert every ounce of force into the giant of compressed air battling Gigantomachia below, while simultaneously maintaining the shield that's keeping us alive.
Above, around, everywhere—an endless flood of enemies fills the sky. For every Hood or Gigantomachia clone we tear apart, two more are created. For every meter we gain, we lose it twice over.
Reinforcements feel like a dream. A warm, but distant thing.
'Just hold on. They'll be here soon.' I tell myself, forcing my breath steady.
I whip my arm downward, and the air obeys—mimicking my movement with perfect symmetry. A colossal fist of wind crashes into a Gigantomachia clone's face, shattering it into sludge.
I exhale.
My eyes lock onto All For One.
His amusement is thinning. He hides it behind that smug mask, but I see it—the subtle tension in his posture, the extra edge in the barrage of attacks his clones unleash. They're firing frantically now, not giving me even a moment's reprieve.
'He's nervous.'
And he should be.
Because I've finally accepted the truth.
Even if I stall long enough for reinforcements… more of my brothers will die.
I crush a charging Hood with a twist of my wrist, block a spiraling beam with an air barrier, and inhale deeply.
"I'm thinking of doing something stupid…" My voice is steady despite everything. "Are you guys with me?"
"Always!" The closest jet replies without hesitation.
"Just give the order, Star!" Crackles another.
"We fight as one, till the very end!" A third shouts, his voice fierce, unwavering.
"You say jump, I ask how high!" The fourth adds with a shaky laugh.
My heart squeezes. I smile, brightly, trying to look fearless for their sakes.
"Alright. We're charging in. I'll take point. You three provide cover and support."
"Roger!" All four respond at once.
I block another volley, twist past a redirected swarm of spikes ripping out of a portal beside us, and then surge forward. My remaining jets fall into formation, tight and precise—two to my flanks, one behind.
"We're coming for you, AFO!"
I use my first rule to form a reinforced bubble of air around us. It's our only shield and lifeline.
The second rule keeps the air mimicking my movemts, forming a giant titan that'll attack the enemies.
'Everything depends on me… I can't fail.'
The sky turns into a free for all.
Gigantomachias lunge. Hoods charge forward with feral glee. Impure Beams slice paths of death through the air….
But our jets fire continuously, lasers cutting through anything that slips past my defenses.
I roar, hurling strike after strike into the clones ahead. Each blow of compressed air destroys them, cleaving a pathway through the battlefield.
We take hits, the shield blocking most of them. Portals redirect some of our attacks, forcimg us into evasive spirals that nearly tear the formation apart.
But no one can dodge forever.
Just before we break through to AFO himself… I feel an explosion behind me. A flash. A scream. Then silence.
Another brother gone.
Yet no time to mourn. No time to feel. No time to breathe.
The only option is to press forward, until we beat the enemy.
*******
A/N: Hello Everyone... How are you? If you've enjoyed the chapter and book thus far, please consider leaving me some comments, reviews, or power stones. It really helps the book out.
Okay, I know you're mad, but I have a reasonable explanation for this cliff😭. I just couldn't go on. Honestly, it's a psychological thing for me. Never written a chapter this long, and with my writing style, switching POVs, it feels like I have to continue the scene when it's this intense, so I can't give the break, or do the things I want to do, without starting another chapter. That, and the app I use to write was starting to lag🫠.
As for the cliffhanger itself, I decided to end it here. Not gonna lie, the place it was going to would've been the cliffhanger, and for that one, people would probably find me IRL to attack😅. So, let's cool down here.
On the bright side, there's a strong shit of cuteness next chap, so I'm personally looking forward to that. The next stuff will also be awesome.
I guess, for anyone curious about the stats of this chapter... Without this note, it's 5 904 words, 34 530 characters, and somehow underwhelmingly 496 sentences. The sentences are a bit disappointing, but meh.
So yeah... Never doing this again. I'll stick to 2k. It's easier to manage mentally.
Now, as an apology for the cliffhanger, I offer a poll. I will 100% be releasing a chapter tomorrow, and I give the option to choose. It should be Danmachi, but you can vote if you want MHA. So yeah.
Also, for anyone worried about S&S's survival... Hehe. There's no plot armour here, except for Eri. Do with that info what you will.
I guess, another thing I want to mention, is that there's a lot of world building in this chapter. Quirks, how AFO functions, how Double functions, as well as mechanics for how broken stuff can become or not. And yeah... It's broken. I did quite a bit of research to figure out what would be possible, and what not. And these are my inferences. Feel free to ask questions to clarify stuff.
Then, there's some theories you might come up with, which I didn't do enough yet for them to be obvious. But, I'm sure you have questions about certain things being the way they are, and trust me, it's intentional and will be explained. As a small hint, I guess I'll say... AFO is a huge egotistical narcissist. I wonder why his clones are so obedient?
And finally, How'd I do? I tried quite hard to be accurate to each of their personalities, their thoughts, behaviours while making everything both realistic and entertaining, so I'm curious. (I.E. I'm requesting praise🤣😅.)
You can also read 10 chapters ahead and support me at [email protected]/AMV_WEAKLY
But yeah, that's all from me. I hope you all have a great day/night 🌉.