Devotion

I glanced at my HP and MP bars as the ground trembled.

My HP was under 1% while my MP was barely over 3%.

Just one move took absolutely everything out of me. I could only do such a reckless move because of the skill I'd had from the very beginning, Gamer's Body. Gamer's Mind definitely helped a bunch too.

The improvised skill threw the gigantic Pro-Hero back, but besides throwing her off balance, it didn't seem to do much.

Dabi's eyes grew serious, and I could see him debate whether running or attacking was the better option.

Mt. Lady shrunk down to normal sizes, coughing in pain as Kamui Woods calmly checked her condition, making sure to keep his eyes on us. I could see a different news helicopter slowly approaching.

"Let's move," I told Dabi, but before I could get some sort of response from him, I could see a blue of white shoot out from the helicopter. It landed on the ground and started rocketing towards us, the roars of intimidating engines filling out ears.

The white blur appeared before us far faster than anything I'd encountered yet.

Before Dabi could react, an armored leg slammed into my ally's head, sending him tumbling through the street. The blur spun through the air and their leg flew for my head. I felt as if time slowed as I saw the blur's leg approaching my face.

Damn it, I cursed.

My MP was too low to use any movement skills, and at the speed they were moving at, I couldn't use the mana crystals within my Inventory. Should I have used them earlier?

I was saving them for any more threatening situations, but this would be the type of situation that I'd need them in so much.

Ugh, whatever. There was no point in thinking about it now! I need to move forward, not backwards.

I tried to throw out as much Electromagnetic force as I could muster, but it turned out to not be much with such a low amount of MP. Still, I readied my body to take the blow and right before it landed―

"The modern-day gentleman thief has once again arisen! I, Gentle Criminal, have arrived!"

Just before the fierce attack slammed into my head, it was stopped by the air. Slamming into it and pushing deep into it before being thrown back into the air.

The white blur flipped through the air, landing softly besides Mt. Lady and Kamui Woods.

The new Pro-Hero seemed to say something to the two, receiving a soft nod from their peers. The wood hero readied himself next to his new ally.

"The little miss, Miss Aiba, sent me for assistance. I arrived regretfully late; I apologize," Our new ally informed us, calling himself Gentle Criminal.

So that's what she was doing. I felt a wave of reassuring relief wash over me when I heard his words. The lack of a message from Manami must've meant she was focusing her all on getting Gentle to join us. For good reason too, I noted as I looked above the white-haired man's head.

[The Unremembered Failure]

[Lv. 78]

[Danjuro Tobita]

Besides my mother, it was the highest I'd ever seen. On the other hand….

[Turbocharged Desires]

[Lv. 63]

[Tensei Iida]

The new enemy, Ingenium, was the lowest level for a Pro-Hero so far. I wish that could mean I could suddenly underestimate him, but I knew better than to make simplistic mistakes like that.

Dabi slowly rose from his spot, looking more annoyed than genuinely hurt. Even 20 levels underneath his opponent, he didn't seem to worry in the slightest.

I crushed two mana crystals and healed myself up to a much safer position, locking eyes with Dabi and Danjuro. The two stood on the opposite sides of me, filling me with confidence I wasn't sure I'd have without them.

"We'll cover your back," Dabi reassured me, flames rising from his hands. "This flashy guy looks skilled enough to help me out."

"Flashy guy, eh? While I prefer more refined titles, it certainly doesn't unsettle me as others would. I, Gentle Criminal, will defend you with such efficiency that my name will go down in history!" Danjuro bowed, meeting my nine eyes without a bit of hesitation.

I wanted to hesitate. I wanted to stay and fight. I wanted to protect my allies with my own power.

But I also knew that I may hold them back, even despite the power I came onto as of the last six weeks.

"I'm not a fan of early death flags. Don't let this be one of them," I told Dabi, receiving a small huff from him as I could see a grin rise onto his face. I healed Dabi up to full, doing the same to Danjuro before turning away.

"Oh please, I don't go down that easily," My scarred friend laughed.

I began walking away, my walk quickly morphing into a sprint.

"Wait!" One of the Pro's―Ingenium, I believe―yelled. The roaring of determined engines flooded my ears. He was definitely racing closer, but―

"Loosen up, you detestable hero. Your bout is with us," Gentle must've blocked him somehow. "We'll handle this, Seiryu. Now, go and mark our places in history!"

I nodded at his words and began dashing away, leaving my friends and allies behind.

-----

I Dashed for my life.

I didn't pay attention to the strain I was forcing my body under as I pushed towards Kashifu Forest.

While I didn't have to hide anymore, Kashifu was directly in between where I currently was and where I needed to be―Manami's place.

If I felt worried, I'd hide. If not, I'd enter the forest as Meng Zhang and leave as Minoru Mineta with absolutely no one being the wiser.

I'd just have to trust in Dabi and Danjuro's abilities. If they got captured… Manami and I will plan on breaking them out of wherever they were, no matter what. It would be after the message, but still, I'd do it.

For now, I'd have to get to Kashifu.

I Flew through the streets, everything becoming a blur in the face of my speed. I crushed the ground underneath my feet and dragged the wind with my hands.

My MP fell more and more, but I didn't stop. I couldn't stop.

Then, I was there, breathless.

I ran into the forest without a lick of hesitation. I couldn't tell if anyone was behind me, but I was getting any warnings from Sense Danger, so I gave my attention to what was ahead of me rather than what was behind me.

I slid to a stop and laid my hands on a wide tree.

Wood Manipulation struck me as one of my more… odd skills. I couldn't do anything too crazy with it like I could with Electricity Manipulation or Water Manipulation.

All I'd done so far was root myself into the ground and make small items with it. Because the items were made from wood, they couldn't do too much that my normal body couldn't.

One thing I could do though, was easily adapt the wood that has been sitting for years upon years.

At my command, the tree opened a massive hole, the inside of the tree hollow due to a different order. I walked into the dark tree and the hole closed behind me, leaving me in the silent darkness.

I took a breath, allowing my body to fall to the ground as I took a moment to relax.

Regardless of my outwards appearance, regardless of what I'd done, regardless of what I'll do, I'm still me inside. I definitely wasn't built to be a terrorist, not at all.

It was draining beyond limit, even though my mind was protected my one of my original skills and my body was protected by the other one.

I needed a moment to breathe, and now I was getting it.

I took a deep breath in through my nose, letting it out slowly through my mouth. I had about 30 seconds of peace before I could hear the muffled sounds of screams accompanied with a sudden rumbling of the ground.

"What the hell…!" I couldn't hold back from groaning in genuine annoyance.

The annoyance quickly faded and left curiosity and worry in its place.

I couldn't just leave, not after all the work I put into things so I could make sure to get to Kashifu, but if Dabi and Gentle were in trouble that I may be able to prevent I didn't want to abandon them either. If I needed info….

In one hand I pulled out my phone, turning it on and checking into Musutafu news. In the other hand, I quickly opened my Quirk's message system, shooting a message towards Manami.

As I waited for Manami's response, I looked at my phone.

On the screen there was the usual newscaster with an… odd sight behind her. There were a lot―at least a few dozen if I was low-balling it―of villains and a far smaller number of Pro-Heroes. Like a light shining in the darkness, All Might was clearing through the villains at an alarmingly fast rate.

"A large number of villains have suddenly aroused a large amount of chaos, but All Might has appeared on the scene and is handling the villains without fear!" The smiling woman informed her viewers, gesturing at the sight below her.

I couldn't see Dabi or Gentle though….

"The villains seem to be cheering about their leader, but I can't properly hear anything they're saying! We'll try to get a little closer to see!" She nodded.

I could feel my heart sink in my chest.

I received a message, but it wasn't from Manami, but Dabi. He messaged in the group chat between us three.

"The showy old guy and I got away from those heroes, but we took some major damage. We're laying low in some alleyways, heading back to Manami's place," He messaged.

"I'm regaining some energy in a tree, but with all the noise, I'm gonna head to Manami's right now. Have you heard anything from her?" I asked. After a moment of hesitation, I sent another message. "And what's with the villains? Are they a fourth party?"

There was a few moments of no response, so I turned my attention back to the newscaster. As I absorbed what she was saying, I slowly read Dabi's message.

"Nope, they're ours, if a little distant. I told Giran to spread the word about Seiryu, and he moved pretty damn fast."

On the news station, I could hear it loud and clear.

"Seiryu will save us!"

"Seiryu will lead us to a new world!"

"Seiryu will be our new god!"

…

Just what did Dabi tell Giran to say?