LVI: Father.

The final battle wasn't going as smoothly for best jeanist and edge shot as the others.

This time, the enemy was different—stronger. Maybe even as strong as the one fighting Endeavor. And his Quirk?

It was a problem.

He had a transformation-type ability, turning him into a towering, six-meter-tall white ape. That alone wasn't what made him dangerous. But if it were just brute strength, Edgeshot and Best Jeanist could have handled him.

The real issue was his creation and control over ice and water.

That combination put both heroes in a tight spot. They were powerful—superhuman even—but against someone who could control elements and enhance his own physical power, they were at a serious disadvantage.

Even working together, they struggled to contain him or even approach him.

The destruction escalated quickly. The ape didn't stay near the main factory—maybe he was trying to protect it? Instead, he moved the fight to another factory further away.

And the moment the heroes arrived, he froze everything.

The entire battlefield became a sheet of ice, the ground slick and treacherous. Water pooled across the surface, turning into a hazard under his control. Best Jeanist's Quirk became harder to use in the unstable terrain, and Edgeshot found it difficult to maneuver.

They kept fighting, landing hits where they could, but it wasn't enough. Winning seemed impossible.

Until—The ground suddenly shattered.

Cracks exploded outward as the frozen earth broke apart beneath them.

And then—she arrived.

She didn't waste time. No hesitation, no mercy.

It was Mirko. The Rabbit Hero. The unstoppable force.

She tore through the battlefield like a storm, breaking through ice, smashing through every obstacle, and—most importantly—crushing the villain.

She didn't slow down. Not for the frozen terrain, not for the crumbling battlefield, and definitely not for the ape's defenses. He barely had time to react before she caved in his ribs with a single devastating kick.

Best Jeanist and Edgeshot just stood there, stunned.

It was like watching a freight train tear through anything in its way.

Mirko turned to them, stretching her arms like she hadn't just single-handedly ended a fight they had been struggling with.

"Yo! What's up? We done here, or are there more villains to smash?"

Before they could answer, a massive explosion erupted in the distance.

Mirko grinned. "Oh! So that's where Endeavor is. But tell me—where's the rest? on the Way here I saw Lady Nagant and Ryukuu fighting a woman, but for the looks of it, they were almost done"

Best Jeanist coughed, still trying to process what just happened. "Cough—yeah, let's go. That way."

Without wasting another second, they rushed back toward the factory, ready to continue the mission.

But as they ran, there was an undeniable bitter taste in their mouths.

Even heroes had their pride. And the truth was, they couldn't take down the villain on their own.

After every battle had ended, the heroes regrouped at the starting point.

What they found was a scene of devastation—Raiden tending to Tamaki's injuries, and a giant lion lying unconscious amid the wreckage.

It didn't take long for them to piece together what had happened. The kids had fought against the creature, which had transformed from a dog into a massive lion. That was a serious oversight on their part. They had underestimated the enemy's strength.

The students had fought the enemy alone.

Knowing how powerful their opponents were, they should have anticipated this.

But that wasn't the only thing that caught their attention.

The lion wasn't just a transformed villain—it was an animal with a Quirk.

That was almost unheard of. Aside from the U.A. principal, they had never encountered another case like this. It was a rare phenomenon, and under different circumstances, it would have been worth investigating.

But now wasn't the time for distractions.

They still had to find the mastermind behind all of this—the one they called Father, the evolver.

And that was the real problem.

Kaina Tracker had led them here, to this underground location where they had now gathered. But they were already twenty meters below the surface—which meant the real enemy was even deeper.

Mirko didn't hesitate.

She moved first, without a word.

She eyed an untouched section of the floor, one that had somehow escaped the chaos of the previous fight, and kicked straight through it.

BOOM.

A loud crack echoed through the space. Mirko twitched her ears, listening. Then, without missing a beat, she leaped and struck again.

CRASH.

The ground caved in, revealing another opening.

Another elevator shaft.

The second one they had found. And just like before, it was useless. Their fight had already destroyed the mechanism. No way down—except the hard way.

One by one, the heroes jumped into the darkness, ready for anything.

Mirko was the first to land. Of course she was.

Unlike the others, she still had energy to spare. She had arrived late to the battle above, and her own fight had been over in seconds.

But what greeted her below was not what she expected.

This wasn't a lab.

It was a mansion.

Mirko landed in front of an ornate wooden door, its polished surface gleaming under the dim light. Without hesitation, she pushed it open—and what greeted her was a sight she hadn't expected.

The room beyond was grand and lavish. Large paintings adorned the walls, their frames intricately carved. Two massive staircases curved upwards to a second floor, where at least six doors lined the upper level.

Between the staircases, at the very center of the room, stood another door—larger, heavier, and far more imposing than the ones above.

To the left, an arched hallway led into what looked like a waiting area—furnished with plush chairs and elegant decor. On the right, another archway opened into a dining hall—a vast space with a long table set as if expecting guests.

Mirko didn't care and didn't waste time.

Her instincts told her everything she needed to know. The biggest door in the room? That was the way forward.

Without breaking stride, she marched straight for it, slamming both doors open with her hands. The loud crack echoed through the mansion as she stepped inside.

The heroes behind her quickly split up. The more injured among them knew they wouldn't be much help in an upcoming fight. Instead, they scattered to secure the surrounding rooms, taking up positions in areas that were important but not directly in the line of battle. The ones still in fighting shape followed Mirko inside.

What they found was yet another unexpected sight.

The room beyond had the aesthetic of an old library.

Walls lined with towering bookshelves, filled with ancient tomes that had clearly been carefully preserved over time. At the center of the space, standing atop a pedestal, was one particular book—encased in glass.

But their eyes were soon drawn to the end of the room.

There, positioned just beside another elegant door, sat a woman.

She was calm, composed, and completely unfazed by their entrance.

Seated at a well-crafted wooden desk, she sifted through papers with an air of quiet efficiency. An intercom sat beside her, and her attire—a neatly pressed business suit—suggested she was a professional.

Then, she spoke.

"Welcome to the Grand Manor. I will inform our father of your arrival. He has been expecting you."

Her tone was polite. Almost too polite.

Without hesitation, she pressed the intercom and, in that same eerily formal voice, announced: "Sir, the heroes have arrived. They are waiting for you."

Silence followed. Then, a response. "Good. Send them in."

The woman stood up smoothly, adjusting her suit as she walked toward the door. Without a hint of concern, she pulled it open and gestured for them to follow.

"This way, please."

She strode forward without a second glance.

The heroes? They hesitated. They were confused, yes. But more than that? The right description could be, Irritated.

This wasn't how things were supposed to go. No hostility. No resistance. No threats.

Without hesitation, Best Jeanist extended his hand, his fibers snapping into motion as they coiled around the woman's wrists like makeshift cuffs.

With a firm tug, he restrained her arms behind her back, keeping his grip steady.

"Miss, we don't need a tour. You're under arrest."

Contrary to their expectations, the woman didn't resist. She barely even reacted. Instead, in the same calm, measured tone, she simply replied:

"Understood. Either way, Father is behind that door, please don't make him wait."

That was all Mirko needed to hear.

Brash as ever, she rushed forward and, with a powerful kick, shattered the door into splinters.

Beyond it, they finally found what they had been searching for.

A lab.

But the sight that greeted them was far worse than anything they had imagined.

A long hallway stretched before them, lined with rows of towering glass tubes. Some contained whole human bodies, suspended in murky liquid.

Others held only disembodied limbs—hands, legs, even heads—floating in eerie stillness. The deeper they ventured, the gruesomer the scene became.

Some tubes held grotesque amalgamations—multiple bodies stitched together, their forms twisted beyond recognition. Others displayed horrific mutations, similar to the ones Raiden and Musha had encountered back at the hotel.

And then, at the farthest end of the hall, they saw them. The creatures.

Beings identical to the monstrous entity that had separated from Edward just hours ago. Something about them felt off. Unsettling.

Then, before anyone could react—A voice echoed from the center of the room.

It came through like a radio transmission, smooth and rich, carrying an undeniable charm. Deep, steady, almost hypnotic.

"Welcome, brave heroes of justice. Beacons of hope. Protectors of the weak. Welcome to my humble abode—my temple of research, built for a better world." The words had an unnatural pull. For a brief moment, even Mirko froze.

Silence.

Raiden's eyes snapped to the source.

And then, he saw it.

A glow.

Faint, but unmistakable, flickering in the depths of the speaker's gaze. It was familiar. Too familiar.

Raiden knew this power.

It was a power of the mind. And being so attuned to such abilities, he felt it immediately. Something was very, very wrong, even he couldn't move.

No, it was that he didn't want to move.

Raiden's heart pounded as the realization sank in. It wasn't hesitation or direct control—it was influence. The man was manipulating them, suppressing their wills to the extreme.

Immediately, Raiden activated his psychic abilities, scanning his own mind for the man interference.

There it was—a subtle pressure, like unseen hands guiding his thoughts. With a sharp mental push, he shoved the presence away, severing the connection.

His mind was clear again and his control was back.

But the others were still caught in the trap. He had no idea how to free them completely, so instead, he opted for a disruption.

A sudden pulse of psychic energy rippled outward form his hands, washing over the room. It wasn't an attack—he had carefully dulled its force so it wouldn't harm anyone, only jar them awake. The effect was instant: the heroes staggered slightly, blinking in confusion.

And yet—they still didn't move.

A deep, amused chuckle filled the air.

"Hahaha… Remarkable. Truly remarkable."

Raiden's gaze snapped back to the man at the center of the room. He stood there, utterly unfazed, an intrigued smile playing on his lips.

"Maybe, given enough time, you could have been a challenge. Sadly, time is uncertain… the future is never set, so you arrived earlier that you should, for now you aren't a challenge for me."

Raiden's stomach twisted. Something was wrong.

The heroes should have snapped out of it. He glanced to the sides, expecting movement—but they remained frozen in place, their eyes were distant, unfocused and even hollow.

He had broken the control over their minds, he was sure of it—so why weren't they reacting?

The man tilted his head slightly as if sensing Raiden's confusion. His smirk widened.

"It's no use, little one." His voice was smooth, confident. "They won't move. The mind is a labyrinth for most people. You and I… we are exceptions. But them?"

He let out a soft chuckle.

"I only had to sweeten my words again, and they fell like flies to honey, in the moment they heard my voice again, it was too late for them."

End of the Chapter. 

Hello guys! Here's today's chapter — we're finally at the end of this arc.Thank you so much for the power stones!

So please keep them coming I need them! Hahaha 😄

Enjoy the chapter!