The USJ Incident Part 3

AN: kinda got carried away with this chapter, I had to split it apart so you guys should get another one tomorrow. As always review, I STILL don't have any on Fanfiction, and I would love proper feedback on what I could do better. but other than that I actually feel really confident about this chapter, I feel that I wrote It well and made a hopefully engaging fight. Other than that enjoy.

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Down near the center plaza where the villains first emerged, chaos still churned. But there, amidst the debris and carnage, Shinji's eyes locked onto a scene that sent a cold spike of fury through his chest.

The thing, a grotesque, hulking monstrosity, had Aizawa pinned beneath it. Its massive, elongated limbs twisted unnaturally, every movement a horrific mockery of life. Aizawa struggled against its crushing weight, his scarf tangled uselessly around one of its spindly appendages.

With an almost casual motion, the creature reached out and grabbed Aizawa's left arm.

The sickening crack... Shinji was too far to hear it, but he didn't need to. That sound, the memories of the countless times he heard it, was etched into him, louder than any explosion or scream that had rocked the battlefield. The sight of Aizawa's arm, hanging limp and broken like a discarded branch, made Shinji's breath catch.

But for Shinji, it went deeper than that.

When he first came back, Shinji had felt out of place. His problems, his demeanor, his limitations, they all painted him as someone who didn't quite fit into the mold of a hero. The pressure was suffocating, and it would've been so easy to let it all crush him, to convince himself that he didn't belong.

But then there was Aizawa.

Aizawa had looked at him, not the mess of uncertainty, doubt, and frustration Shinji carried, but him. The potential that lay buried under all of it. He didn't coddle or sugarcoat things, but he didn't dismiss Shinji either. Instead, he gave him what no one else had: a chance.

He remembered those first days in Aizawa's class vividly. How Aizawa had called him out for hesitating during the training exercises, his sharp tone cutting through Shinji's self-doubt like a blade. "You'll never improve if you don't let go of the fear of failing," Aizawa had said, his tired eyes narrowing as if daring Shinji to argue.

And when Shinji did fail, and he often did in those early days, and even now, Aizawa didn't berate him or push him aside. Instead, he would point out what went wrong and show him how to fix it. He didn't have to spend extra time on someone who lagged behind the others. But he did.

There were times when Shinji wanted to quit, days when his frustrations boiled over, and he felt like every step forward was met with two steps back. But Aizawa had seen through all of it. He hadn't just been a teacher, he'd been a lifeline.

"You've got a lot to figure out," Aizawa had said once after pulling him aside following a particularly grueling exercise. "But you're not the only one. None of your classmates will have it all together either, even if they act like they do. You've got something to offer, Shinji. You just have to stop doubting it."

Those words had stayed with him, replaying in his mind whenever things got tough. Aizawa hadn't just taught him how to be a hero. He'd shown him how to believe in himself, even when no one else seemed to.

And now, seeing him pinned under that monster, broken and bleeding, Shinji's chest burned with more than just fury, it was something deeper.

He didn't have to help me. He didn't have to care. But he did.

The thought hit him like a lightning bolt, igniting the fire within him into an unstoppable inferno. Aizawa had fought for him when Shinji wasn't even sure he deserved it. He'd stood up for all of them, given his all to make sure they had a future.

And now, he was lying there, broken, under the hand of that thing.

The thought churned in Shinji's mind, each turn fanning the flames in his chest until the fire became an inferno. Aizawa didn't deserve this, none of them did. He had been their guiding light, a mentor who never hesitated to throw himself into danger to shield others from harm. Aizawa didn't do it for recognition, for glory, or even for thanks. He did it because it was necessary. He was necessary.

Shinji's breath came faster, every inhale trembling with fury, every exhale a silent vow. The villains down there weren't just attacking their bodies; they were attacking their futures, their dreams. Every student here had come to UA with aspirations of making a difference, of protecting the weak, of being the hope that so many in this broken world desperately needed. And these monsters wanted to snuff out those dreams before they could even fully bloom.

It wasn't just infuriating, it was unforgivable.

The image of Aizawa pinned beneath that grotesque creature burned itself into Shinji's mind. The sickening crunch of his arm echoed louder than the explosions still rocking the battlefield, louder than Momo's shout behind him, louder than the pounding of his own heart.

"They're not taking him," Shinji muttered, his voice low and trembling with rage. "Not today. Not ever."

The world around him felt like a blur, distant and insignificant compared to the blazing clarity of his purpose. He wasn't thinking about the risks, the injuries he might sustain, or even the commands Aizawa himself would likely bark at him for abandoning strategy. None of it mattered.

Without a word, Shinji leaped off the cliff, the wind roaring past him as gravity pulled him toward the fray below.

"Takeyama!" Momo's voice cut through the air, a mix of shock and panic. Her shout followed him, but he didn't look back, didn't hesitate. There wasn't time.

The ground below raced toward him, but Shinji was already shifting. His body shimmered with crimson light, the familiar energy of his Quirk roaring to life. Mid-air, his form expanded and transformed, Crimson Typhoons Red Plating fell off him, giving way to Saber Athena's Orange.

By the time he landed on a lower outcrop, the sheer force of the impact cracked the stone beneath his feet, but the ground held. He stood now as Saber Athena, his Still seven-foot form glowing faintly in the dim light. The sleek armor of the transformation gleamed, its sharp edges and streamlined design making him a terrifying figure to behold.

Shinji didn't stop to assess the damage or hear the echoes of Momo's protests above. His gaze was locked on the plaza below. On that thing. On Aizawa. And in an instant, a Plan had formed, he needed to get there quickly. But he needed to get that thing away from Aizawa at the same time.

His body burst into action. Shinji activated the thrusters on Athena's legs, flames roaring to life as they propelled him forward at blinding speed. The ground beneath his feet cracked with every stride, shockwaves rippling outward with each impact. The wind whipped against him, a fierce gale howling in protest at his relentless pace. His armor, glowing like a crimson beacon in the chaos, tore through the smoky haze surrounding the battlefield like the vanguard of a coming storm.

As the jagged edge of the lower cliff came into view, Shinji's focus sharpened. There was no hesitation, no second-guessing. With a surge of power, he bent his knees and launched himself into the air. The force of the leap sent a cascade of debris tumbling down the mountain behind him. His body arced gracefully through the sky, the thrusters on his legs flaring to stabilize his descent.

The jagged rocks below blurred as he soared over them, the mountain zone shrinking into insignificance as he set his sights on the heart of the battlefield, the plaza. Once a bustling hub of life and activity, it was now a shattered wasteland. The ground was a patchwork of craters and broken tiles, the air thick with smoke and the acrid tang of burnt metal. Screams of fear and cries of defiance mingled with the distant roar of collapsing structures, forming a symphony of chaos.

Shinji landed with a thunderous crash, his impact shaking the earth and sending cracks spiderwebbing through the plaza's fractured surface. A cloud of dust and debris erupted around him, momentarily obscuring his form as he straightened to his full height. Villains nearby staggered from the shockwave, some falling to their knees, others scrambling back in panic as the dust cleared to reveal the glowing, armored figure that had just arrived.

His head snapped toward the source of his fury, the grotesque creature that had Aizawa pinned. It was a monstrous abomination, its twisted, Bulging, unnatural limbs writhed with disturbing fluidity, and its grotesque frame seemed to pulse. Beneath its crushing weight lay Aizawa, his body limp and his face obscured by blood and dirt.

Shinji's heart clenched as he saw the creature lift Aizawa's head and slam it into the pavement with sickening force. The ground beneath cracked from the impact, shards of stone and concrete scattering outward. Aizawa's body sagged, unmoving, and Shinji's stomach twisted at the thought that the man who had dedicated his life to protecting others might be-No. Shinji forced the thought aside, his fury sharpening into a blade of unyielding determination.

Nearby, another battle raged. Midoriya was locked in a ferocious clash with the Hand Man. The green-haired boy's face was a mask of unbridled rage, his movements a blur as he attacked, each one aimed with deadly precision. Shigaraki grinned maniacally, his hands swiping at Midoriya with equal ferocity. Good. Midoriya was keeping one of their enemies occupied. That meant Shinji could focus entirely on the monstrosity threatening Aizawa.

The creature's grotesque hand curled around Aizawa's head once more, its movements deliberate, almost cruel, as it lifted him higher. The jagged edges of the pavement beneath Aizawa's battered form glinted in the harsh light of the battlefield. It was going to slam him down again, to crush him further. Shinji's heart seized at the sight, his breath caught between a gasp and a snarl.

No. I won't let this happen.

Shinji's hands clenched as his mind raced. Athena's systems blared warnings about overheating, critical stress on the thrusters, and the very real risk of user damage, or worse. But the world around him narrowed. His focus locked onto Aizawa, on that grotesque creature's twisted hand, and on the split-second decision that could mean life or death.

"I won't let you!" he roared, slamming the override for Athena's boosters.

The thrusters roared to life, surging past their safe thresholds as Shinji pushed them to maximum output. The exterior of Athena's Legs glowed faintly red from the heat, the scorching temperature licking at his skin. His armor creaked, his body burning under the relentless intensity, and he could feel the edges of his vision blur from the sheer strain. It hurt, it hurt more than anything he'd felt since the breach, but he didn't care.

The pain was distant compared to the fury boiling inside him.

Why am I so angry?

The thought struck him like a second shockwave, splitting his attention for the briefest moment. His foot caught on a loose stone as he pushed forward, and he nearly tripped before catching himself with a grunt. His mind raced to try and process it. Anger wasn't his thing, not like this. Even during the most intense moments, during the breach or the heat of battle, he did everything in his power to keep his calm. He'd learned to focus, to suppress any emotional outburst, Anger meant mistakes. So why was he so… furious now?

He could feel it, a fire rising deep within his chest. It burned with a relentless intensity, gnawing at his insides, urging him forward with a ferocity he couldn't control. It was so raw, so primal. It wasn't his usual fury, not the kind born from frustration or injustice. This was something darker, something more dangerous. A cold, blood-red rage that threatened to consume him whole.

This isn't me. This isn't how I fight.

The thought echoed in his mind, but it barely held any weight against the tide of his emotions. Something was off, something he couldn't place.

Shinji's mind flashed back to the battle. His fists had pounded into the creature's form, but he hadn't felt himself, not fully. It was as if something else was guiding his actions, pushing him past the point of rational thought, amplifying everything he felt. The urge to destroy, to crush. His movements had been sharp, and precise, but the intensity of his anger had clouded his usual control.

Was it Athena? No… Shinji shook his head as the thought gnawed at him. He could swear at times it felt like his quirk was alive, a byproduct of the neural link that bridged his mind and his quirks systems. That strange connection was something he had grown accustomed to over time, but this? This wasn't like anything he had experienced before. It didn't feel the same.

Athena's presence, if you could call it that, was always steady and precise, calculating, methodical, an extension of his own thoughts. But this anger, this seething inferno burning in his chest, was raw and untamed. It didn't just feel like his emotions were spiraling out of control. It felt foreign like a second consciousness had taken up residence, screaming for release.

Could it be the quirk of one of the villains?

The thought lingered, stubbornly refusing to fade. Shinji grimaced, his mind racing as he tried to unravel the possibility. Villain quirks were as varied and unpredictable as the people who wielded them, and the sheer number of abilities out there made it impossible to account for every possibility.

He wouldn't claim to know every quirk in existence, how could he? There were countless quirks across the world, many of them undocumented, especially among those who had slipped through the cracks of society. And while UA did their best to prepare them, the truth was that no hero could ever fully anticipate the unknown.

Could a quirk really do this? Could it reach inside him, stoke his emotions like a flame, and twist them into something more? Something beyond his control?

It was a chilling thought, one that sent an involuntary shiver down his spine despite the roaring heat of Athena's systems. Quirks that manipulated the mind weren't unheard of, illusions, suggestions, even outright control. But this? It didn't feel like someone else was pulling his strings.

It made sense in theory, but that only left him with more questions. Who could wield such a quirk? Was it intentional, or was it something the villain wasn't even aware of? And more importantly, how long could he endure it before it consumed him completely?

Focus, he told himself firmly, shaking his head to clear the spiraling thoughts. You don't have time for this. Whether it's a quirk or something else, it doesn't matter right now. Aizawa needs you.

He gritted his teeth, the heat growing unbearable, but he focused. It didn't matter. Whatever this was, this fire in his chest, it had a purpose right now.

With a guttural roar, Shinji launched himself forward. Athena's thrusters flared brighter than ever, a blazing comet streaking across the battlefield. The ground beneath him cracked and splintered with each step as he surged toward the creature holding Aizawa. The monster hesitated, turning its grotesque, elongated face toward the incoming light, its Hollow eyes narrowing.

The thing was massive, far too big for Saber Athena to handle alone. Shinji's mind raced, running through every strategy he could muster in the precious seconds before impact. His feet pounded against the ground as he closed the distance, thrusters screaming with exertion, the heat searing through his armor and into his skin. He gritted his teeth against the pain, his focus sharp and unyielding.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a flicker of movement at the top of the stairway leading down into the main plaza. His classmates Ochako, Ashido, and a few others. Stood frozen, their eyes wide as they watched him charge forward. He didn't have time to process their presence, but their expressions burned into his mind. Shock, awe, fear. It didn't matter. He couldn't, no he wouldn't let this thing win.

Aizawa was still pinned beneath the monstrosity, his body battered and limp, blood pooling beneath him. The creature's grotesque limbs twitched, its head lowering as if to slam Aizawa into the ground again. Shinji's chest tightened. He couldn't let that happen.

He made the decision mid-stride, He leaped once more, and Without a word, His quirk flared, and the shift began.

The transformation was instant. Saber Athena's sleek form dissolved into a golden light that spiraled around Shinji's body, reshaping itself into the towering bulk of Cherno Alpha. The mech's massive frame materialized in the air, its weight pulling Shinji downward with terrifying force. The plating shuddered as the transformation locked into place, the roar of Cherno Alpha's reactors drowning out the chaos below.

But Shinji wasn't about to let that weight land indiscriminately. As he hurtled toward the ground, he adjusted his trajectory with a precision born of instinct and desperation, angling his descent just enough to avoid crushing Aizawa entirely. Instead, the mech's massive shoulder slammed into the creature's side, driving it off Aizawa with a force that sent both of them skidding across the plaza.

The impact could only be described as cataclysmic. The ground beneath them cracked and crumbled, a shockwave ripping through the air and sending debris flying. Shinji braced himself against the jolt as Cherno Alpha's feet slammed into the earth, the weight of the mech anchoring it like an unyielding monolith.

The creature screeched, its twisted body flailing as it was thrown off balance. It crashed into the ground several meters away, its grotesque form writhing as it struggled to recover.

Shinji's breath came fast and shallow, sweat dripping down his face as he scanned the battlefield. His classmates were still at the stairway, their faces pale with disbelief. He caught a glimpse of Ochako shouting something, her hands raised as if preparing to act, but he didn't have time to register her words.

His eyes darted back to Aizawa, who lay motionless on the ground. For a moment, Shinji's chest tightened in fear. Was he-? No, there was still movement. A shallow rise and fall of the chest. Aizawa was alive.

Relief surged through Shinji, but it was fleeting. The creature let out another ear-piercing shriek, dragging itself upright with unnatural speed. Its limbs twitched and coiled, its grotesque form turning to face Cherno Alpha. Shinji didn't flinch.

As the creature lunged forward, Shinji surged to meet it, Cherno Alpha's massive fists swinging in a wide arc. The two titans collided, the force of their clash sending tremors through the fractured plaza. Dust and debris erupted from the ground, and the nearby structures groaned under the sheer intensity of the impact. Shinji braced himself for the sensation of resistance, the satisfying give of flesh and bone breaking beneath the force of his strike.

But nothing happened.

Cherno Alpha's massive fist slammed into the creature's torso with all the power of a freight train, and yet... it was as if he had struck solid steel. The grotesque, shifting surface of the creature's skin didn't so much as ripple under the blow. No cracks, no dents, no recoil. Just cold, unyielding solidity.

"What-?" The thought barely formed before the creature moved, it's unnatural limbs twitching in grotesque spasms as it twisted its torso to face him fully.

Shinji's eyes widened in disbelief. He had been prepared for the thing to be tough, resilient even, but this? This wasn't toughness. This was unnatural. The laws of physics themselves seemed to recoil from the creature, its form defying every expectation, every rule he thought he understood.

Panic clawed at the edges of his focus, but Shinji shoved it aside. Focus, dammit! He retracted Cherno Alpha's arm and shifted his stance, his mind racing through possible explanations.

He had faced armored kaiju in the Breach, creatures with shells tougher than most metals, but even they had weak points. Cracks in the armor, soft spots to exploit. This thing, though, it was like punching a void. A void that stared back with malice.

Shinji's teeth clenched as his focus momentarily wavered. He glanced up toward the stairway at the edge of the plaza, where he caught a glimpse of movement. His heart sank.

Ochako and Mina stood there, frozen in place, their wide eyes glued to the battle. Ochako had her hands clasped tightly in front of her chest, her lips moving silently as though she were praying. Mina's usual carefree demeanor was replaced by sheer terror, her hands trembling as she gripped the railing.

They shouldn't be here. None of these kids should be. The thought thundered through his mind, even as he twisted Cherno Alpha's frame to narrowly dodge one of the creature's lashing limbs. The ground beneath his mech cracked and buckled with every step, the metal groaning under the strain.

His gaze flickered back to Aizawa. The pro hero was still crumpled on the ground, blood staining his face and pooling beneath him. The creature had been seconds away from smashing his head into the pavement again before Shinji had intervened. Now it turned its full attention on him.

Good. Stay focused on me.

He shifted Cherno Alpha's stance, angling the mech's hulking frame between the creature and Aizawa. The distance between them was closing rapidly, and Shinji knew he couldn't afford to hesitate. The creature lashed out again, its twisted limbs snapping toward him like whips.

His arms rose in an instant, Cherno Alpha's massive forearms blocking the incoming strike with a deafening clang. Sparks erupted in every direction as the creature's jagged claws raked against the reinforced metal, the sound reverberating through the battlefield like a thunderclap. Shinji gritted his teeth, leaning into the blow with all his strength, pouring his willpower into Cherno Alpha's movements.

But it wasn't enough.

The force of the blow was monumental, far greater than Shinji had anticipated. He felt the impact shudder through Cherno's frame, his own body jolting violently with it. A low groan of metal under strain filled his ears, and a new, sickening realization crept in: the creature's strike had dented the mech's armor. His eyes flicked to the zone of impact, catching sight of spiderweb fractures running along Cherno's arm plating.

Damn it, Shinji thought, gritting his teeth. He could feel the vibrations of each impact reverberate through the suit, a painful reminder that in this smaller form, his strength was limited. Cherno's full-sized form was a fortress, capable of withstanding tremendous force, but here, scaled down to fit him like armor, it was a shadow of its true power.

Still, it was all he had, and he'd make it work.

The monster lunged forward, claws outstretched. Shinji twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the swipe, but the force of the creature's momentum sent him skidding back several meters. Cherno's feet dug into the shattered ground, grinding to a halt as he steadied himself.

I can't keep taking hits like that, he thought, his breath heavy. If I'm going to turn this around, I need to hit it where it hurts.

The familiar hum of Cherno's Tesla Fists buzzed in his ears, and Shinji glanced at the flickering arcs of electricity running along the mech's armored knuckles. He clenched his fists, feeling the faint warmth of the Tesla energy building up in his gauntlets.

The creature roared and lunged again, but this time Shinji was ready. As its claws came down, he ducked low, planting one foot firmly on the ground. With a sharp pivot, he drove Cherno's right fist upward, the Tesla energy surging to life as it connected with the creature's side.

A deafening crack echoed across the plaza as the charged blow struck true. Electricity exploded across the monster's body, leaving scorch marks on its grotesque skin. The creature recoiled with a distorted shriek, its hulking frame staggering back.

Shinji didn't hesitate.

He surged forward, Cherno's massive frame roaring with the force of his charge. The creature snarled, its grotesque form preparing to strike, but Shinji was faster. His left fist came around in a brutal arc, electric energy sparking violently across Cherno's gauntlet as it connected with the creature's chest.

For a moment, time seemed to freeze.

The fist struck with all the power Shinji could muster, the sheer force enough to rattle the surroundings. But as the gauntlet impacted the creature's flesh, something felt off, wrong. The monster didn't flinch, didn't recoil. It absorbed the punch like a wall of stone, its grotesque body unyielding, unphased.

A flicker of doubt sparked in Shinji's mind.

Nothing? he thought, his breath catching. The raw power of his strike had done nothing. The creature's body remained unnervingly still, its glowing eyes locked on him, unshaken, as if mocking his efforts.

But then it came.

The Tesla energy discharged in a split second, electricity exploding outward from the gauntlet and surging into the creature's chest. The delayed reaction hit like a thunderclap. Arcs of blinding light danced across its grotesque form, forcing its muscles to spasm uncontrollably. A guttural, distorted screech erupted from the beast as it stumbled back, the raw energy overwhelming even its monstrous resilience.

Shinji's breath hitched as he watched the creature falter, its limbs jerking erratically under the electrical surge.

That worked...

But his momentary hope was tinged with unease. The punch itself didn't even register. The realization gnawed at him. Without the electric energy, he had nothing in his arsenal that could harm this thing. The physical force of his blows was meaningless against its inhuman form.

As the creature struggled to regain its footing, Shinji clenched his fists tighter, feeling the faint hum of the Tesla coils recharging in Cherno's gauntlets. His mind raced, the sharp contrast between his physical power and the creature's impenetrable form sinking in.

What is this thing? He wondered, frustration mingling with determination. He couldn't afford to hesitate. Whatever it was, it could be hurt, even if only through the amplified energy of his attacks.

Shinji's eyes narrowed, his jaw tightening.

If punches won't work, then I'll have to hit it with everything else I've got.

The creature roared, shaking off the last remnants of the electrical surge. Its glowing eyes blazed with fury as it lunged again, but Shinji held his ground. Sparks erupted from Cherno's gauntlets as he charged the Tesla energy once more, the faint hum growing into a ferocious crackle.

This wasn't going to be easy. But Shinji had no intention of backing down. Not while Aizawa's life, and the lives of everyone watching from the shadows, depended on him.

Shinji was mid-swing when the air shifted. A swirling vortex of dark mist appeared between Midoriya and Shigaraki, drawing his attention and forcing them apart. A familiar, menacing form emerged from the haze, his voice calm yet unnervingly cold.

"Master Shigaraki," the Living mist said smoothly, his misty tendrils swirling protectively around the disheveled villain. "We must ensure you are not harmed."

Shinji's thoughts churned even as his focus remained on the towering Nomu. Through the blur of chaos, his eyes darted toward Midoriya. The kid was battered, his left leg bruised and swollen, unmistakably purple, a clear sign of his Quirk. Yet somehow, Midoriya had held his ground against the villain the living mist had called Shigaraki.

Wait... how?

Shinji's mind churned, struggling to reconcile the image of the battered, broken boy with the incredible tenacity he had shown moments ago. Midoriya's quirk breaks his bones every time he uses it. How could he have kept up with someone at least on the same level as this thing? If not above it, considering he seems to be the leader here.

The Nomu lunged forward, forcing Shinji to pivot and block, pulling his attention back to the battle. The force of its blows shook his frame, his arms trembling under the pressure. He didn't care about the ache, the exhaustion creeping into his muscles. But his mind kept going back to that thought.

How did Midoriya-

But the thought was cut off again as the Nomu's claws swiped down toward him again. Shinji moved just in time to sidestep, raising Cherno Alpha's arms to intercept the beast's strike. The collision of metal against monstrous flesh was deafening, the sound reverberating through the plaza with a brutal clang.

In the chaos, something inside Shinji couldn't help but feel a strange spike of pride.

The kid, Midoriya, had done something incredible. Despite his quirk's brutal toll on his body, despite the pain and strain, he had kept pushing forward, even after breaking his bones. He had gone beyond what anyone could've expected and came out alive, still fighting.

But that thought didn't have much time to settle.

"Takeyama!" Midoriya shouted, his voice cutting through the clamor. "Be careful! That man-"

Before Midoriya could finish, the Nomu roared and surged forward with a violent lunge, aiming to smash Shinji into the ground. In that split second, Shinji's focus snapped back into place. He was barely able to sidestep the attack, but as the Nomu's monstrous claws scraped by him, he raised Cherno Alpha's arms, bracing for impact.

Sparks flew as Shinji twisted, delivering another Tesla-charged punch to the Nomu's side. The energy crackled across its body, forcing it back, but only slightly. The creature's hulking form was relentless, its glowing eyes fixed on Shinji with a single-minded determination.

The clashes were fierce, each one leaving the ground beneath them cracked and cratered. Shinji gritted his teeth, his mind racing for a strategy. Every blow he landed barely fazed the Nomu, and each second felt like an eternity as the beast's raw power threatened to overwhelm him.

Then, from behind the chaos, Shigaraki's voice cut through like a knife.

"Do you know what you're fighting, little hero?" he called out, a sinister glee in his tone.

Shinji didn't respond, his focus locked on the Nomu, but Shigaraki's words still seeped into his mind.

"This isn't just some mindless beast. It's called a Nomu," Shigaraki continued, his grin widening. "It was made to be the perfect weapon, you know? A masterpiece of quirks, all working together to make it... well, unstoppable."

The mist villain stood beside him, his unreadable expression providing a stark contrast to Shigaraki's manic energy.

"The Nomu has enhanced strength, enhanced speed, and most importantly," Shigaraki's grin turned almost feral, "shock absorption."

Shinji's stomach dropped at the revelation.

Shock absorption, Quirks? The earlier clashes replayed in his mind, the way the creature had taken his punches without flinching, only reacting when the Tesla energy surged through its body. It wasn't just resilient; it was designed to endure and neutralize force. Now it made sense why is humanoid, they took humanity's strongest weapons and combined them with their greatest enemy. The realization nearly made him sick.

"Do you get it now?" Shigaraki taunted, taking a step closer, though the mist seemed to gently restrain him. "It doesn't matter how hard you hit it. You can't break it. It was crafted to kill All Might, and you side characters aren't ready for the true boss."

Shinji's eyes narrowed, his breathing steady despite the mounting pressure. "We'll see about that," he muttered under his breath, angling Cherno Alpha's frame to prepare for the Nomu's next attack.

But Shigaraki wasn't finished. "Oh, and one more thing," he said, his voice dripping with entertainment and malice. "It has regeneration."

Shinji's heart sank further as the words hit him. He risked a glance at the Nomu, noting the faint traces of wounds from the Tesla fists beginning to mend themselves, the flesh smoothing over as though nothing had happened.

Shigaraki's laughter reverberated through the plaza, mocking the very air. "You're just delaying the inevitable! Face it, hero, you can't win against it." His voice was dripping with contempt, each syllable another blow to Shinji's resolve.

In the midst of it, Midoriya, visibly struggling to keep his balance on his injured leg, limped forward with an urgent shout. "Takeyama, just switch to one of your others! I'll buy you time!"

Shinji's gaze flickered to Midoriya, his heart heavy with a strange mix of respect and frustration. The kid had been pushing past his limits with every move, and here he was, still offering help. But Shinji shook his head, his strained voice Filtered and mechanical by Cherno's Systems. "I can't–"

Before Shinji could Continue, the Nomu Attacked again, its clawed hands swiping toward Shinji with terrifying speed. The sound of its attack was deafening as it cut through the air, forcing Shinji to sidestep once more. His heart hammered, and adrenaline coursed through his veins.

He quickly shifted his weight, bringing both of Cherno Alpha's fists up to block the blow, but even the weight of the beast's attack made him feel his legs tremble under the pressure. He gritted his teeth and pushed against the onslaught, sweat beading on his forehead as his arms shook from the impact.

He wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this up.

"Even my quirk has limits!" Shinji snapped, his frustration finally breaking through. "I can't keep swapping mechs!" His voice trembled with the effort of fighting back the overwhelming force. Every punch he threw felt weaker, and the strain on his body and on Cherno was starting to take its toll. He could feel the burnout creeping in, and it was only a matter of time before his strength couldn't hold out.

"Midoriya, get back!" Shinji grunted, keeping his focus on the Nomu's relentless assault. There was no time for hesitation. He didn't know how long he could keep holding the line, but he had to give it everything he had.

The problem was, that Shinji had already been pushing his limits back in the mountain zone, and this? This felt like a cruel joke. Those villains had been nothing more than fodder, mere irritations at best, but the weight of that fight, the sheer ferocity of the Nomu, and the intensity of Shigaraki's mockery was something else entirely. The rage that had fueled his earlier moves seemed to be feeding on itself now, growing with every strike, every clash.

Back in the breach, this would have been nothing. He had run for days on end, fought on the brink of starvation. But now, standing face to face with a creature of monstrous strength, a villain with untold power, he was struggling. He was struggling. His body was begging him to stop, to give in to the fatigue.

His legs were on fire, near literally. Athena's thrusters were not meant to be used on max in his smaller form, and the strain was unbearable. He could feel the lingering heat coursing through his legs, his muscles screaming in protest with every movement, every jarring shift to evade the Nomu's attacks. The pain from the burns was starting to overwhelm him, shooting up his legs and radiating through his entire body like an unrelenting wildfire.

Shinji's heart pounded in his chest as he traded blow for blow with the monstrous Nomu. Each hit felt like an eternity, each impact reverberating through Cherno Alpha's frame as the creature's blows struck with the force of a wrecking ball. But Shinji didn't falter. His legs burned from the effort, his arms screamed in protest, but he kept pushing, refusing to let up.

The Nomu lunged forward, its claws slashing through the air with terrifying speed. Shinji ducked and weaved, his body moving almost reflexively, the sheer weight of the fight pressing down on him like a vice. He blocked one of the claws with a raised arm, the collision sending a jolt through his entire body. The impact rattled his teeth, but he refused to be knocked off course. He swung back with a punch, his Tesla Fists crackling with electric energy, and this time, he felt it, the surge of power as the blow connected with the Nomu's torso.

The creature staggered, its massive body jolting with the force of the hit. But the most surprising part was the lasting effect. It was faint, but this time, there was visible damage on the Nomu's skin, a slight, jagged line running across its chest where the heat had surged through, resisting its regeneration.

Shinji's eyes widened, his mind catching up with what had just happened. He had damaged it. For the first time since the fight began, he saw a chink in the creature's otherwise unyielding form. A feeling of hope, faint but undeniable, ignited in his chest. It wasn't over. He could properly hurt it. He could win.

He pressed forward, not allowing the Nomu a moment to recover. Another fist came around, and this time he aimed for the creature's face. The punch landed with a deafening crack. For a brief moment, the Nomu's limbs hung slack, and Shinji's chest tightened with the realization that the Nomu wasn't as indestructible as it had first seemed.

The Tesla Fists flared again, discharging violent arcs of electricity into the creature's body. The Nomu convulsed, its movements jerking erratically, as the energy coursed through it. Shinji could feel the creature's muscles tense and spasm, but it didn't stop. The Nomu let out a guttural roar and swung its arm at him, its claws ripping through the air with deadly speed.

Shinji reacted instantly, ducking under the swipe and landing another punch to the creature's side. This time, he felt the energy transfer more smoothly, and the Nomu howled in pain as the electric current surged deeper into its body. The Nomu stumbled back, its clawed hands clutching at the injury as it hissed in pain, its body thrashing violently as it tried to regain control. Shinji didn't give it a chance. He pushed forward again, his feet driving him faster, more determined than ever. Each strike felt like a gamble, would this one land? Would it make a difference?

The Nomu swung wildly, its claws slashing with brutal force, but Shinji was ready. He blocked with his own arm, the impact rattling his entire frame. He raised his fist in retaliation, this time aiming for the Nomu's head. The Tesla energy surged through his arm again as he swung, the crackling energy building with every second, a concentrated ball of electricity just waiting to tear through the creature's defenses. The Nomu didn't even have time to react before the punch landed, sending the creature reeling backward.

But Shinji wasn't done. He pressed the attack, raining down blow after blow on the Nomu's form, each hit landing with a sickening thud. The electricity surged through its body with each strike, and the Nomu's skin began to crack and bubble in places as if the sheer intensity of the Tesla energy was slowly breaking it down. There was no doubt now, the Nomu was weakening.

For the first time since the fight began, Shinji felt like he was winning. He could see the damage. He could see the cracks in its armor. The Nomu was still strong, still dangerous, but it wasn't invincible. As he punched again and again, sending electric energy surging into its body, he knew one thing for sure: he wasn't going to stop until it was down.

The Nomu staggered back, its head whipping to the side as if trying to shake off the effects of the electricity coursing through its body. Shinji's breath came in ragged gasps, but he didn't stop. He couldn't stop. Not now.

With another powerful strike, his fist connected with the Nomu's torso again, and this time, the damage was undeniable. The creature's body jerked, a spasm of pain running through it, before it collapsed to one knee, gasping for air it probably didn't need.

Shinji stood tall, his own body screaming in exhaustion, his hands shaking from the effort, but he refused to back down. The Nomu wasn't done yet, but neither was he.

The Nomu didn't react to the force of the impact. It never did. The shock of the Tesla Fist was what mattered. He felt the pulse of electricity jump from his fist into the creature's body, arcs of violent blue energy dancing along its flesh. The Nomu's muscles spasmed, its movements twitching erratically, but it didn't fall, didn't break.

Shinji didn't hesitate, he surged forward, pressing his advantage. Another swing, another clash of metal against flesh. His right fist connected with its ribs, sending another powerful jolt coursing through its body. Sparks flared across the Nomu's hide, illuminating the cracks in the pavement beneath them.

Again, no reaction from the impact itself. But the electricity? That was different.

The Nomu's movements were still unnatural, still horrifyingly fast, but now there was a flicker of something, hesitation? No, not quite. It was as if its body was struggling to respond.

Shinji dodged a wild, clawed swipe, twisting to the side and countering with a savage uppercut. The Nomu's head jerked back as another burst of electricity surged through it. This time, its arms trembled. Its body shuddered.

Then so did Shinji's. Agony. Sudden and all-consuming.

Shinji's body locked up, a wave of decay rippling through his backplate like it was nothing. Cherno Alpha's armor, dense, reinforced, built to withstand the worst, peeled away under the touch like brittle ash. His nerves screamed as raw pain shot through him, the sensation alien, wrong, like his very existence was being unraveled molecule by molecule.

He barely registered the rasping chuckle behind him.

"Gotcha."

Shigaraki.

Shinji tried to move, to react, but his limbs felt slow, and disconnected. He could feel his armor crumbling, breaking down under Shigaraki's grasp, and instinct alone forced him forward. He threw himself away from the villain, rolling on impact. The motion was sloppy and uneven, his back burned, and for a terrifying second, he thought his spine might have been compromised.

He forced himself to his feet, twisting to face Shigaraki, and saw what remained of the armor where the villain's hand had been. It was just gone. Not shattered, not dented, disintegrated. His stomach lurched.

"Tch. Slippery little bastard, aren't you?" Shigaraki sneered, flexing his fingers, each twitching movement coated in dust. His beady eyes gleamed from beneath his hand-mask. "You're a nuisance, you know that? I really hate secret bosses."

Shinji barely had time to catch his breath before the Nomu was moving again.

The creature lunged, closing the distance with terrifying speed. Shinji barely managed to throw up his arms in time, blocking the first strike, but the impact rattled through his frame like a hammer to glass. He staggered, nearly losing his footing, before retaliating, his Fist surged with electricity as he swung for its gut.

The Nomu's hand clamped down around Shinji's own like a vice, crushing pressure sinking deep into his reinforced gauntlet. A split second later, its other fist was already in motion, a brutal counterstrike aimed directly at his midsection.

Shinji barely had time to tense before the blow landed. It crashed into him with the force of a freight train, and even through what remained of his armor, he felt it, like his ribs had been caved in all at once. The impact stole the air from his lungs in a strangled gasp, his vision flashing white from the sheer, brutal force.

But worse, his back was exposed.

Shigaraki's earlier touch had already reduced the armor there to dust, leaving raw metal and synthetic mesh peeling away like brittle paper. So when the Nomu's strike sent him hurtling backward, there was nothing left to protect him.

His trajectory was violently interrupted as his unarmored back slammed into the stone stairway, the impact tearing through him like a blade. The sheer force cracked the steps on contact, jagged stone crumbling beneath his weight. A wet, sickening crunch filled the air as pain exploded through his spine, white-hot and unbearable.

Blood splattered across his visor as he coughed violently, the taste of iron thick in his mouth. His limbs twitched, unresponsive for a fleeting, terrifying moment. His body screamed at him, warning him to stay down. His head swam. The impact had rattled his skull, and when he coughed, a wet, sickening splatter of blood coated the inside of his visor. The taste of iron filled his mouth, thick and bitter.

Move. Get up.

His body screamed in protest, every breath a struggle, but the sight of the Nomu, already approaching again, drove the pain to the back of his mind. It didn't give him time to recover. It was relentless.

The creature's claws twitched, its monstrous frame shifting unnaturally as it loomed over him. For the first time, Shinji could see it, really see it up close, the grotesque muscle fibers twisting unnaturally beneath its skin, the black, soulless eyes that reflected nothing but the command to destroy.

And it was going to obey.

Shinji barely lifted his head, blood still dripping from his visor, when a sudden voice tore through the air.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

The raw desperation in the voice made Shinji's breath hitch. Midoriya?

Before he could process it, a green blur rocketed forward. Midoriya, despite his battered and broken state, had launched himself straight at the Nomu. His right fist, already bruised from, slammed into the creature's jaw with a force that sent shockwaves through the plaza.

For the first time since Shinji's entrance, the Nomu staggered.

The impact sent a gust of wind rippling through the area, debris scattering as the force of the blow forced the Nomu back a step. But the cost was immediate, Midoriya's arm snapped on impact, bending at an unnatural angle, veins darkening with bruises that spread like spiderwebs across his skin. He barely managed to land on his feet, his breath ragged, his body trembling. But still, still, he stood in front of Shinji, arms raised despite the agony flooding his system.

"Deku, you absolute moron!"

A blur of orange and red streaked past. Bakugo, palms crackling with explosions, blasted forward at full speed. His hands flared, sending twin explosions screaming toward the Nomu's chest. The shockwaves rattled the surroundings, the force slamming into the creature before it could fully recover from Midoriya's punch.

"Tch, what the hell is this thing?!" Bakugo spat as he landed, eyes narrowed as he assessed the Nomu. "Damn thing just keeps getting up."

Another burst of movement, this time, a jagged streak of ice.

A thick wall of frost erupted between the Nomu and Shinji as Todoroki joined the fray, his right side covered in ice. "It's strong, but not invincible," he muttered, his voice calm but tight with focus. "We need to keep it from advancing."

Shigaraki clicked his tongue in irritation.

"Tch. Annoying."

His sneer twisted into something almost bored, as if their defiance had lost its amusement. His red eyes flicked from one battered opponent to the next, lingering on Midoriya's bruised and trembling form, then Shinji, still struggling to rise, and finally Bakugo and Todoroki, both panting, both refusing to back down.

"All of you just don't know when to quit, do you?" His fingers twitched, scraping against his palm in idle impatience. Then, with a sigh, he lifted his hand lazily.

"Fine."

His voice dropped, and there was no mockery this time, just cold command.

"Nomu. Kill them."

The creature moved.

One second, it was still, its body wracked with lingering damage, then, in an instant, it was upon them. Its massive fist swung in a wide arc toward Bakugo, who barely managed to blast himself backward, the shockwave of the strike shattering the pavement beneath him. At the same time, it lunged for Todoroki, its claws aiming to rip straight through his ice-covered form, forcing him to throw up another glacier of frozen terrain just in time to halt its advance.

But it didn't stop.

A blur of black muscle and unnatural speed, the Nomu twisted, its beady, lifeless eyes locking onto Midoriya, still gasping for breath, his battered form struggling to keep upright. The moment stretched, slow and suffocating, before the creature moved.

It lunged.

Midoriya barely had time to react before the Nomu was upon him. He threw himself to the side, but exhaustion dulled his movements, and the monster's clawed hand raked across his already battered frame. A strangled cry tore from his throat as he hit the ground hard, rolling across the shattered pavement.

"Deku!" Bakugo snarled, his palms igniting as he rocketed forward, unleashing a barrage of explosions aimed at the Nomu's head. The blasts struck true, momentarily engulfing the creature in a fiery cloud of force and shrapnel. But as the smoke cleared, it stood there, unfazed.

The Nomu turned toward him, and in an instant, it retaliated.

A sickening crack rang out as it moved faster than Bakugo could track, its massive fist catching him mid-air. The impact sent him careening into the side of a toppled lamppost, bending the steel like it was paper. Bakugo barely managed to roll with the blow, but his landing was anything but graceful, he spat blood, struggling to get back up.

Todoroki didn't waste the opening. With a sharp inhale, he slammed his hands into the ground, ice surging forward in jagged, mountainous spikes, wrapping around the Nomu like thick frozen chains. The air cracked with the sudden drop in temperature as the ice constricted, locking the creature's limbs in place. For a moment, it seemed to work, its thrashing halted, its grotesque muscles straining against the frozen prison.

Then it moved.

With a single violent flex, the Nomu shattered its icy restraints as if they were nothing more than brittle glass. The force of the explosion sent shards of ice flying in every direction, some embedding themselves into the cracked pavement, others slicing through the air like deadly shrapnel.

Todoroki barely had time to shield himself as the monster lunged forward, undeterred, its eerie, empty gaze fixed on him.

Shinji tried to push himself up, muscles screaming in protest, but his body refused to listen. Every movement sent fresh waves of agony rolling through him, his ribs burned, his back felt raw and exposed, and his arms were dead weights at his sides. He gritted his teeth, trying to will his limbs into motion, but all he managed was a weak twitch of his fingers.

Move. Get up. You're not done yet.

Nothing.

The world around him slowed, not in the way exhaustion made it drag, but in a way that felt unnatural, wrong.

A cold whisper slithered into his mind.

"I've said this before, but you truly are pathetic."

Shinji's breath hitched.

That voice-

"It's just sad now."

The Specter hummed, tilting its head as if considering him. "You were supposed to be better than this." Its voice was calm, almost conversational, yet laced with disappointment. "Yet here you are, broken, useless. It's almost embarrassing."

Shinji gritted his teeth, his breath coming in shallow gasps as he fought against the crushing weight pinning him down. The Nomu had already shattered Todoroki's ice, its monstrous form advancing on the three who still stood, their movements growing more desperate with every second. Bakugo's explosions raged in erratic bursts, Midoriya's arms hung limply at his side, his breathing ragged, and Todoroki's ice came slower. They were losing ground, and fast.

Shinji had to move.

His muscles screamed as he tried again, but the weight pressing down on him wasn't just from his injuries. It was him, the Specter. The entity's mere presence was suffocating, like an unseen force coiling around him, digging into his skin, his bones, his mind.

"I expected more from you, Shinji." The Specter sighed, its tone mocking. "All that power, all that will, and this is what you do with it? Watching? Waiting? Hoping someone else will win this fight for you?"

Shinji forced a breath through his teeth, his fingers trembling as they pressed against the cracked stone beneath him. "Shut up."

"No, I don't think I will"

The Specter's voice was colder now, more dangerous. "You think you can stand up to me? After all that? You barely could before."

Shinji's body ached, and his limbs were leaden, but his mind was sharp, driven by something deeper, something primal. I have to get up. I have to fight.

"You're pathetic," the Specter hissed, its tone venomous. "And yet, here you are, still trying to play the hero. You can't even stand, let alone fight. Just give up." The taunt echoed in Shinji's mind, but it didn't pierce him the way it should've. The Specter was relentless, yes, but so was he.

"No," Shinji muttered under his breath, his voice strained but firm. "I won't."

With every fiber of his being screaming in protest, Shinji tried to push himself up, his knees buckled under his weight, but he didn't stop trying. He was so damn tired, his vision swaying, the sound of his own heartbeat deafening in his ears, but he would not fall. Not yet. Not now.

The Specter scoffed, its chilling presence curling around him like a phantom tide. "You are nothing but a puppet, a broken thing clinging to false hope." The words slithered into his mind, cold and suffocating, wrapping around his thoughts like chains.

"Hmm..." The Specter hummed, taking a slow, deliberate step back, its clawed fingers tapping against its chin as though savoring some profound revelation. Its eyes gleamed with something unreadable, amusement, hunger, ownership.

"You want to know where all that anger came from?"

It leaned in, its form shifting like smoke caught in an unseen current, its voice curling around Shinji's skull like barbed wire, each syllable a jagged whisper tearing through the carefully built walls in his mind.

"It didn't come from anywhere. It was always there."

A grin split its inhuman features, something twisted and knowing. "You think this was some random Quirk? That it was some outside force, some accident of fate? Please. That rage, the fire in your chest, the thing that pushes you forward, that makes you tear through anything in your way, " The Specter chuckled, deep and guttural, the sound crawling into Shinji's bones. "That was always you."

Shinji's fingers twitched against the broken stone beneath him, a sharp tremor running up his arm. His breathing was ragged, his chest heaving, but he gritted his teeth. "Liar," he spat, forcing his body to move, to resist, but the weight of the Specter's presence bore down on him like an ocean ready to drag him under.

"Oh?" The Specter tilted its head, its grin widening. "Tell me then, when was the last time you fought without it? When was the last time you stood without that fury seething under your skin, coiling tight in your ribs, whispering in the back of your mind?"

Its form flickered, jagged and insubstantial, yet its voice was a blade pressed against the softest part of Shinji's resolve.

"You've felt it since the beginning, haven't you? You buried it. Chained it. Lied to yourself. But in the Breach, " The Specter's voice turned to silk and razors. "There were no chains. No restraints. No hesitation. No morality."

It loomed closer, darkness curling around the edges of Shinji's vision. "It wasn't about predator or prey. Just the bigger predator. And for the first time, you weren't playing hero. You weren't trying to win."

Its breath was cold, curling with the weight of something inevitable.

"You were trying to live."

The Specter exhaled, the very air distorting with it. "And you did. You survived, not because you were strong. Not because of your Quirk. But because you let go. And for a moment, " its claws curled, as though seizing something invisible, something of Its own, "you were complete. You were perfect."

Its voice lowered, dripping mockery and something worse, understanding.

"But now?" It scoffed, shaking its head. "You've dulled yourself. Wrapped yourself in restraint. Choked yourself on hesitation."

A pause. A grin. A whisper.

"You don't need to fight to win, Shinji."

The Specter leaned in, its presence slithering through his thoughts, unstitching every excuse, every lock he'd ever placed on himself.

"You need to fight to live."

A sudden rush of something cold swept through Shinji's veins, his body responding before his mind could catch up. His heart pounded, but it wasn't panic, it was something deeper, something primal. Something waiting to be unleashed.

The Specter grinned, its empty gaze drinking in the flickering shift behind Shinji's eyes. "Tell me," it purred. "Are you ready to remember what that felt like? Will you let me return you to your glory?"

Shinji swallowed, his breath coming in slow, ragged pulls. The weight pressing down on him wasn't just from his injuries anymore, it was the Specter, its words wrapping around his mind like iron shackles, heavy and suffocating. But despite the cold crawling under his skin, despite the phantom touch of something wrong whispering at the edges of his thoughts… he wasn't recoiling.

His fingers twitched against the cracked stone. His head lifted slightly, eyes locking onto the Specter's looming form. His voice was hoarse but steady. "Will it save the others?"

For the first time, the Specter paused. The amusement didn't fade from its voice, but there was something else lurking beneath the surface now, something unreadable.

The Specter let out a slow, deliberate exhale, its gaze locked onto Shinji with something almost resembling amusement. "Help them?" it echoed, as if tasting the words. Its head tilted, the grin stretching across its hollow face. "Hmph. Oh, you really are disappointing."

It leaned in closer, the oppressive chill of its presence seeping into Shinji's bones. "You still think this is about them?" It clicked its tongue, shaking its head. "Always so stubborn. So naïve. But fine," its claws flexed, shadowy tendrils curling outward like smoke, "yes. If you move, if you fight, they will live. Only because you will not let them fall while you still stand."

The words struck something deep within him, stirring that raw, primal instinct buried beneath pain and exhaustion. Shinji could still hear the battle raging behind him, Bakugo's furious blasts, Midoriya's ragged gasps, Todoroki's ice splintering under relentless assault. They were faltering, and the Nomu wasn't stopping.

His breath steadied, slow but deliberate. "Fine, do it," he said, voice barely above a whisper.

The Specter's grin widened. "Good."

The moment the Specter's words faded, so did its presence.

Shinji felt… free.

The suffocating weight that had been crushing him, the exhaustion clawing at his every movement, was gone. The pain that had left him trembling, struggling to even breathe, was nothing more than a distant ache, dulled into insignificance. His body felt light as if he had been unshackled from something he hadn't even realized was holding him back.

And his Quirk, God, his Quirk.

It buzzed beneath his skin, thrumming with raw, untamed energy, unlike anything he had felt before. His nerves weren't just alive, they were humming, charged with something deeper, something sharper. It wasn't just strength. It wasn't just speed. It was something else entirely.

The battlefield sharpened in his vision, every motion crisp, every sound amplified. He felt the Nomu's next movement before it even happened, its grotesque body coiling for another charge. He could hear the ragged breaths of his allies, the crackle of Bakugo's explosions, the shift of Todoroki's ice creeping over the fractured ground.

Then he felt them.

More Jaegers.

They had appeared, how many, he didn't know yet. But he felt them. Flickering at the edges of his mind like distant flames, waiting, watching. And for the first time since the battle had begun, he knew he could switch.

His fingers twitched, sparks dancing at his fingertips from Cherno Alpha's broken circuits. The Specter had left him with something, something that had changed the way his Quirk worked.

His gaze locked onto the Nomu, watching as it twitched, recovering from his last strike. It was still powerful, still monstrous, but now? Now Shinji didn't feel outmatched.

For the first time in a long, long time, he felt like the predator.

He exhaled, rolling his shoulders as he flexed his fingers.

Let's see how far this goes.

Then he moved.

His hands dug into the fractured stone, fingers curling against the jagged edges of the crater. The ground beneath him trembled as he pulled himself up, strength surging through his limbs like fire. His muscles coiled with newfound power, and the moment his feet found solid ground, he stood.

Not staggered, not struggling, he rose.

The battlefield stretched out before him, and he took it in all at once. Midoriya was panting, his arm crackling with unnatural purple veins from the strain of his latest attack. Bakugo's palms still smoked, his stance tight, wary, a rare flicker of uncertainty in his gaze. Todoroki's ice lay shattered across the ground, steam rising from where the Nomu had broken through his latest attempt to restrain it.

And the Nomu…

It twitched, grotesque muscles flexing, its body adjusting to the damage it had taken. Its regeneration had slowed thanks to their combined efforts, but not stopped. It was adapting. Learning. Preparing to charge again.

Shinji exhaled slowly. as he let go of his transformation, the energy dissipating from his frame. The battered plating of Cherno Alpha broke away from his body in chunks, hitting the ground before vanishing into nothingness. His breaths came steady, controlled, even as he took in the state of his body.

His arms were battered, skin mottled with deep bruises and raw from overexertion, faint tremors coursing through them with every twitch of his fingers. One of those fingers jutted at an unnatural angle, but he barely registered the pain. The sharp, metallic tang of blood lingered on his tongue, thick and cloying, trailing from the corner of his lips in sluggish, uneven drips.

His legs, however, bore the worst of it. The flesh around his calves was charred black, the result of prolonged exposure to Athena's thrusters, while an angry red inflammation spread outward in jagged patterns, the burns searing deep into the muscle. Further up, his chest was marked by a noticeable crater, the imprint of impact carved brutally into him, a testament to the sheer force that had been unleashed.

The damage was still there. But that was fine. He had fought in similar conditions before.

"I have to call on you one more time, old friend," Shinji muttered, his voice low but steady. His fingers curled into fists, bloodied knuckles tightening as he took a single breath, then his quirk roared to life once more.

A surge of power ignited beneath his skin, flooding his veins with raw energy. The air around him crackled with an unseen force as gray, armored plating began to materialize over his frame, encasing him in a new, but familiar shell.

Striker Eureka.

The transformation was instant and seamless, smoother than it had been in years. The sleek, armored frame of the Jaeger wrapped around Shinji like a second skin, its plates locking into place with a familiar, almost comforting weight. But something was different. Something was right.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Striker wasn't damaged.

Shinji's breath caught for a split second as he took in the pristine condition of his Jaeger. The armor gleamed under the ruined glow of battle, unmarred by the claw marks and scorching wounds that had become his norm. The joints didn't groan with wear, the servos didn't lag with old injuries, it was whole. Untouched. Like it was before the Breach.

His fingers flexed, feeling the flawless response of the machine around him, the power thrumming beneath the plating. The reactive armor hummed, sharper than he remembered, ready to respond to every movement, every command. He rolled his shoulders, the servos adjusting seamlessly, the weight settling around him not as a burden, but as reassurance. This was how Striker was meant to feel. A perfect fit.

His vision sharpened, locking onto the Nomu ahead of him. The creature's black, beady eyes twitched, as if sensing the shift, the raw presence that now radiated from Shinji. But this time, he didn't hesitate.

His stance was stronger, his movements sharper, faster. Nothing dragged. Nothing faltered. The pain in his ribs, the dull ache in his limbs, the exhaustion pressing against his skull, it was all still there, but it no longer mattered.

For the first time in years, he wasn't fighting as something broken.

The Twin stinger blades ran along his arms stopping just below his fist, Striker's plating shifted and adjusted revealing the missile launch on his chest, the weapon systems coming to life as if they, too, recognized what this moment meant.

The Nomu let out a low snarl, its grotesque muscles tensing.

Shinji shifted his weight forward, his grip tightening.

"Let's finish this."

Then, with a roar, he launched himself forward.

The Nomu's grotesque form loomed over Midoriya, its massive hand clamped around the green-haired boy's body, lifting him like a ragdoll. The Nomu's other fist was raised, ready to deliver the final blow, its face expressionless as though this was just another task. Midoriya's gasps for breath were becoming more desperate as the Nomu's grip tightened, his body beginning to sag from the pressure.

Shinji's heart pounded in his chest, his focus narrowing. He couldn't afford to wait any longer.

Striker's Anti-Kaiju Launcher powered up with a low hum, the plating on his chest splitting apart revealing the multi barreled armament. The targeting systems snapped into focus zeroing in on the Nomu with surgical precision. The weight of his actions didn't even register, there was no hesitation. This was the moment.

Shinji's mind locked into that singular, razor-sharp focus. His breath slowed, every muscle in his body poised, ready for action.

Fire.

He didn't need to say the command. The system responded to his thoughts, and the launcher roared to life. A thunderous blast echoed through the air, and before the Nomu could react, a missile streaked across the battlefield, a bright, searing piece of raw, concentrated power.

The shot collided with the Nomu's exposed side, slamming into its thick, monstrous body with a resonating impact. The blast was forceful, a sharp, concentrated burst of energy that cracked into the Nomu's flesh, sending a shower of sparks and debris in all directions.

The Nomu staggered, its hand loosening just enough around Midoriya for the young hero to slip through Its grip and fall to the ground with soft thud. The creature let out a distorted howl, a guttural screech of pain as It began to regenerate, the wound closing nearly instantly.

Undeterred and without hesitation, Shinji lunged forward, moving with the precision of a predator closing in on prey. The Nomu, still reeling, struggled to recover, its movements becoming slower and more erratic as it shifted itself to face Shinji.

Shinji's heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline coursing through his veins as the Nomu's towering form loomed before him. His sting blades gleamed in the light, ready for the fight ahead. The creature snarled, its massive claws raised, and Shinji's mind snapped into focus. The battle would be a struggle, but he would not fall. Not today.

The first strike came fast. The Nomu's clawed hand swept through the air with enough force to shatter bone. Shinji ducked just in time, feeling the wind from the claw's swipe rush past him. His feet moved on instinct, darting to the side as the Nomu swung again. This time, Shinji barely managed to parry, deflecting the claw with one of the stinger blades, but the force behind the attack still sent a jolt through his arm.

The Nomu's blue blood splattered across the ground as Shinji grazed it with a slash, sizzling as it ate into the stone. The air smelled sharp, toxic, but Shinji barely noticed the sting. He was focused, his movements sharp and calculated as he darted forward again, slashing the Nomu's exposed side. His stinger blade tore through the tough flesh, but it wasn't a clean strike. The creature's thick skin resisted, forcing Shinji to twist and fight harder to free the blade.

The creature lunged forward, its massive hand reaching for him with terrifying speed. Shinji's instincts kicked in, and he sidestepped just in time, narrowly avoiding the crushing blow. The Nomu's fist grazed his side, the force of the impact sending a jolt of pain through his ribs that faded just as quickly as it had come. He gritted his teeth and swung his stinger blades with deadly precision.

The blades sliced through the Nomu's thick arm, the sharp steel cutting deep into the beast's flesh. Blood, a toxic, acidic blue, sprayed from the wound, sizzling as it hit the ground. The creature let out a monstrous roar, but Shinji didn't give it time to recover. He moved with fluid speed, thrusting the blades toward the Nomu's chest, aiming for a vulnerable spot between its ribs.

The stinger blades sank in, tearing through the Nomu's chest with brutal force. The creature staggered back, its monstrous form heaving as it struggled to maintain its footing. But even as it bled, even as its flesh tore and burned, it wasn't slowing down. The Nomu's regeneration kicked in, its wounds sealing over with an unnatural, grotesque speed.

Shinji's eyes narrowed. He couldn't let up now. He couldn't let the Nomu get the upper hand.

The beast's claws shot forward, a blur of motion that Shinji barely managed to dodge. The claws raked across his side, tearing through Striker Eureka's plating and cutting deep into the reinforced armor beneath. The impact sent a wave of pain through his body, but he ignored it once more. The Nomu was getting desperate, and that was an advantage. He could feel it. It was weakening.

Shinji twisted and slashed, aiming for the Nomu's throat. The blades dug into its flesh, carving deep into the exposed area. Blood erupted from the wound, splattering across the ground. But still, the Nomu fought. Its jaws snapped, and with a feral growl, it retaliated, swinging its claws in a wide arc.

Shinji barely had time to react. He managed to block one claw with his blade, but the second swipe caught him across the chest. The force of the hit knocked him backward, the air leaving his lungs in a violent burst. His armor groaned under the impact, and the claws scraping across his skin sent a shockwave through his body. Blood, the Nomu's blue blood, splattered against his armor, burning through the metal and leaving corrosive marks behind.

The Nomu, undeterred by the damage, charged once more. Its speed was unnerving, but Shinji was faster. He darted forward, his stinger blades a blur as he launched a vicious series of slashes toward the Nomu's side. Each strike landed with precision, tearing through the beast's flesh with brutal efficiency. Blood poured from the wounds, but still, it didn't slow.

With a snarl, Shinji ducked under a retaliatory swing, narrowly avoiding the claws that scraped the air above his head. He was close now, too close to miss. With a final, decisive move, he lunged forward, both blades aimed at the Nomu's exposed flank.

The strike was perfect.

The blades sank deep into the creature's side, tearing through its thick hide with a satisfying crunch. The Nomu's roar of pain echoed through the battlefield, but its body was already starting to heal, its regenerative abilities kicking in once again. Blood sprayed in all directions, but it wasn't enough. It wasn't enough to stop the Nomu from rising again.

Shinji stepped back, panting heavily. He could see it in the creature's eyes, the way its body shifted, healing the damage as if it was nothing. The battle was far from over. But Shinji wasn't backing down. He wasn't finished yet.

Not while the Nomu still stood.

Shniji could barely hear the sound of his classmates yelling, their words blurred by his adrenaline. The world around him had narrowed down to a single point of focus: the Nomu. Every other sound, the distant explosions, the calls for help, the chaotic noise of battle, was muffled by the pounding of his heart and the rush of blood in his ears. His vision was tunneled, the creature in front of him the only thing that mattered now.

Shinji moved like a machine, his body flowing with precision and purpose as the battle raged on around him. The pain that had once wracked his body, every bruise, every cut, every burn, was gone. The exhaustion that had threatened to overwhelm him earlier had dissipated, replaced by a strange, almost unnatural clarity. He felt no fatigue, no aching muscles. His mind was sharp, and his reflexes enhanced.

He feinted an attack on the Nomu's injured side, luring it into a predictable defense. The creature, relentless and angry, shifted its weight to protect the wound, its monstrous limbs rising instinctively to guard its vulnerable side. Shinji smirked to himself, exactly as he had expected.

In an instant, his other hand swung toward the creature's eyes, his stinger blades extending like a flash of lightning. The blades slammed into the Nomu's face with a sickening crunch, cutting deep into the already-damaged sockets. Blue blood sprayed outward, sizzling upon impact with Shinji's armor, but he didn't even flinch. There was no pain, nothing but the thrill of battle and the cold, methodical focus he had never felt before.

The Nomu howled in pain, staggering back, but Shinji was already on the move. The creature's regeneration kicked in almost immediately, but it couldn't heal fast enough to stop the torrent of damage. As the Nomu recoiled, its hands clawing at its face to remove the blades, Shinji moved with fluid grace, his stinger blades cutting through the air like extensions of his own will.

The Nomu's monstrous claws lashed out wildly, trying to swat him down, but Shinji danced around the strikes with ease. He ducked under one massive swipe, sidestepped another, and then countered with a brutal slash to the creature's throat. The acidic blue blood gushed from the wound, hissing as it burned into the ground. But Shinji didn't hesitate. He didn't need to.

The Nomu responded with a retaliatory strike, its claws sweeping toward Shinji's torso with lightning speed. This time, he couldn't dodge completely. The claws raked across his shoulder, tearing through Striker Eureka's armor and drawing a shallow gash. The blood that spilled from the wound was nothing more than a fleeting distraction, the sting of the impact swallowed up in the haze of battle.

The Nomu's claws came again, faster this time, but Shinji was already moving, closing the distance. His blades found their mark once more, slashing across the Nomu's torso with clean, decisive movements. The creature bellowed in pain, but it was already healing, its body mending even as Shinji pressed the attack.

With every strike, Shinji's confidence grew. There was no more hesitation, no more fear. His movements were fluid, and instinctive, as though the fight had become second nature. He was a hunter, and the Nomu was prey. A worthy opponent, yes, but one that would fall before his strength, before his unyielding determination.

The Nomu staggered, its regeneration faltering under the sheer volume of damage. It was slowing, its movements more erratic, its claws coming less swiftly. Shinji didn't stop. He didn't give it a chance to recover.

With a final, relentless push, Shinji launched himself at the Nomu, both stinger blades aimed for its chest. The creature howled in agony as the blades sank deep into its flesh, cutting through bone and muscle. Its blood erupted from the wound in a torrent, coating the battlefield in a poisonous mist. The Nomu's massive body trembled, but it wasn't enough to stop it from continuing to fight.

Out of the corner of his eye, Shinji saw the air shimmer, an almost imperceptible ripple, like the distortion before a storm. His instincts flared. Without thinking, he pivoted, his stinger blades flashing through the air with blinding speed.

A portal cracked open, its edges bleeding into the fabric of reality like a tear in space itself. Through it, Shigaraki's arm emerged, reaching out, fingers curling toward Shinji, fingers that seemed to carry with them the weight of death.

But Shinji was faster.

In a single, fluid motion, he swung his arm, his stinger blade cutting through the air with deadly precision. The blade met Shigaraki's arm with a sickening slice, severing it clean off at the elbow. blood, both Nomu's and Shigaraki's, sprayed in all directions, a vile mixture that sizzled upon contact with the ground.

Shinji could hear Shigaraki's roar of agony, but the sound was drowned out by the overwhelming noise of battle. The villain's cry echoed in the distance, but it didn't matter. Not now. His focus was entirely on the Nomu.

With a blur of motion, his head snapped to the side just in time to dodge another crushing punch from the creature. The force of the Nomu's attack passed inches from his face, its claws cutting through the air with bone-shattering speed. Shinji barely avoided the hit, the air displaced by the strike rushing past him like a gust of wind.

Without hesitation, he swung his left arm up. The stinger blade, still slick with the Nomu's acidic blood, sank deep into the creature's forearm. He twisted his wrist, carving through flesh and bone, and with a brutal motion, he ripped the blade sideways. The Nomu let out a twisted, guttural screech as its arm was nearly severed, the appendage now hanging loosely, only a few strands of flesh and torn skin holding it to the rest of its body.

The arm dropped to the ground with a sickening thud, its weight too much for the bits holding it onto the nomu's body, twitching for a brief moment before going still. But the Nomu wasn't done. Its other arm lashed out, a desperate, wild swipe aimed at Shinji, its eyes still hollow but carrying a flicker of fury.

Shinji barely registered the movement before he was already reacting, his instincts guiding him through the chaos. The Nomu was weakening, but it was still relentless, still fighting back with everything it had left.

Shinji's left foot lashed out, kicking into the Nomu's right leg with a resounding thud. The impact did nothing, the beast's shock absorption still holding up. He'd expected that, he knew better than to rely on raw force alone. The Nomu wasn't something that could be taken down with a simple strike.

The Nomu, sensing the opening, shot its remaining hand down toward Shinji's leg with a violent lunge. Its claws were aimed to crush him, but Shinji anticipated the move. With a calculated shift of his weight, he drove his stinger blade deep into the creature's torso, aiming for the spot where its heart should be. The blade sank in with a sickening crunch, and Shinji used the stab as leverage, pushing himself upward with his free arm, the blade twisting as it carved downward, creating a widening wound.

The Nomu let out an animalistic roar, but it couldn't stop Shinji's relentless push. Blood sprayed from the creature's chest, and Shinji, still climbing, finally reached its head. With a final surge of energy, he twisted his body and drove both stinger blades directly into the Nomu's skull, aiming for its exposed brain.

The creature's whole body seized, a convulsive shudder running through it as the blades struck their target. Its limbs stiffened, the furious movements slowing until it was nothing but a hulking, twitching mass of flesh. The brain was still alive, still functioning, but its regeneration couldnt get past the blades. And Shinji didn't wait for it to fully collapse.

In one smooth motion, he retracted his stinger blades, pulling them from the creature's skull and farther up his arms. Then, with a precision born from sheer experience, Shinji reached down, his hand gripping the Nomu's brain. He tore it free, pulling the writhing mass of neurons and tissue from the skull with ease.

The creature's body trembled once more before it finally went still, its massive form crumpling to the ground. Shinji stood there, panting, his armor slick with both his own blood and the acidic remnants of the Nomu's. He held the brain in his hand, the beating heart of the monster now in his grasp.

With a single thought, Shinji's fingers tightened around the pulsing, twitching organ. The Nomu's brain was still desperately trying to function, its unnatural regeneration struggling even in the absence of a body. It was useless. Pointless.

Or so he thought.

A fist slammed into Shinji's skull before he could react.

A sickening crack echoed through his head as the left side of Striker Eureka's visor shattered, jagged shards slicing into his cheek and around his eye. The left side of his helmet was ripped away completely, torn apart like paper beneath the force of the blow. The impact sent him skidding across the battlefield, metal scraping against stone, sparks flying in his wake. His ears rang, his vision blurred, but his body still refused to feel pain.

Shinji pushed himself up, blinking rapidly as his surroundings came back into focus. The Nomu was still moving. His fingers twitched, curling into fists as a low growl built in his throat.

Enough.

He was sick of this back-and-forth.

Sick of this thing getting back up. Sick of this mindless puppet refusing to die. Sick of the constant struggle, the constant grind, the endless cycle.

Shinji exhaled sharply, his grip tightening as his blades shifted back into position. His stance lowered, his body coiling like a predator preparing to strike. The air around him hummed with energy, his mind sharpened into a singular focus.

Fine.

If they wanted to keep getting back up, he'd just cut them down again.

With a burst of speed, Shinji launched himself forward, his blades slicing through the air in a deadly arc. The Nomu charged to meet him, its grotesque form regenerating at an impossible rate, but Shinji was already predicting its movements. He twisted around a wild swing, his blade carving deep into the beast's side, sending it stumbling. Another slash, its shoulder split open. Another, its knee gave out. No matter how much damage he inflicted, though, it refused to die.

His narrowed eyes flicked toward Shigaraki watching for another attack, hatred marring his face, and for the first time, the realization settled in.

It's not stopping because it's a fighter. It's not stopping because it's a puppet.

It was following orders. A mindless extension of him.

Shigaraki.

That was the key.

Without hesitation, Shinji shifted his momentum, pushing off the ground and diving toward the villain. His blades gleamed, ready to carve through the man who had been orchestrating all of this from the start.

Shigaraki barely had time to react before Shinji was on him, a blade inches from his throat,

And then the air warped.

A swirling mass of mist expanded between them, and before Shinji could adjust, the mists voice cut through the chaos.

"We need to go."

In the span of a breath, Shigaraki and the mist villain vanished into the mist. The oppressive presence that had filled the battlefield was suddenly gone, and the silence that followed was deafening.

Shinji landed in a low stance, his blades still primed for an attack that would never connect. His breath was steady, his body still thrumming with the desire to keep going, but there was nothing left to fight.

The Nomu he had been battling stood frozen, its hulking form unmoving. No commands. No orders. Just standing there.

Like a machine with no pilot.

Shinji slowly straightened, his fingers flexing, and his blades at the ready before he finally let them retract. His breathing remained controlled, but beneath the surface, his anger still simmered.

They got away.