Rescue and Return

The atmosphere at U.A. High was no longer one of youthful energy and determination.

It was quiet.

It was haunted.

The buses returned with battered students some wrapped in bandages, others staring out the windows with vacant eyes. The grounds, once filled with chatter and training exercises, now felt like the halls of a hospital ward.

News reports blared from nearby screens:

"Public outrage surges as U.A. fails to protect its students…" "Bakugo Katsumi still missing. Parents demand accountability…" "Is the Hero Society crumbling under its own legacy?"

Students walked in silence. Some wept.

Midoriya, Kirishima, Todoroki, Iida, and Yaoyorozu sat around a table in one cafeteria, the room dim, the tension heavier than ever.

"We're not allowed to act," Iida said firmly, though even he didn't believe it. "It's not our place anymore."

Kirishima slammed his fist down.

"But Bakugo's our friend! We can't sit here while they while they do God-knows-what to her!"

Midoriya was quiet. He looked at his hands, remembering the promise he made to always protect others.

"The heroes said they're handling it... but what if they're too late?"

Yaoyorozu, hands trembling slightly, looked toward the window.

"I made the tracker. I could've done more. If I'd just... if I had acted faster"

Todoroki interrupted, calm but cold.

"Then let's stop talking about it. Either we leave this to the pros… or we do something."

Silence followed.

And in that silence, the decision was made.

Elsewhere, in a secured underground room at U.A., Principal Nezu looked up from a war table of maps and intel, his expression serious despite his size.

"We've located the approximate hideout. This is going to be delicate and dangerous. We need someone who won't hesitate… someone the League already fears."

He turned toward the darkness of the room.

From the shadows, Nyxia emerged silent, massive, golden eyes burning with restrained fury.

"You'll be joining the Hero Response Team," Nezu said. "We need your presence to anchor the assault. Your shadow domain might be the only reason we get Bakugo back alive."

Nyxia didn't respond. He only nodded.

Later, before he left, Eri ran to him, arms outstretched, tears welling in her eyes.

"Please don't go… you might not come back…"

He knelt, wrapping a tendril gently around her hand. His monstrous form softened, but his resolve remained. He couldn't speak but he held her tightly.

Another tendril emerged, holding a small plushie made of shadow. A gift for her.

Then he stood… and vanished into the dark.

The world spun into ink as Kurogiri's warp gate closed behind them.

Bakugo Katsumi stumbled forward into dim lighting metal floorboards, smoke-stained walls, the scent of old alcohol and fresh decay. She was in the League's hidden bar hideout, deep underground, masked in illusions and warped space.

The door clanged shut.

"Welcome, Bakugo," came Shigaraki's rasp."Hope you don't mind the décor."

Around her stood Toga, twirling a knife between fingers and giggling; Spinner, quiet but observant; and Mr. Compress, leaning lazily on the bar, juggling a marble.

Chains shimmered with quirksuppressing tech, loosely bound enough for movement, but not for escape.

Bakugo sat in a chair, breathing hard but unafraid.

"What? No welcome drink?" she spat.

Shigaraki crouched before her, tilting his head like a predator sizing up prey.

"You've got power. Real power. Not like those U.A. phonies who coddle kids and fake smiles for cameras."

He paced slowly, fingers twitching.

"Why let the 'hero system' turn you into another puppet? We're offering you freedom. Power without rules. Respect without the masks."

Toga chimed in, leaning close.

"You're like us. Passionate. Explosive. Beautiful chaos~!"

Mr. Compress nodded.

"You're a performer, Katsumi. But the stage they built for you is a cage."

It was an act. A carefully constructed manipulation. One that had worked on broken people before.

But Bakugo… wasn't broken.

Her head lowered for a beat.

Then she smirked.

"You think I'm gonna throw everything away and join you freaks?"

The air around her crackled heat pulsing off her skin.

"Screw your offer."

"I'm not gonna join your villain crap!I'll be a hero, no matter what!!"

With a deafening BOOM, her wrists ignited. The entire back wall of the bar was scorched in a concussive blast of fiery light.

Toga screamed as she was thrown across the room. Spinner shielded himself, sparks dancing across his scales. The lights flickered.

Even restrained, Bakugo had turned the room into a battlefield.

Shigaraki's face twisted with irritation.

"You're just like the rest. Loud. Blind. Stupid."

His hand lifted toward her with five fingers twitching ready to erase her existence.

"I'll break you like I broke the old world."

But before his fingers reached her

A thunderous crash shattered the ceiling as Best Jeanist's threads tore through the roof. Gran Torino blitzed through the smoke like lightning, knocking Mr. Compress off his feet.

From the hallway, golden light exploded into the room All Might arrived, fists clenched, eyes ablaze.

"Bakugo!!"

From every angle, Pro Heroes and elite students surged in, flanking the bar and pinning the League between a dozen deadly fronts.

Among them, shadows spiraled into the room dark tendrils and blazing golden eyes emerging from smoke and void: Nyxia arrived.

His presence silenced even Shigaraki.

Dozens of shadow soldiers poured behind him, blades drawn, surrounding the villains. Nyxia moved without a word, his tentacles deflecting Spinner's blade and shielding the students.

In the chaos, Izuku, Todoroki, Iida, Kirishima, and Yaoyorozu arrived, their plan precise.

Momo launched suppressors and flares.

Todoroki sealed escape routes with a wall of ice.

Iida charged in with blinding speed, clearing a path.

Midoriya reached for Bakugo

But she was already moving.

Eyes locked on Kirishima.

"Kiri—I'm airborne!"

Kirishima cupped his hands, shouting her name with conviction: "Let's go home, Bakugo!!"

Bakugo grinned, blew out both palms, and launched herself skyward, the explosion propelling her through the breach in the ceiling as Nyxia's soldiers covered the retreat.

From the air, Bakugo looked down teeth grit, heart pounding, rage still burning.

Smoke curled through the shattered remains of the hideout. With Bakugo rescued and most of the League of Villains cornered, the Pro Heroes pressed their advantage.

Shigaraki, bruised and burning, hissed through cracked lips as he glared at the approaching wall of shadow soldiers, Gran Torino, and All Might.

"It's not over... not yet."

Suddenly, Mr. Compress, Toga, Spinner, and Twice began convulsing choking as a thick, inky black liquid began to bubble from their mouths and noses.

Best Jeanist shouted, "Get a suppressor collar on them !"

But it was too late.

The black fluid poured out of their bodies, spilling onto the cracked floor like living oil. It twisted unnaturally, forming a pulsating pool of swirling shadow beneath their feet.

Nyxia took a step forward, his tentacles immediately unfurling in defense. His golden eyes flared as he recognized something deeper not a warp gate, but something older. Wrong.

"This isn't Kurogiri…" Mandalay muttered.

In an instant, the pool surged upward, engulfing each villain in a column of oily shadow.

"NO!" All Might launched forward, fist cocked to intercept.

But as his punch tore through the column, Shigaraki and the others were gone evaporated into darkness.

And in their place…

Came Nomus.

Dozens.

Monstrous, mutated Nomus, crawling out of the fluid like nightmares birthed from shadow. Some had too many limbs. Some dragged wings across the ceiling. Others had no faces only gaping maws.

Toga's silhouette melted away, replaced by a slim, eyeless Nomu with writhing syringes for arms.Spinner's spot now hosted a scaled brute with jagged armor fused to its spine.Twice's shadow unfurled into a frenzied clone Nomu, twitching and muttering nonsense through teeth that didn't quite close.

"AMBUSH!!" shouted Endeavor, already igniting the room with flame.

Nyxia's tentacles surged forward, lashing out to protect the students and push them back. His shadow soldiers, already bloodied from the first battle, braced again blades raised, wings unfurled.

The room became chaos.

As the battle intensified, Nezu's voice came through the comms:

"This was planned. A contingency. Their bodies were disposable shells. We need to retreat. We've secured Bakugo. Get out NOW."

All Might hesitated, fists still clenched. But he knew Nezu was right.

This wasn't a victory.This was a message.

"You think you've won," Shigaraki's voice echoed faintly from nowhere."But you only bought time."

The air still crackled with residual energy from the brutal Nomu battle. Heroes stood breathing hard, some limping, all wary, as the forest hideout's shadows seemed to writhe in uneasy silence.

Suddenly, a chill swept through the room.

A heavy, oppressive presence descended like a dark storm cloud.

From the depths of the smoke and shattered ruins, a figure emerged All For One.

His eyes gleamed with cold amusement, lips curling into a sinister smirk as he surveyed the battered heroes.

For a moment, time froze.

Nyxia's golden eyes narrowed, tentacles tensing in silent warning.

All Might's jaw clenched, fists tightening into thunderous balls of energy.

With a roar that shook the very air,

"Not on my watch!"

All Might launched forward, a comet of righteous fury blazing toward All For One.

The two titans collided in a cataclysmic explosion of power lightning and shadow clashing, earth trembling beneath their feet.

Around them, the other heroes readied themselves for the storm to come.

The fight had just reached its true beginning.

The clash was immediate and brutal.

All Might lunged forward, fists blazing with raw power, each punch carrying the weight of a hero's legacy. But his movements once fluid and unstoppable were now edged with fatigue. The years of battle and the nearing end of his Quirk's lifespan pressed heavily on him.

All For One met every strike with terrifying precision. His many stolen Quirks activated in deadly harmony air cannons blasted shockwaves, his arms bulged with enhanced strength, and wounds sealed almost as fast as they appeared thanks to rapid regeneration.

All Might gritted his teeth, sweat mixing with blood, knowing he couldn't hold back anymore.

Summoning every ounce of remaining strength, he raised a clenched fist and screamed: "Detroit Smash!!"

The strike crashed down like a meteor, colliding with All For One's chest in an explosion of light and force.

For a heartbeat, All For One staggered his imposing frame cracked and smoke rising from his armor.

Victory seemed within reach.

But then

Out of the shadows, All For One struck back with a ruthless surprise attack, launching a fierce blow that sent All Might crashing backwards.

Before the villain could press his advantage

Nyxia erupted forward, tentacles flaring like living blades, weaving a shield of shadows around All Might.

With no hesitation, Nyxia took the hit meant for the Symbol of Peace, absorbing the brutal strike.

His monstrous form roared part pain, part defiance as he threw himself between the two legends.

The air thickened with tension as Nyxia faced All For One directly, shadows swirling violently around him like living storms. His tentacles moved with deadly precision, blocking crushing blows and slicing through waves of energy that sought to overwhelm him.

All For One's eyes glinted with cold amusement beneath his scarred, twisted visage. Each attack he unleashed carried the weight of countless stolen Quirks blasts of air, crushing strength, and subtle manipulations of the environment. Yet Nyxia held firm, a wall of shadow and determination.

Between strikes, All For One's voice slithered through the chaos, smooth and poisonous.

"You have strength… immense potential. But why waste it fighting for their broken system?"

His gaze locked onto Nyxia's glowing eyes.

"Join me. Together, we could remake this world. No rules. No masters. Freedom beyond your wildest imagining."

Nyxia's form rippled, golden eyes flashing brighter. His tentacles coiled tightly, refusing to yield.

The shadows around him deepened, tendrils whipping forward in a ferocious counterattack that forced All For One to step back.

"I fight for something greater," Nyxia's silent fury spoke louder than words. "Not for chaos… but for hope."

The clash resumed—blades of shadow meeting raw power, a battle not just of strength but of wills.

All For One snarled in frustration but pressed onward, his voice a venomous whisper: "You're stronger than them. Stronger than the heroes who cower behind their ideals. You could be the one to break the cycle."

Nyxia surged forward, eyes blazing gold, shadows enveloping the battlefield as he refused the dark temptation and fought to protect the light.

The clash between Nyxia and All For One intensified with savage ferocity. Every strike shook the ground, shadows and stolen Quirk energy tearing through the air in bursts of light and darkness.

Nyxia's tentacles moved faster, stronger each lash cutting deeper and more precise than before. Behind his golden eyes, a silent surge of power pulsed, fed by an unseen force.

From within the swirling shadows, Eon emerged a shimmering crystalline entity, glowing with radiant energy. His presence intertwined with Nyxia's form, amplifying his strength beyond mortal limits.

Energy crackled along Nyxia's limbs, his strikes now echoing with the power of an ancient force.

The battlefield shook under the thunderous impact of their blows. Shadows clashed with raw, stolen power a titanic struggle that transcended mere combat. Nyxia's tentacles twisted and surged like living storms, each strike driven by a burning will to protect. Opposing him, All For One unleashed a relentless barrage of Quirk-powered assaults, his presence a looming darkness threatening to snuff out all light.

But beyond the ruins, across the nation, a sea of faces watched with bated breath. Streets, homes, and plazas overflowed with citizens glued to screens broadcasts capturing every devastating blow, every narrow dodge, every surge of power.

Voices rose in unison, cheers echoing from every corner of Japan:

"Fight, Nyxia! Protect us!"

"Show him the power of hope!"

"You're our shield our light in the darkness!"

Amid the crowd, Eri's wide eyes shimmered with awe and hope. Clutching a small plush shadow creature a gift from Nyxia she whispered softly: "You can do it... please protect us all."

Back on the battlefield, Nyxia felt the surge of their faith. His golden eyes blazed brighter, the shadows around him swirling in a protective embrace, as if the very will of the people bolstered his strength.

With a mighty roar, Nyxia unleashed a colossal strike, a fusion of shadow and energy that collided with All For One's defenses in a deafening explosion.

The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the air dust and light intertwined as the two forces struggled for supremacy.

The battlefield fell into a hushed silence, the roaring clashes momentarily paused as Nyxia's eyes deepened into pools of molten gold.

There was no flash of light. No booming crescendo.

Instead, from the shadows at his core, something ancient and primal awakened.

His tentacles withdrew, then suddenly exploded outward, black as the void itself twisting, spiraling like tendrils of darkness made flesh.

The darkness wasn't just power. It was all-consuming a living void that began to swallow everything it touched.

All For One staggered, confusion flickering across his face as the shadows crept over him, tendrils wrapping tighter and tighter.

His stolen quirks flared wildly in a desperate attempt to break free.

But the void showed no mercy.

It seeped into his skin, into his bones, into his very soul.

A suffocating silence followed the last breath of a storm.

All For One's form began to dissolve, pulled apart from within, his essence devoured by the endless shadow.

When the darkness finally retracted, All For One was gone.

Only silence remained.

Nyxia stood alone amidst the fading echoes, the dark void retreating back into him, leaving behind a stillness heavier than any victory roar.

The crater still smoldered, remnants of battle etched deep into the earth cracked stone, scorched soil, and silence in place of chaos.

Nyxia stood at its center, unmoving, shadows gently fading from his monstrous form. His body trembled from exhaustion smoke rising from cracks in his arms where void and power had overloaded his flesh. His tentacles drooped like wilting branches, golden eyes dimmed but still alive.

Through the dust, Iida arrived arms cradling a small figure wrapped in a pale cloak.

Eri.

Her eyes scanned the ruined battlefield until they locked on him her protector, her shadow, her hero.

"Nyxia!!"

She wriggled free from Iida's hold and ran small feet pounding against stone and ash as she reached the edge of the crater.

Nyxia turned his head slowly, just as a low hum ripped through the air.

A rift bloomed open a swirling tear in space itself and out stepped Vidarath, his usual flamboyant clothes slightly torn, his hair a mess, but his grin intact.

One golden eye and one cosmic-blue winked at Nyxia.

"Heh… looks like you had a hell of a time, buddy."

He stepped forward, hands in his pockets as the rift pulsed behind him like a living gate.

"Come on. Let's fix you up."

Nyxia took a single step forward.

Then stopped.

His massive form wavered.

Eri screamed his name again: "Nyxia!! Don't go!! Don't leave me!!"

He turned eyes soft and tired, but full of warmth.

As she reached him, she hugged his leg, tears slipping down her cheeks.

Nyxia slowly knelt.

One large hand formed from his tentacle, gently brushing her hair.

He looked up to Vidarath.

No words were needed.

Just a look.

Vidarath's grin softened.

He gave a knowing nod.

"Yeah. You can take her with us."

He reached out a hand, and a small ripple of comfort spread from the portal.

"Let's go."

Nyxia stood slowly, Eri in his arms now, still clinging to him tightly.

Together, the three of them walked into the rift.

And as it closed behind them, the skies over Japan slowly brightened not from a rising sun, but from the hope they had left behind.

The portal opened like a sigh.

From its swirling edge stepped Vidarath, cradling his usual chaotic poise. Beside him, Eri walked silently, her small hand holding tightly to a thick tendril that trailed from Nyxia.

And then Nyxia fell forward.

His titanic frame collapsed, not from pain but from the sheer weight of victory. The monstrous limbs, the scorched tendrils, the flickering golden eyes all burned out from the strain of defeating All For One.

They landed on the polished obsidian floor of Zalthorion's office, casting long shadows across the glowing, celestial circuitry that pulsed through the walls.

Before the echoes of his fall could even fade

"Nyxia!"

Dr. Dietrich Wagner ran in with a flurry of medical drones and gear slung over his back. His glasses glinted with urgency as he dropped to his knees beside the fallen figure.

"Vitals low… nerve clusters overcharged… Void saturation at 87% Mein Gott, what did you do to yourself?"

Wagner's hands trembled as he activated stabilizing fields. Golden sparks flickered from broken tendrils. The body wasn't dying but it wasn't healing either.

Then…

A calm presence entered the room.

Zalthorion Veilstryx.

He walked toward them, robes flowing like liquid galaxies, the weight of ages in his gaze. Quietly, he knelt beside Nyxia, placing one gloved hand upon the battered, monstrous form.

Eri stepped back slightly, clutching Vidarath's sleeve. Her eyes shimmered not with fear, but awe.

Zalthorion's voice was soft. Almost fatherly.

"Enough suffering… You've done more than anyone could've asked."

His hand pulsed with brilliant light, not warm like fire but eternal, like the first sunrise of a new universe.

A low hum filled the chamber as Nyxia's monstrous form began to unravel not violently, but gently. Like vines shedding winter.

Tentacles withdrew into flesh.

Molten veins cooled.

The golden eyes dimmed, closing until finally, left lying on the floor, was Nyxia in his human form, bruised, unconscious… but whole.

Eri slowly walked forward.

She dropped to her knees beside him, taking his hand in both of hers.

"You came back… like you promised."

Vidarath, standing above them, gave a small smile.

"He always does."

As the light from Zalthorion's touch faded, Nyxia's body lay still breathing, but deeply unconscious. The tension in the room finally eased, replaced by the soft hum of the sanctum's life-support systems.

Dr. Wagner adjusted his glasses, brushing a hand over his brow as he muttered to himself in a thick German accent: "No fractured spine… nervous system still intact… but completely overtaxed. This boy's a miracle and a walking disaster at the same time."

He motioned for his floating stretcher drone, which hovered down with a metallic hum. Gently, carefully, he lifted Nyxia's limp form and placed him onto it. Despite the doctor's usual sarcasm, his movements were delicate reverent, even.

Eri, still holding Nyxia's hand, looked up at Wagner.

"Can I go with him… please?"

Wagner gave a soft sigh and looked her way.

"Ja, of course, kleine Stern. He'll want to see you when he wakes up."

Eri nodded, her eyes full of quiet determination. She didn't let go of his hand not even as the drone began to move.

Vidarath, watching with crossed arms from the doorway, gave a little nod.

"Don't worry, squirt. He's not going anywhere."

As the trio left the chamber Nyxia, Eri, and Wagner the great doors of Zalthorion's office slowly closed behind them.

Soft lights glowed overhead. The air smelled of antiseptic, ozone, and polished crystal tech. Nyxia lay on a bed, breathing slowly, his hair tousled and his hand still held tightly in Eri's tiny grip.

Wagner worked in silence monitoring his vitals, applying Void-suppression bands, and adjusting the neural stabilizers.

Eri never left his side.

"You'll be okay," she whispered to him, resting her forehead gently against the back of his hand. You kept your promise."

"Commercials and Childhood"

Scene fades in. A dark alley in Evolto City's black market district. A flickering neon sign reads: ❝ Welcome to the Abyss Emporium: You Want It, We Might Risk Jail for It. ❞

A figure in a ragged cloak steps into frame dramatically…

NECROID GIRL

(ripping off the hood)

"BOB! WHY are we still doing these dumbass commercials?! Nobody watches this! It's a black market, not fucking QVC!"

The camera wobbles slightly. A few cheerful beeps and boops answer. Beneath the audio, subtitles appear:

BOB [Translation]: "Viewer analytics increased 12.4% since last ad. Also, it builds brand identity."

NECROID GIRL: "Brand?! Bob. I sell questionable substances and questionable-er weapons. The only identity I need is 'Do not mess with me unless you wanna be a crater.'"

As she paces and rants, Bob calmly pans the camera away and toward the table beside him. A colorful, hand-decorated photo book sits there with glittery letters that spell:

My Little Monster Through the Ages

Bob opens it. Each page is lovingly captioned in a mix of clunky handwriting and printed labels.

Photo Book Moments

Newborn Scrapheap – A tiny, soot-covered Necroid baby, curled up under a broken pipe. Bob's mechanical arms cradle her protectively.

Age 2 – "Death Ray Diaper Mishap" – She's wearing a baby-sized lab coat and goggles. Something exploded behind her.

Age 3 – "I'm a Mad Scientist Now" – Pouting at a chalkboard scribbled with equations. She's drawn stick figures labeled "me" and "not me" with arrows to explosions.

Age 4 – "Demon Queen Era" – A dark cape, tiara made of wires, and glowing red contacts. A lollipop staff completes the look.

Age 5 – "Bubblegum Bombs" – She's sneaking around with chewing gum and wires in her pockets.

Age 6 – "Bob's Little Assistant" – Covered in grease, proudly helping Bob fix a generator.

Age 7 – "Magic Girl Disaster" – Wearing a sparkly, chaotic magical girl outfit. There's glitter. So much glitter. Bob looks concerned.

Age 8 – "Clone Rebellion #2" – She's scowling, standing next to a destroyed vat labeled "DO NOT PRESS CLONE BUTTON."

Age 9 – "Time She Tried Diplomacy" – A tiara, a clipboard, and a middle finger raised at a politician. Bob added a gold star.

Age 10 – "Taught Herself 12 Languages. Still Can't Sit Still." – She's surrounded by books, most upside down.

Age 11 – "First Black Market Booth" – She's standing proudly behind a stall labeled "Definitely Legal Stuff."

Age ??? – "Current Phase: Chaos Merchant" – A blurry photo of her sneering at the camera with a blade in one hand and a plushie in the other.

Bob closes the book slowly and turns back toward her. The subtitle appears

BOB: "And now… this shall be her Black Market Merchant phase."

The camera zooms in heroically on her standing atop a dusty counter.

NECROID GIRL

(freezes mid-rant)

"Wait… Bob… Bob did you just take a photo? You better not—BOB. DO NOT PUT IT IN THAT STUPID GODDAMMIT BOB!"

She leaps off the counter, pouncing at the camera. The feed cuts into static…

A flicker. Then a still image remains frozen for a moment.

Bob cradling a small, unconscious Necroid girl in his arms. The timestamp reads: 36,789 years ago.

Caption: "Found her. Mine now."