Chapter 126 : A War Council and the Silence Before Dawn

I stood before a room filled with the greatest heroes in Japan. Faces I usually only saw on the news or on the hero rankings were now staring at me, a fifteen-year-old boy, with a mixture of doubt, curiosity, and tense seriousness. Behind me, on a large holographic screen, was the rough layout of the Deika City underground complex that we had put together based on my memories. The air in this U.A. underground briefing room was so heavy I could almost feel it pressing on my shoulders.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," Principal Nezu's calm voice broke the silence. "As has been explained, we are facing a national-level threat. An organized terrorist army calling themselves the Meta Liberation Army, with a force of over one hundred thousand members, has built a fortress in the Gunma mountains."

A murmur of shock and disbelief rippled through the room.

"This information," Nezu continued, "comes from a highly sensitive and high-risk intelligence source. This source has managed to infiltrate and map the command structure and key abilities of the enemy lieutenants." He paused, then looked at me. "Our intelligence asset for tonight, who will be giving the strategic briefing, is... my student, Tatsumi, operating under the hero name 'Tyrant'."

All eyes turned back to me. I could feel Endeavor's burning gaze, trying to assess whether I was a genius or a fraud. I saw Hawks in a corner of the room, giving me a small, almost imperceptible nod. I took a deep breath, calmed my dragon's heartbeat, and began to speak.

My voice, when it came out, sounded older and steadier than my age. It was the voice of the warrior's soul echoing within me, combined with the analytical calm of my former life. "Good evening, heroes," I began. "The enemy we face is different from the League of Villains. They are organized, disciplined, and fanatical about their ideology."

For the next hour, I became a professor in a science of war I had never studied. I explained the command structure of the MLA. I displayed photos of the lieutenants obtained from old police data. "This is Rikiya Yotsubashi, alias Re-Destro, CEO of Detnerat and their supreme leader. His Quirk, Stress, allows him to convert stress and frustration into pure physical power. The more cornered he is, the stronger he becomes. Do not ever underestimate him."

"Then there are his lieutenants. Geten, an ice user with power that could rival Todoroki-san's; he is likely the one holding Ryukyu. Trumpet, a politician whose Incitement Quirk can amplify the morale and power of all soldiers around him. And the most dangerous in terms of technology, Skeptic. He can manipulate electronic devices and create 'puppets' from objects around him."

I explained the geography of their underground complex, about how Irinaka from the Hassaikai (who had now been captured and interrogated) likely helped them design the shifting labyrinth. I outlined their likely defensive strategies, their weak points, and their ultimate goals.

As I spoke, I could see a change in the room. The doubt in the pro heroes' eyes slowly gave way to a deep seriousness. The details I provided were too specific, too accurate, to be mere guesswork. They began to understand that I, somehow, was the key to this operation.

After my briefing was complete, Nezu took over, laying out the full-scale assault plan based on the intelligence I had provided. The heroes were divided into several teams, each with a specific objective. A "Ryukyu Rescue Team" was formed, led by the veteran flying hero, Edgeshot. Another team was assigned to neutralize the lieutenants. And the main team, led by Endeavor, would strike directly at the command center to face Re-Destro.

"And where will this boy be positioned?" Endeavor asked in his heavy voice, gesturing toward me.

"Tatsumi-kun will be with me in the mobile command center," Nezu replied. "He will provide real-time strategic analysis and direction based on the flow of battle. He is our war advisor."

Endeavor grunted but didn't argue. He knew the value of perfect intelligence.

While the war council was underway, back at the Alliance Heights dorm, the atmosphere was quiet and anxious. The official news given to the students was that a major operation was being prepared, and that some of their teachers and Tatsumi had been called to assist in a support capacity due to their "unique abilities." It was a thin lie, and my closest friends knew something much bigger was happening.

Inside Momo's room, my circle of trust had gathered. Momo herself was pacing anxiously. "I should be there," she whispered. "I could help by creating equipment, or providing tactical support. But they told me to stay here."

"We all feel the same way, Momo-chan," Uraraka said quietly. She looked out the window, toward the distant mountains. "All we can do now is believe in Tatsumi-kun... and in the other heroes."

"But the opponent is an entire army, kero," Tsuyu added in a grim tone. "Even with all the pro heroes, this is a very dangerous fight."

Nejire, who should have been at the third-year dorms, had snuck in to be with them. She was the quietest. She just sat on the bed, hugging her knees, her eyes staring blankly. She remembered Ryukyu. Her sacrifice. And she remembered Tatsumi, who was now walking back into the same danger. She felt utterly helpless, and she hated the feeling. All they could do was wait, a special form of torture.

Atop Mount Gunga, Re-Destro felt the calm before the storm. He had sensed the intruders days ago. He knew the heroes were now aware of their existence. He wasn't afraid. On the contrary, he felt ecstatic. For years, the Meta Liberation Army had hidden in the shadows. Now, it was time for them to show their strength to the world.

"Tomura Shigaraki," he said to a screen displaying the League of Villains' leader's face. "The heroes are coming. I want you and your forces ready on the front lines. Create as much chaos as possible. Weaken them for us."

Shigaraki just let out a hoarse laugh. "Chaos? That's my specialty." He didn't care about Re-Destro's ideology. For him, this was just an opportunity to destroy more things. An alliance built on different goals, a time bomb ready to explode.

As dawn began to break, we were all ready. Dozens of armored personnel carriers lined up in silence on the roads around the foot of the mountain. I was inside a state-of-the-art mobile command center, surrounded by screens and communication technicians. Nezu sat across from me, while Aizawa and All Might gave a final briefing to the team leaders outside.

All Might approached my vehicle before he left. He looked at me through the window. "You carry a heavy burden, son," he said. "Remember who you are, and fight to come back safe." I could only nod.

As all the teams were in their positions, the command finally came from the main command center. Nezu's voice sounded calm and clear across all communication channels.

"All units, Operation Liberation... begins now."

Our convoy of vehicles began to move forward in the dawn silence, like a giant steel serpent slithering toward the dragon's lair. I stared at the screen in front of me, which displayed dozens of blue dots of light—the heroes—all moving in coordination toward a single massive point of darkness on the map. The greatest war of the modern era was about to begin. And somehow, I had become one of its architects.