Before you read, this chapter contains graphic depictions of violence, gore, and character death. Please don't read this if any of these topics upset you.

Please remember this story has a happy ending.

One more thing, this chapter is not beta read. Please let me know if you spot any mistakes.

••••••••••••••••••••

Preparations were in full swing. Every which way Izuku looked, there were people bustling about doing this or that at the last minute. There were people whispering excitedly to each other in the dark hallways. Some were practice sparring, and others were practicing their most deadly moves. A few were just sitting and waiting. They were the creepiest. A few had approached Izuku smiling, excited to make conversation with the villain who was tasked with bringing down the entirety of the hero society. It was quite the honor. 

Izuku was being talked at by at least the fiftieth low-tier villain who was definitely in need of a bath (Probably due to the fact that society had failed them and when they fell upon hard times economically they were forced to take on villainous jobs to make ends meet and couldn't afford to buy soap.) when he was approached by the shadowy man that still did not have a name. 

Should I give him a name to make reading about him easier? Hmm… how about Steve? Let's go with Steve.

Anyways, Midoriya was approached by the villainous Steve and the villain trying to talk with Izuku miraculously made himself scarce.

No, I'm sorry, I can't do it. We'll keep describing him as the shadowy man, Dear Reader. Steve is too good of a name for this villain.

The man spoke in a low tone - a far cry from the pleased tone he usually adopted when Izuku catered to his every whim. 
"Don't disappoint me, boy. If you fail, there will be consequences. This benefits you just as much as it does me. I expect you to perform exceptionally today."

Izuku looked the man in the eyes (or wherever he was sure the eyes should be) and smirked. "When do I not, boss?"

••••••••••••••••••••

In the meeting room at UA, the entire school administration as well as the top thirty heroes in Japan (excluding Endeavor, of course) sat muttering with concerned voices. 

"I'm just saying the timing is a little convenient-"

"What are the chances that there is some kind of secret base of villains that we had no idea existed? I'm not convinced."

"Did you hear about the newest Deku sighting?"

"Apparently he was seen at the most recent bank robbery downtown."

"He stole almost everything in the bank, what does he need all that money for?"

"I just can't believe- he's just a kid."

"Yeah, a kid that also happens to be the biggest threat to our nation's security."

"Still, don't you think-"

The door opened and everyone went silent. 

Principal Nezu marched into the room, his calm smile that almost always decorated his face was still perfectly in place. He reached the head of the table where everyone sat and silently began to organize the file of folders. The aura of tension in the room was palpable, but the mouse (bear?) principal paid it no mind.

Finally, once everything appeared to be in order, he spoke. " I'm sure you've all heard many rumors about the state of our country right now, some of which have a ring of truth to them and others… not so much. I can assure you that focusing on them will do you no good. What I need you to do now is listen.

"We received an anonymous call last night. Now normally, I would pay these sorts of things no mind but this person… he had something to say. He had information that when compared with the notes and accounts we've received from our underground heros added up perfectly."

Nezu's smile slipped off his face as he looked down the table, appraising everyone sitting there. Unconsciously, all the heroes found themselves sitting a little straighter in their chairs.

"I don't want to bore you with all the confidential details so, here's the gist of it. 

"A secret unnamed society of villains plans to invade and destroy the entirety of UA, and they have the firepower to do so."

You could hear a pin drop in the silence.

"Not only that, but it appears that they have the firepower to take down every hero this country can provide ten times over. Also, according to our source, that is definitely their goal."

Nezu smiled again and put his hands together on the table. "So, how do we stop them?"

••••••••••••••••••••

Inko ran through the streets as fast as she could. She had to reach them. She had to talk to them before they hurt her son. 

Before he hurt her son.

••••••••••••••••••••

The shadow man takes a step forward to address the crowd. His crowd.

“We are about to change history. We are going to make all the heroes rue the day they decided they were better than us. We will show them that we are more powerful than they could ever be! Society will start again and we will be able to prove our worth in a world where only the strongest can survive!”

He takes a moment to study everyone in front of him. His eyes - his cold, emotionless eyes - lock onto Izuku’s. “Are you with me?”

The crowd roars.

Izuku does not look away.

The internet is blowing up. Social media is crashing - there are so many people with so many questions. The most popular question that everyone wants answered:

Why is every hero in Japan standing guard at UA?

Everything that happens registers to Izuku like snapshots.

The villains line up. Someone grabs his arm. The world shifts around him.

The army of villains arrives at the gates of UA. There is an army of heroes on the other side. 

It’s a standoff. 

The man of shadows steps towards the front of the group. He gestures to his side and Izuku, who is well aware of what that means, walks up to stand next to him.

Principal Nezu is standing at the head of the army of heroes - a direct contrast to Izuku and the man beside him. 

The two were silent. They examined each other with equally calculating gazes. The tension between the two felt as though the world could combust at any moment. It was tense, captivating, and deadly. 

Then Nezu’s eyes were focused on Izuku and his heart stopped.

Nezu was examining him. It almost felt like he was staring into Izuku’s soul. Did he know? Did Nezu know who sent the information to the school? Was he going to out Izuku here, in front of everyone? 

In the end, all Nezu did was nod at Izuku before turning his gaze back onto the shadow man in front of him.

Principal Nezu spoke first. “I’m not sure who you are, but I do understand that if you turn back now, nobody has to get hurt. I’m sure that would be a blessing for the both of us.”

The man of shadows laughed coldly. Nothing like the charasmatic baritone he usually conveyed. “Oh, Nezu, you’re always so concerned about the little people. I assure you, in the grand scheme of things, it is a few lives for the freedom of many. I care not if they live or die. Concern has always been your biggest flaw.”

Nezu does not rise to the barb. He simply smiles. It was terrifying. “Is that a no, then?”

“It is.”

“Very well then.”

Both men raised their right hands and the battle began.

It was horrifying. It wasn’t a fight or battle. It was a massacre. People killing people. Heroes slaying villains and villians slaughtering heroes. Blood sprayed. People screamed. Someone was crying. 

At some point, the hero students escaped the building and joined the fray.

Izuku stood next to the orchestrator of the chaos. He was paralyzed to the spot. The man's smile could be felt from a mile away. For the first time since Izuku had met him, the smile was genuine.

Something hit Izuku’s face.

He raised his hand to wipe it off and glanced at his fingers.

Blood.

The teen is startled. He has to do something. He has to save his frie- his old friends. He can’t just stand there he needs to-

A hand rests itself on Izuku’s shoulder. “Ah, ah, ah,” the man tsked, “I appreciate your enthusiasm, but it is not time for your grand finale quite yet. Savor the fight a little longer.”

Aizawa is covered in blood. Izuku didn’t know if it was his or someone else’s. Probably both. His arm was hanging at an awkward angle and he was moving ten times slower than he normally could.

Present Mic was screaming. It was a sound of desperation. A knife went for his face.

He stopped screaming.

Iida was facing off with a man twice his size. Iida zoomed behind him. His enemy was faster.

Iida dropped.

Uraraka was throwing up. Her motion sickness must have gotten to her. She was overworked. She spots Iida.  

“Noooo!” She runs after the man who killed him but the man was faster- 

Kirishima.

Midnight.

Momo.

Hawks, Lunch Rush, Crimson Riot.

Bakugou.

Someone screams. Izuku thinks it might be him. He feels wet on his face. His head is exploding and he feels a violent force rising up in his throat and he needs to do something-

“Come now, you don’t really care for them, do you? It’s such a waste of time. But then again, you have always been soft. It makes you weak.”

Izuku has had enough.

He turns to the man. Rage and desperation are welled up in his heart. He didn’t know what he was about to do but he was going to relish every second of it when-

He sees him.

Todoroki.

They make eye contact.

Time stops.

No. No no no no no. This can’t be happening, he can’t be here he just can’t why is he here.

Todoroki stops. He sees the man next to Izuku. He begins to march over.

“Oh, Izuku, look. It’s your little friend. I’m going to enjoy killing him. Or would you rather do the honors? He looks angry.”

Todoroki threw out a floor of ice and began speeding towards them- or more specifically, the man next to Izuku. He was screaming. It was a devestating sound.

“It looks like I’m taking him, then. Very well.”

Then the man threw out a hand and a spire of ice hit Todoroki in the stomach. 

The man withdrew the spear of ice.

Todoroki’s eyes opened wide. Then he fell.

“SHOTO!”

Izuku ran over and kneeled down next to the boy. He was just a boy, they all were. Goddamn it they were all children. 

Todoroki was still alive. He was breathing and his eyes were open but he needed immediate medical attention or else-

No. He wasn’t going to think about it.

“Now that was too easy. I’m a little disappointed. This will be an easy win. You can deal the last blow, Izuku. I’ll be generous.”

“No.”

“No?”

“No. I am not going to let you hurt him or anyone else.” Izuku stood and turned. His face and voice were steady. His eyes were resolute. “I am done playing your games.”

“You know,” the man drawled, “I can’t say I’m surprised. Is this really your final decision? I was going to use you to put an end to this pathetic excuse for a fight, but I am more than able to do it myself.”

Izuku crouches into a fighting stance.

“Alright. If you insist.”

Then the shadows are surging towards him. They grasp at Izuku’s limbs and yank him into the air. For a split second, Izuku spots a glimpse of the man, finally free of his disguise. 

His eyes are a bright emerald green.

Izuku is yanked miles in the air before he is promptly pulled back down at twice the speed.

He slams into the earth.

Pain erupts everywhere.

He is sure his back is at least bruised. A few ribs may be cracked. His left arm and right leg are definitely broken, and there is a possibility of a concussion.

Izuku gasps, but all he can hear is the ringing in his ears. 

He shifts, screaming as his mind forces his body to move. He can’t focus on the pain right now. 

He is barely on his knees before the man sends a breath of fire at the teen, hitting him square in the chest and knocking him down once more. 

“Really, Izuku. This is quite pathetic. I know you can do better. I did train you after all. I took you in.” The man waves a hand and a stray dagger goes flying, pinning Izuku’s left hand to the ground. “I fed you, I clothed you, and I did my best to ensure your growth.” 

The ground below Izuku begins to shake. The man snaps his fingers and it turns intio shackles around the green haired boy’s limbs. Izuku gets a good view of the man’s black hair and familiar freckles. “This is how you treat me? After everything I’ve done for you? Inko did a poor job of raising you, it seems. You and I both know you can do better than this. You just need to tap into your potential and all of this pain will be over. Then you can eliminate this poor excuse for a school and we can all head home.”

He crouches low over Izuku’s body. His smile is stretched painfully across his face. His eyes are dead and empty. “How does that sound?”

Pain is screaming through Izuku’s body. Tears are sreaming down his face. He was going to pass out at any second. It takes all of his effort to spit in that man’s cold, dead eyes. “Go to hell.” 

His spit is red, he notices dully.

Wasn’t he doing something? Oh, that’s right. He needed to save Todoroki. He had to get up now.

The man’s face contorts in rage. He calmly reaches up and wipes the saliva off of his face. 

“You really are the most disappointing son a father could ask for.”
 
Then the shadows began to swarm. 

But just before they could reach him- 

“Hisashi!”

No.

“Hisashi, you let my son go and stop this right now.”

It was Inko. She stood right in front of him. Despite her height, she stood as though he was nothing more than an ant that she could crush at any moment if he dared to stand in her way.

Hisashi laughed. "And what will you do if I don't?"

"I'll make you. And you had better fucking trust me when I tell you it will hurt.”

“You know, you make a pretty convincing offer, sweetie, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to say no. Goodbye.”

His hands begin to raise.

Izuku can’t move. His mind is sluggish and Todoroki is dying, his mother is about to die, so many other people are dead and he can’t do anything.

No. This man- this monster is not going to hurt one more person.
Not on Izuku’s watch.

For the second time that day, time slows down. Hisashi’s maniacal laugh continues at a snail's pace as well as the bloodshed surrounding them.

Then the world at the corner’s of Izuku’s eyes begins to darken and he is pulled into the recesses of his mind.