Chapter 46

Karma. A two-syllable, simple word that could be either a blessing or a wretched curse. Those who do good will be rewarded with even greater things. Those who do bad, however, will be served the justice of those who were wronged by their actions. All the suffering they had inflicted shall rain back upon them, reminding them that the seemingly inoffensive word can really be a bitch.

That was exactly what Hisashi was experiencing at the moment. Each jab, punch, or kick thrown his way, sending waves of pain throughout his body, was a clear sign of karma. Not only was he paying for the crimes he'd committed, but also the pain he had brought upon his son. The one biggest mistake he had made.

Underestimating Izuku Midoriya.

"DIE!"

Oh, and Katsuki Bakugo as well.

His lungs burned, breathing proving to be difficult with his nearly wrecked ventilator, the mask barely hanging off his face. His entire body trembled and ached, head throbbing and limbs weak. Even so, he didn't dare back down. He wasn't going to be defeated by two measly wannabes!

"You really think you could defeat me?!" Hisashi panted, barely blocking a kick from Katsuki. "Not even the powerful All Might could win against me!"

"He sent your fucking ass to jail!" Katsuki snarled, lunging at the older male only to be sent flying back.

"And to what cost? He lost everything he fought for," Hisashi barked, jumping out of the way when Izuku suddenly appeared in front of him. "That preposterous prison couldn't even hold me back. The stupid guards only cared about eating donuts than checking their security cameras."

"Well, ain't that stereotypical?" The greenette huffed as he skillfully avoided one of Hisashi's attacks. He activated blackwhip, securing the tendrils around his so-called father's body before he had a chance to retaliate. Without showing any mercy, he slung Hisashi's body with extreme force in the air, only to jump right after him with a terrifying look in his eyes that even had Present Mic and Aoyama quite scared.

He had clenched and unclenched his fists continuously, activating Fa Jin as he aimed a punch right to Hisashi's jaw. The moment his fist came in contact with Hisashi's face, he could feel how his jawline cracked under his knuckles, bone breaking. The force of the hit was brutal, forcing the male's body to come crashing down. The ground trembled, concrete breaking beneath such intense landing as Hisashi's mouth opened to spew out blood in a wheeze. The teenagers weren't even letting him take a breather.

Not like they cared.

"Detroit Smash!" Was heard as two pair of feet kicked down on Hisashi's stomach, causing a strangled scream to leave his mouth. The impact caused his body to sink impossibly deeper into the ground. The air was knocked out of him, brain fogging as one though repeated itself in his subconscious. Escape.

The way the two boys looked down on him sent shivers down his spine. He didn't need to actually see the look in their eyes to know how they were glaring down at him. The pure, unmasked hatred, both, allured him and terrified him. Oh, how he didn't think he'd feel such emotions again.

Fear.

Weakness.

As he coughed up blood, he discreetly felt for a button that had been implanted underneath his skin. It was made for the sole reason of him being it a tight situation. If the current occurrences didn't count as one, then he would be fucked. In capital letters with exclamation marks and all. His entire being screamed at him to not move, but he wasn't just going to admit defeat and be forced behind bars once again. He wasn't going to go down without playing dirty. He was done holding back.

"I must admit. You've grown to be quite strong, Izuku." the male spoke before coughing violently. "But there is one mistake you seem to keep on doing."

The greenette sneered, glaring down at him as he squared his shoulders. "Chit-chatting won't save you."

"You still get easily distracted," Hisashi smirked, completely ignoring Izuku's statement as he pressed a hidden button, incripted under his skin made for this exact moment.

Amidst their distraction, multiple warp gates began forming on the ground around them. His head whirled as the annoying ringing that took over his hearing increased, making him feel dizzy and disoriented. The ground trembled with a low groan, making the teens come to their senses and study the scenery around them. Hisashi gave out a throaty laugh despite his predicament, being able to sense the newcomers with his faltering infrared quirk. Katsuki's body tensed up, glaring down at the cackling male.

"What the fuck did you just do?!" Katsuki implored, leaning down to grab All for One by his tattered clothes just as Danger Sense went off.

"Kacchan, no!" Izuku screamed, having felt Danger Sense and pulling Katsuki to him just in time for a bullet to fly past them, piercing the pavement a few feet ahead of them.

"I suggest you don't move," Someone chastised from behind them, making Izuku grit his teeth as he acknowledged the male. Their breaths caught up in their throat the moment they noticed the army of Tartarus prisoners that surrounded them. Many faces that they distinctly recognized and a shadow of a female figure in the far distance holding what seemed like a sniper of sorts.

They could even see how they had cornered Aoyama, Iida, and Present Mic not far from them.

Stain smirked at the distressed look in their faces, looking at Izuku with unmasked interest. "I've been longing to see you, Deku."

"I wish I could say the same, but that would be a blatant lie," The greenette spat out, glaring at the fugitive. He reached for Katsuki's hand shakily, interlocking their fingers even as he kept up his tough front. Katsuki held on as tight as he could, battling the ever coming exhaustion that threatened to consume him. The bleeding in his chest hasn't seized—he should've been unconscious by then. Hell, even worse than a mild state of coma. The only thing that kept him going was his undying adrenaline and his sheer will to stay alongside Izuku until the very end.

"You see, Deku. Just when you think you've finally taken a step over me, you get pushed twenty steps backward. Why don't you stop trying so hard when you know that it's all going to be in vain?" Hisashi taunted, making his presence known amongst the many fugitives after having stood up from the ground. Most of them lowered their gaze as he walked by, stepping forward to the two boys. Katsuki was fed up by his antics, to the point of exploding even without his original quirk.

"You're just a silly little coward. So far up on his own ass that when he knows he's losing, he has to send his army of little minions to do the dirty work for him. You claim to be this powerful fucking God but you can't even hold your own against two teenagers," the blond scoffed, looking up at Hisashi with utter disgust. But even as he said those words, the smirk on Hisashi's face never faltered.

"Knowing Katsuki, he probably uttered some witty shit. It's a good thing I can't hear anything right now," the male snorted. Katsuki went to lunge forward, but the slightest movement caused Danger Sense to go off on both teenagers, the sudden warning making Izuku pull the blond towards him for a second time, just as another bullet barely graced his shoulder.

"Tsk tsk, I already warned you," Stain chuckled, pointing his blade at them. Izuku's grip on Katsuki tightened, analyzing their situation at hand. He knew that Katsuki wasn't going to be able to hold on for much longer, even with One for All currently streaming through his veins. It frustrated him to his core; the fact that they were only one step away from finally winning. Only for Hisashi to pull one of his dirty tricks and throw them back to the start line.

That man fueled his ever growing flame, slowly burning the ground it stood on until lighting ablaze the very air surrounding it.

The man who was always looking down on everyone. The man that has caused so much destruction and heartbreak. The man that was always taunting and pulling at his strings, enjoying the way he withered. The man that now stood, surrounded by his new army of guard dogs, laughing at them... mocking them.

Like lighting a match against a dynamite fuse, it ignited a new spark within him.

A newfound rage.

A newfound intent to kill.

It increased his heartbeat to a point where he could hear it—feel it thumping against his eardrums at a rhythmic pace. Red spots tainted his vision, a sheer white taking over his pupils and tantalizing green irises. It wasn't the first time his appearance would shift, but there was something behind the greenette's glare that sent shivers down the villains' spine. The sudden change didn't go unnoticed by his peers, much less to the boy that squeezed his hand comfortingly, gazing at him in determination.

Like two minds connected by an invisible link, they moved accordingly to each other's thoughts. Purple fog erupted from their bodies, spreading like a wildfire in a never-ending forest. It covered the area around them at an incredible speed, constricting the enemy's eyesight and creating a hasty escape route. Their enemies were confused, some of them screaming profanities into the vast air as if it would do any help. It was their chance to make a run for it to get the other three to safety and avoid any collateral damage.

But, as they flew into the air, straining their vision against the thick fog, Izuku faltered.

"There's too many of them, as much as I hate to admit it, we can't face them alone," Katsuki hissed, trying to pinpoint their classmates' and teacher's location. He pulled at Izuku's hand, worry lacing his features as he looked at him. "Izu—"

"I can't," the greenette whispered, taking in a deep breath. He knew that his thinking was illogical. He shouldn't be swayed by his emotions—mainly his anger—not at a moment like this. There were lives on the line other than his. They had to run. They had to save lives.

But...he was so sick of running. So tired of escaping reality, his reality. Whether it was his problems, his feelings, his own mind, his demons, or his shitty father. He didn't want to keep running away. He couldn't keep running away.

He wasn't going to run away.

"What the fuck do you mean you can't?!" Katsuki whisper-yelled, tugging once more at Izuku's hand. "Izuku, don't you fucking dare think about going against all those villains by yourself! Are you stupid?!"

"I know that it's risky! I know that I probably can't win against them all!" Izuku admitted, snatching his hand from Katsuki's hold. "But if I run away now, we might as well say goodbye to everything! If I run away now, it's like admitting defeat and letting him win! I can't, Katsuki!"

"We are not letting him win! I'd be dammed if that bastard gets away with his shitty tactics one more time! But we need to think!"

"Who knows what they might do if we just bail?! The other pro heroes are busy with the League of Villains as it is! We can't just sit around and wait for backup," Izuku exclaimed. They couldn't keep wasting time!

"At least let's get Iida and the others to safety," Katsuki argued, knowing very well that Izuku's mind has been set. He knew that nothing he said would change his way of thinking. It was too late.

All he could do was jump into the fire without safety gear and follow him into the depths of hell.

"They must be around here somewhere," Izuku muttered, resuming their previous search. It didn't take them long to find them, having faintly heard Aoyama's voice right from under them. They extended Blackwhip once they were within eyesight, catching the three by surprise as they were suddenly lifted into the air.

"Midoriya, Bakugo! It's so nice to see you two!" Aoyama cried, relief flooding his system. Katsuki glared at him, giving their English teacher a side eye.

"There better be an explanation," he grumbled out, feeling a hand on his shoulder.

"I bet there's a reason why Aoyama is here helping us. Let's not question it for now," Izuku sighed. "We need to get you to safety. It is not safe for you all here."

Present Mic tried to speak, but only a raspy cough made it out of his mouth as he rubbed his throat. Izuku frowned, having guessed that the pro hero most likely overused his quirk when they came to their aid. "It's best if you don't speak. You have injured your vocal cords."

"Wait, Midoriya," Iida spoke up, gazing at his fellow classmate. "We can help you guys after taking Present Mic somewhere safe."

"It is too dangerous," Izuku quickly countered, not too keen of the idea.

"That's more of a reason for us to help," Aoyama pointed out. "Look, I know that what I did was unforgivable, and I don't expect you guys to believe me when I say I didn't mean to do any of what I did. All for One ruined my life, ruined our lives for that matter. Whether you want our help or not doesn't matter. We will help."

Izuku stared at them and at a determined looking Present Mic, all three standing tall. The greenette couldn't help the chuckle that left his mouth, genuinely relieved by Aoyama's words. He opened his mouth to say something, but then came some sort of crackling sound from the background, catching their attention.

A sudden burst of explosions made the purple mist to disperse, a kneeling Hisashi in the middle of it. His hands were on the ground, a sinister smile on his face as the villains could finally see where they all stood. Katsuki's eyes widened, anger bubbling inside him as he realized that All for One had used his quirk. His technique that he has been practicing to counter Izuku's Smokescreen for whenever it manifested.

Oh, that fucking asshole was in for it!

"Will you look at that. Such a powerful quirk, in my hands," Hisashi mocked, an enfuriating smirk still on his face as he directed his attention to the fugitives. "Kill them."

The villains immediately sprung into action, aiming multiple attacks towards them. The young heroes didn't waste time jumping out of the way, dodging every single attack and charging towards the villains. Flashes of green and orange lightning colored the sky, making the two boys' presence known as they fought gracefully side by side. Iida sped past them, distracting some of the villains and successfully knocking out one of them. Present Mic and Aoyama stayed close to each other, Yamada engaging in hand to hand combat while Aoyama aided him as best as he could.

Meanwhile, Hisashi stayed by the sidelines, watching the war unfold right under his nose as he struggled to breathe. Now that his underlings were keeping them distracted, he had to flee. His device was wrecked, barely providing him any oxygen he so desperately needed. It pissed him off how it was the second time he was forced to escape because of his son; his own blood. But he knew he couldn't win this fight in such a state.

"Kurogiri," he muttered under his breath, waiting for a warp gate to appear so he could leave. It was the only chance he had, and he sure as hell wasn't going to waste it. The misty portal started forming right in front of him, a sign that Kurogiri had heard him. Now, all he had to do was take one step. Only one step forward and he would be out of danger.

"And where do you think you're going?" A voice sneered from behind him, just as a hand wrapped around his neck. It sent shivers down his spine, his sudden appearance taking him by surprise. He hadn't sensed him with his infrared quirk, which only meant one thing.

He came from Kurogiri's warp gate.

But, how? The portal was right in front of him, unless...he had another right behind him. He scowled, his initial shock wearing off as he acknowledged the person behind him.

"What are you doing, Shigaraki?" Hisashi rasped out, coughing slightly. "This is no time for playing your childish games, get me out of here."

His hand twitched, now having sensed another presence standing next to Shigaraki. Smaller. Scared. A child.

"You really have some nerve," Shigaraki chuckled dryly, shaking his head in disappointment. "You leave me to practically die. Handed me over in a silver platter to the heroes only for you to have your stupid little fun with two teenagers. Yet, you call this a 'childish game'?"

"You know, if you're able to see my bleeding ears, you could tell that I can't hear shit. Let's go already," Hisashi grumbled out, rolling his nonexistent eyes as he went to take a step forward. Only for the grip around his neck to tighten.

"It's a pity that you can't hear," Shigaraki taunted, holding the little girl close to himself as she looked around them nervously. "I bet you'd be over the moon if you found out who came with me. Although, she's not here for you."

In the middle of the battlefield, Izuku took notice of the newcomers, his eyes widening as he saw Shigaraki and who he was holding. "Eri!!"

He immediately took down three villains that came his way, flying over to where Shigaraki stood with Hisashi and Eri, the little girl noticing him right away. "Deku-kun!"

Upon hearing that name, Shigaraki looked at the upcoming greenette through the corner of his eye, nudging Eri in his direction. "Go with him. Do what you have to. I'm sure he won't let anything happen to you."

She gave him a nod, hurrying away and running towards Izuku. The greenette, confused, stopped right in front of her and held her close, inspecting for any injuries. "Are you alright?! Are you hurt anywhere?! Why were you with him?!"

"It's ok, Deku-kun! He's helping!" Eri explained, giving him a reassuring smile. Izuku was wary, squinting his eyes in suspicion.

This could be Toga, or one of Bubaigawara's clones. I can't trust her.

"If you're thinking that's me, then you're definitely wrong," a girl giggled, stepping up to him. Toga gave him a toothy grin, pleased with his perplexed expression. Twice stood next to her, fidgeting with his fingers as he glanced around them. His eyes widened dramatically, squealing and running away as a raging Katsuki flew to him at full speed.

"DIE MOTHERFUCKER!"

"Wait, Bakugo-kun!" Eri shouted after him, worrying for the male as he avoided Katsuki's attacks to the best of his ability. "He's here to help us!"

"What do you mean?" Izuku asked, just as Katsuki looked at her incredulously. He then stopped attacking Bubaigawara to kick off some villains that went to attack him.

"What the fuck do you mean they're here to help us?! You must be one of them stupid clones. I'm going to beat your ass!" The blond fumed, already stomping towards her before Izuku shielded her and gave him an alerted look.

"Kacchan, let's hear what she has to say first."

Katsuki tsked before crossing his arms, giving Twice a glare as he tapped his foot impatiently. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a familiar white hair, his eyes widening as he took in the scene. Shigaraki was now holding Hisashi by the throat, pointer finger held only a centimeter away from his skin. He had a serious look on his face, not his usual crazed grin under the many creepy hands he normally wore. It was a sight he didn't think he would experience ever in his life.

"Eri," Shigaraki then spoke up, giving the little girl a side-eye. "We're running out of time."

"Well well, what's going on here?" Stain asked with a smirk as he walked over to them, a few other villains in tow. Izuku squared his shoulders, Eri hiding behind him as she shyly gripped the back of his tattered shirt. She knew what it was like to be surrounded by many villains, and it brought back painful memories. But because of that, she learned not to fear them, not to let her weakness show. She knew what she had to do.

So, she took whatever little chance she had at that moment and tugged on Katsuki's hand, successfully catching his attention. "Kid, stay behind us."

"Bakugo-kun, come closer," she whispered to him, now grabbing his hand tightly. She gulped when she noticed the wound on his chest, grimacing as she looked up at him with teary eyes. "Did they hurt you a lot?"

At this, Katsuki couldn't help but smile warmly at the child, slightly bending over to speak to her gently. "It's ok, it doesn't hurt." Lies. It hurt like a motherfucking bitch. Not like he was going to let it show.

"I can help you," she whispered, glancing around them nervously and locking eyes with Toga, who gave her an encouraging nod. She gave one back, giving Katsuki a warm smile. "It might hurt a little, but I know you can take it."

This caused Katsuki to choke on his saliva, taken aback by what the little girl had just said. What's going to hurt? Was she there to treat his wounds? That job's for the paramedics and pros, not for her! "Eri, that's not your job. I'm sure Recovery Girl will take care of my wounds."

"Stain. Get rid of these peasants," All for One rasped out, a hand holding Shigaraki's wrist making him smirk. It thrilled him to see such a powerful man tremble underneath his touch. Have him at his mercy. Knowing that the only thing he had to do was put down the only finger keeping him from withering and dying. It felt...exhilarating.

"Midoriya," Shigaraki addressed, making the boy tense as he kept his eye on the villains surrounding them, ready to pounce. "Protect Eri at all costs. She is the key to your salvation."

"What do you me—"

"NOW, STAIN!" Hisashi belowed, infuriated by whatever idle chat they seemed to be having. "I got you all out of that hellhole. Why are you just standing there?!"

"Eri," Shigaraki warned, eyes turning to slits as he eyed the villains around them.

"Now!"

"Kill them!"

Shigaraki and Hisashi both yelled at the same time. Eri wasted no time in grabbing Katsuki's other hand on her own, shutting her eyes tight as her horn started to glow. Katsuki's eyes widened in realization, Izuku whipping his head around to gaze at them in alarm. He extended his hand in her direction, worry evident on his face, but Danger Sense had him jumping out of the way.

A shout escaped Katsuki's mouth, pain crawling up his skin and overtaking his system. It forced him to arch his back, knees buckling from underneath him, but Eri didn't let go of him for even a second. She had trained so hard to learn how to control her quirk in order to not cause any harm. She wanted to be a hero, just like Deku and Eraser Head. She was going to save those who had saved her.

Including Bakugo.

Even as shouts were heard all around her, she didn't falter. She knew that she was safe with Deku and the League of Villains. She knew that they would protect her, no matter what. So she didn't dare falter in the slightest, keeping her focus on helping Bakugo instead.

His mind couldn't quite process what was going on. Why the League of Villains were suddenly helping them, nor what was happening inside his body. Something had rearranged. He could feel how his wounds healed, the broken skin going back to how it used to be. She was using her quirk on him. Rewinding his body to a time where it was healthy...where he still had his quirk.

It all happened so fast. Blood was spilled, bodies tumbled to the ground, and people screamed as the battle continued. Yet, to him, it felt like he was stuck in time. Only able to feel pain. Pure, excruciating pain.

Until it all stopped. His ears rung, and his head pounded as he now realized he was lying on the ground. He felt disoriented, only feeling how a small hand tugged at his shirt as muffled screams reached his eardrums.

"Bakugo-kun!" Eri shouted worriedly. By then, she was surrounded by Toga, Iida, Aoyama, and Twice. All acting as a shield while they fought back the enemy. "Wake up, please!"

She worried that she overdid it. She was so certain that she had it under control, confident that she could do it. But what if she had made it worse?

"Leave it to me," Toga said, wiping some blood off her cheek with a smirk. The ash blonde girl knelt on the ground next to Katsuki's body, placing her lips next to her ear. "If you don't wake up, I'm going to kiss your boyfriend. And I'm going to go full tongue on his—"

An explosion went off, aimed at her face as Katsuki opened his eyes, only to glare at a giggling blonde. "Don't you fucking dare."

"Oh, the power of love sure is powerful," she sighed dreamily, giving him a wink. Katsuki was about to protest, but Eri jumped into his arms before he could even retort to anything, a sob escaping her.

"I thought I didn't do it!" She sobbed, squeezing Katsuki's bloodied torso as hard as she could. "I thought I'd hurt you and—"

"Look, kid, what you did was fucking dangerous. You know that, right?" Katsuki huffed out, ruffling her hair in the process. "But you did a great job, so stop whining already."

"Um, I'm sorry to interrupt—no I'm not—but things are getting really complicated over here," Twice alerted them, one of his clones tackling a villain that aimed to attack him.

Only then did Katsuki snap back to reality and hurried up, feeling weirded out when he didn't feel pain anywhere in his previously aching body. The sudden change sent shivers down his spine, secretly amazed by the child's power. It was a good thing she was by their side...he didn't want to imagine how powerful she would be as a villain.

Sparks ignited atop his palms, the familiar buzzing sensation coursing through his veins. Not much time had passed since his quirk was stolen, only a little over an hour. But oh, how he missed that feeling of adrenaline. It made him feel like himself again. Katsuki fucking Bakugo was back in the game, now better than ever.

With the League's surprising—yet still very suspicious—alliance, their victory was imminent. He wasn't going to hold back anymore. None of them were going to. Now, with his quirk back and One for All still in his system, he knew they could win this fight. It was all going to come to an end, at last.

Hisashi was going to pay for all of his sins...

May he rest in fucking pieces.