Saiki's Disastrous Life at UA High

Chapter 76- We Take to the Skies

Asui frantically backs through the forest, struggling as Yaoyorozu hangs on loosely. A nomu is on their heels, its quirks threatening to kill the girls. Awase is beside them, his eyes wide with panic as the nomu gets closer and closer.

"Yaomomo, please, I need you to wake up," Asui pleads, grunting as she loses her footing and falls to the ground. She screams as her ankle twists, the bone snapping loudly as Yaoyorozu's weight adds on to it.

"No! You have to get up!" Awase gasps, running back to help the girls. Asui whimpers in pain and Yaoyorozu mumbles incoherently, neither able to help the boy or stand up for their own lives. Awase gets between them and the monster, his entire being shaking violently as the nomu approaches, its arms spinning ridiculously fast. "I'm so sorry, guys." He whispers, covering them and squeezing his eyes shut. Suddenly the nomu stops, his mind blank as he turns and leaves.

"He's just going to leave?" Asui sighs gratefully, sinking into the detritus as if it were the comfiest of clouds. Her leg is sprawled out, useless. Yaoyorozu opens her eyes, her vision blurry as she comprehends what's happening.

Does that mean the villains have finished their mission? Don't tell me... they have Saiki and Kaido? Her hand glows a soft pink as she creates a tracker. Come on... think. What would the worst-case scenario...?

"Awase, use your quirk to attach this to that monster!"

"What is it? A button?"

"Just hurry up and do it before he's gone," Yaoyorozu orders, her words weak as she nearly fades back into sweet unconsciousness.

"I don't know what's going on, but okay!" Awase agrees, jogging forward and placing a hand flat on the monster's back. His hand glows orange as his quirk activates, engraining the device into the nomu. Awase holds his breath for a moment, breathing freely again the moment the creature doesn't react. "No way he's getting that thing off!" He declares successfully, a bead of sweat running down his face.

"Thank you so much! Good job," Yaoyorozu voices, gasping for air as she struggles to her feet. She helps Asui up, wincing at the pain in her head but knowing Asui is in pain as well.

"Can't we just stay here for a bit?" Asui mumbles, her words slurred through the pain. Yaoyorozu shakes her head sadly, gripping tightly onto her friend, who is using Yaoyorozu like a crutch.

"We have to get back to camp. We don't know how many villains are out here." Awase nods in agreement, running to help the girls through the underbrush.

"I WON'T LET THAT HAPPEN!" Bakugo fumes, explosions popping in his palms.

"Ohh, scary!" The younger villain wiggles a little, his lips pursed as he does so. The older man nods, lamely tossing a marble to his partner.

"You sound like you can actually stop us," he ponders, watching as his brother does some hand gestures, fancying his trick before the marble disappears. The students can barely breathe as they watch the villains. They feel powerless, even with such powerful quirks. "Too bad for you, we happen to have the perfect quirks to match our needs."

"It's tres bien!" The green-haired villain chuckles.

"Stop saying that! It won't distract us!" Bakugo growls, his frustration bubbling as the villains continue to feel no fear toward him. The older villain chuckles, patting the younger's head.

"Don't be too harsh. He wants to follow in my footsteps, you know. To be an entertainer. It's a fine dream to accomplish! Though you do pick up some bad habits..." He waves dismissively, jumping to a nearby tree. Before he goes anywhere he ensures himself that his brother is trailing behind.

"YOU CAN'T TAKE HIM, YOU BASTARDS!" Bakugo screams, jumping forward. Todoroki is faster, however, dropping the student he's carrying and creating a gigantic sheet of ice that shoots forward, toward the villains. After a few heartbeats of painful silence, both villains appear, one being almost dragged by the other as they seemingly fly through the air.

"Apologies! But sleight-of-hand and escapology are my specialties, not combat. I'm not foolish enough to fight hero candidates from UA! Especially not on my brother's first mission!" The green-haired villain nods; he's clearly nervous. The older pauses, placing a hand on his ear before speaking once more. "Vanguard Action Squad, I've acquired our targets." He grunts slightly as he lands on a tree. His grip tightens around his brother's wrist as he jumps from tree to tree, never slowing down as they escape their pursuers. "Our little show has officially come to a close. Meet me at the retrieval point in the next five minutes for the final bow!"

"DEKU. WE NEED A PLAN. NOW." Bakugo orders, his eyes piercing the green ones before him. Bakugo can tell that Midoriya is on pure adrenaline and that he won't last much longer, but he needs his brain. He would never admit it on purpose, but Bakugo knows how smart Midoriya is, and he doesn't doubt that the boy can make a well-thought-out plan, even under pressure.

"I- I need some time. Don't lose them!" He runs forward, his strides confident but weak as his exhaustion catches up to him. Uraraka notices, tapping Midoriya's back and hoisting him on her own. He yelps in surprise but doesn't complain, completely aware that his state may slow everyone down. Todoroki resituates the student on his back, unwilling to leave him behind, and follows the group. Bakugo blasts ahead, soaring through the air, his opponents somehow always just out of reach.

"COME BACK HERE YOU ASSHOLES!" Bakugo screams, his desperation shining through and slowing him down ever so slightly. The older villain notices that Bakugo's distracted. He's like a feral animal blindly chasing after the smell of food without any idea of where said food is. Glancing back at the boy makes him even more sure of this. The blonde's eyes are glazed over in anger and fear and his movements are more sporadic than usual. Watching behind him also makes the villain aware of the ball of students suddenly hurdling toward him.

"WE TAKE TO THE SKIES ONCE MORE, DARK SHADOW!" Tokoyami yells as he's flung through the air. He is gripping onto Todoroki and Midoriya, Mera and Uraraka are just below. The boys crash into the two brothers, tumbling to the ground in a flurry of flailing limbs.