Beast Speaker, Monster Tamer

55: The Forest Will Burn, the Night Will Cry

The danger had arrived, and it came in the form of two villains and the smell of bitter smoke in the sky.

Students not out in the forest were frozen, helpless along with Tiger and Mandalay as all of them stared at Pixie-Bob's prone form. They had gotten a surprise blow and now the hero laid limply beneath the concrete pillar planted on top of her head by the muscular woman that arrived. The other, a reptilian male, stepped forward. In his attire, Elise saw parallels of Stain.

"How are you doing this evening, U.A. High School?" He yelled, spreading his arms out in greeting. "My name is Spinner and this is Magne. We are the Vanguard Action Squad of the League of Villains."

There was that name again. The League of Villains.

Ojiro echoed her sentiment. "League? What are they doing here?!?"

Seeing the perturbance on their faces, the woman pinning Pixie-Bob down asked, "Shall I crush this girl's head? What d'you think?"

"Wait up! Big Sis Mag! Don't be hasty," Spinner said. "It all depends on whether having power over life and death follows Stain's tenets or not."

So it was true, he was a follower of Stain then.

"You're the ones that Stain's ideology brought?" Iida yelled, taking a step towards them.

"That's right!" He grinned, hand reaching for the massive sword strapped to his back. Then he paused as his eyes flickered over Iida, then to Elise standing near him. "You in the glasses! You were the one who brought an end to Stain in Hosu City! And you were there, girl. Just our luck, one of our targets is right in front of us!" His grin was maniacal as he brandished his weapon in front of him, the wrapping around it falling away.

What looked to be a sword was an amalgamation of blades, tied together by belts and strips of leather and longer than he was tall. Mandalay blocked Elise and Midoriya with her arm upon seeing the weapon while Tiger advanced toward them.

"I don't care, but you bastards..." he began. "The woman lying there, Pixie-Bob, has started worrying about getting married recently. She was doing her best to find happiness as a woman, despite her age. You can't damage that woman's face... and then just stand there laughing thoughtlessly about it!"

The last words were roared out as he seemed to swell up in fury.

"What's a hero doing trying to be happy like the average person?!" Spinned countered as he leaped for them. "People like you don't deserve that!"

While the heroes geared themselves up, Elise was ready as she formed a Pokéball. She didn't forget about the cry for help from Kota that she felt upon him smashing the empty one she gave him.

"Go, everyone!" Mandalay yelled back at the students. "Listen carefully. Do not fight. Class rep you're in charge!"

"Understood! Let's go!"

Even though the dismissal was meant as a retreat to safer grounds, Elise saw this as her chance to head to Kota. Despite the circumstances, she would not go back on her promises. As far as she knew, she was the only one capable of reaching him in time. "Mandalay, I need to go to Kota!"

The look she shot Elise was full of alarm. "What?!"

"I have to go protect him!" Elise said. She ignored Iida's urgent calls. "I'll bring him back safely."

"I'll go with her!" Midoriya yelled, placing a hand on his chest. "Rest assured."

Mandalay help a bitter expression on her face, but she relented. "Fine. Go. But under no means do you engage with the villains."