Echo Chamber

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Izuku grabbed Tenya and Shoto as Stain caught the flash grenade, spinning them around just as the device went off. The three turned back around to see the Hero Killer staggering back, a hand over his face as he hissed.

"Such trickery!" the man spat, "You are no Hero! I will end you!"

"Not happening!" Izuku shouted, nodding to Shoto as the two-toned teen stomped his foot against the floor, sending a stream of ice towards the Pro lying against the wall behind Stain.

The man gave a cry as the ramp of ice suddenly lifted him up, sliding him past the Hero Killer as the Villain swiped at the space he'd just been, his sword cutting deep into the ice. The Pro gasped as Tenya and Izuku stepped forwards, standing between him and Stain, the two-toned teen crouching down and undoing one of the capsules on his belt, pulling out a small sachet of coagulating agent.

"Shoto, you focus on evacuating Native for now, but keep in range," Izuku said, Shoto nodding as he began to drag the paralyzed Hero out of the alleyway, "Ingenium and I have a Villain to beat."

"Little brats!" Stain hissed as he blinked rapidly, his sight slowly returning, "You're getting in the way of my duty! I'll kill you!"

The blue frost shot up Stain's legs a moment later, engulfing them in thick ice as the Villain gasped. The sound of a roaring engine was all the warning the blinded man got to raise his sword in defense before the kick slammed into the blade, both battling to overpower the other. A moment later, the sound of shearing metal echoed through the alley, quickly followed by shattering ice as Ingenium's kick blasted through the sword, breaking it. The kick slammed into Stain's chest, throwing him back down the alley as he rubbed at his eyes, squinting at the two figures that stood against him.

"You damn brats!" Stain hissed again, "You really think that you can defeat me? You're nothing but posers! Just like Ingenium!"

"You...!" Iida shouted, stepping forwards but stopping as Izuku grabbed his shoulder, shaking his head as he mouthed something, Iida's eyes going wide before he gave a sharp nod, "Shut up, evildoer! The damage you caused to my brother's spine...He'll never be a Hero again! He's a leader! He's saved so many people! He is a true Hero!"

The tears began to drip from Tenya's eyes as he glared at Stain, the man still squinting at them as the frost slowly built around him.

"You had no reason to cripple him like that!" Tenya shouted, "He's my Hero! The Hero who inspired my dream!"

"Pathetic," Stain growled, his breath coming out in plumes of steam, "You're just a legacy brat! You have no desire to save, you only wish to carry on the family line. That is no Hero!"

"I disagree," Shoto said as he stood beside Iida, the teen jumping slightly, "I think it's a fine reason to want to help people."

"Huh? So, the other one came back already?" Stain growled, "You think that your tricks and numbers will be enough to beat me? Well you're wrong!"

"Interesting," Shoto hummed as he glanced down at Izuku, the teen giving him a nod, "Tell me, Hero Killer: Stain...do you know what sublimation is?"

"Sublima-?" the man started before Todoroki threw his left arm up, releasing a gout of concentrated flame.

The air warped over his hand; in much the same way it had the first time Izuku had used it. He focused, drawing the power as close to his skin as he possibly could, feeling the heat start to boil his blood. And then it was gone, the cold side of his quirk compensating for the heat as he rapidly cooled his body. The world went quiet, before the air pressure shot down the narrow alleyway and slammed into the Villain with a massive blast, throwing him back at incredible speed.