Blossoms of the Dark Continued

CCXXIX Shouto: Predator

It's for the sake of the story. Please don't come after me ...

Finding out a logical weakness for Mirio took big brain energy. Is it obvious how much physics research I had to do? I swear, at this point, I've memorized all equations requiring mass.

Trigger Warning: 

- major character deaths

- death

- blood

- gore

- blades

- mutilation

- burns

- vivid description of burnt body (I used Armin Arlert as a reference.)

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The devil appraises the three of us.

I can only imagine how pathetic we appear in her eyes.

Together, we are a patchwork of bruises, burns, and cuts.

Any sustained injuries she might have garnered are concealed by the veneer of blood.

Confronting Morningstar is a terrible idea. Behind us, our reinforcements are dying quicker than they arrived. Ahead of us, the villains are fleeing. I would like to believe that the villains - All for One, especially - have recognized imminent defeat and are running with their tails between their legs. But if that were true, they would not have left the devil behind.

No one is going to win this war today. It's a mutual retreat from both parties.

But I owe it to everyone to take down at least one criminal to compensate for our losses. And this bloodthirsty witch with in front of me will do just fine.

I attack first.

Ice shoots toward her, leaving a narrow slice across her cheek. Hado-senpai and Mirio-senpai take the cue, one rounding behind her and the other blocking her way ahead. Hado-senpai blasts curls of energy at the devil's back, sending her tumbling forward, where Mirio-senpai's fist is waiting to smash her jaw.

The impact of the punch forces her to her knees. She spits out blood and heaves for oxygen. Senpai doesn't give her a chance. Shoving her onto her back, Mirio-senpai pummels her face with punch after punch. Already in a weakened state, her strength diminishes further.

"That's for Best Jeanist!" Mirio-senpai screams as his fist makes contact with bone again. "And this is for Midnight! Eraserhead! Mount Lady! Kamui Woods! Our classmates!" He hollers more names. With every name, the owner's face comes to mind. Senpai may have arrived late into the battle, but he has more information than I do. People I hadn't even given thought to this whole time are no more. The accusations may be for Morningstar, but it is I who is feeling the guilt. So many people I knew but kept my guard up around ... so many I didn't know and hesitated getting to know them ... now they are dead. With what face am I going to go to their funerals? Failure? Self-hatred? Shame? Likely all of the above.

There are some people whom I know Morningstar did not kill, like Aizawa-sensei or Bakugou or Midoriya. But Shigaraki did, and she is his accomplice. By proxy, she might as well have. So even though my heart gives a pang watching her skull get crushed in, I make no move to stop Mirio-senpai. Neither does Hado-senpai. In fact, she is pulling out quirk suppressor cuffs, getting ready to restrain Morningstar.

My feet begin moving too. The least I can do is trap her legs in place and make it easier for Hado-senpai.

Neither of us get the chance to restrict her.