Welcome to the Multiverse! (Part 2)

The Hero's Gambit

Aizawa's not the only one launching a counterattack. U.A.'s staff is getting involved now, and the situation is officially out of control. Heroes are swooping in, students are scrambling, and the League is trying to keep up the assault. It's a mess, and my job is to make sure that this disaster doesn't turn into a full-blown catastrophe.

Still mid-fight with Aizawa, I can see him shifting gears. He's not just focused on me anymore—his attention is split between battling me and directing the rest of the staff.

Aizawa: Hurry, evacuate the students! Hold the line!

Me: Oh, great, now I'm fighting a multitasking pro hero.

The pressure's on.

I'm ducking his attacks while simultaneously watching him coordinate the other heroes. He's calling out orders, keeping them focused and organized, which is bad news for me. The tighter their defense, the harder it's going to be to keep the League from getting themselves killed.

Dabi is throwing fire everywhere, Twice is, well, being Twice, and Kurogiri is working overtime warping people in and out. It's chaos.

Guess I'm in charge here too.

And by in charge, I mean trying to hold this whole thing together without blowing my cover. It's not like I can just step back and let everyone sort things out themselves. People will die if I don't manage this properly.

I lock eyes with Aizawa again as we continue trading blows. He's still suspicious, but he's also a pro. He's not going to let me off easy.

Aizawa: You're still holding back. You could've ended this already.

Me: You think I want to drag this out? I've got better things to do!

Aizawa narrows his eyes. He's piecing something together, but I can't give him the time to think too much. I spin away from him, kicking up dust as I move toward the rest of the League.

The battlefield is changing.

Heroes are everywhere now—U.A. staff members showing up, each with their own quirks. The League is trying to push forward, but the tide is turning. I have to act.

I regroup with Dabi and Toga, who are both in full-on chaos mode.

Dabi: USAGI! What's the plan here?

Me: Plan? Since when do we plan anything?

Toga's giggling next to me, but I can see her eyes darting around. She's not stupid—she knows things are getting tight.

Toga: I just want to stab a few more people! What do we do, boss?

Me: Oh, you know, the usual. Just try not to get caught. Or killed. That'd be inconvenient.

The League is getting pushed back by the heroes, and I can't let them fall apart. If the League fails too quickly, more drastic measures might come into play. Measures that could get people hurt.

So, I step up.

Me: Kurogiri, start pulling back the more reckless ones. We need to keep them in the game, but not out of control.

Kurogiri nods, warping some of the more aggressive villains out of the line of fire. I can see him watching me closely, clearly surprised by my sudden tactical leadership.

Kurogiri: Understood, Usagi.

It's weird being called by that name—Usagi, like I'm supposed to be this terrifying villain. But in this moment, I'm using it to keep the League functioning.

Meanwhile, the heroes are pushing hard.

Aizawa's back on his feet, coordinating with Present Mic and Thirteen, while more heroes join in. It's a full-on battle now, and I'm right in the middle of it, trying to keep up the charade without letting things spiral out of control.

I watch Aizawa signal to the others, directing them to form a tighter defense around the students. He's doing everything he can to make sure they stay safe, and I realize that I need to do the same—just on the opposite side. If I don't act fast, someone could make a fatal mistake.

I dive back into the fight.

How do we make this look convincing while also not letting anyone get seriously hurt?

I direct Dabi to target less populated areas, signaling to him with a nod to avoid getting too close to the students.

Me: Dabi, focus your fire over there. Keep the pressure on, but don't hit the kids.

Dabi: Tch, whatever you say, boss.

He throws a wave of flames, but I make sure they're just shy of actually harming anyone important. It's all about the illusion of danger, not the reality of it.

But then things get more complicated.

Aizawa splits off. 

One moment, we're clashing, and the next, he's darting toward a group of students in trouble. I lose sight of him in the chaos as he disappears into the fray, but I can't afford to chase him down. 

The fight has taken on a life of its own now, and I have to keep up with it.

I take a breath, scanning the battlefield. The League is starting to pull back, but the heroes are relentless. I'm still keeping up my villainous facade, but inside, I'm just trying to stop things from getting worse.

Alright, everyone's fighting, no one's dying. 

That's progress.

I regroup with Kurogiri, who is still warping villains around the battlefield like a pro. I'm thankful for him, really—he's probably the only one who has some idea of what's going on in my head.

Kurogiri: It seems we're at a turning point, Usagi.

Me: Tell me about it.

I'm juggling two lives here—playing the role of a villain while secretly trying to protect as many people as possible. And the heroes? They have no idea I'm helping them, that I'm working to keep the damage minimal.

But it's exhausting.

Me: Let's keep the League moving, Kurogiri. We can't let them get cornered.

Kurogiri: Of course.

The battle rages on, but I'm constantly calculating, adapting to the heroes' strategies and countering them without giving away my true intentions. It's a delicate balance—being just villainous enough to convince the League I'm one of them while subtly working to minimize the destruction.

But the longer this goes on, the harder it gets to maintain the act. Sooner or later, someone's going to figure me out.

For now, though, I just need to keep things under control.

Just one step at a time. 

Keep everyone alive. 

Keep playing the part.

But deep down, I know that this fight is far from over.