Wings of Awakening

Part 42

Tomura Shigaraki crashed onto the cold, hard floor of the League of Villains' hideout, groaning as he clutched at his bullet wounds, the pain throbbing in his hand and legs. Kurogiri's portal closed behind him, leaving him in the dark, empty room with only the flicker of a TV screen. The screen blinked to life, illuminating a familiar, masked face.

"How did the mission go, Tomura?" the voice asked, even and unruffled.

Tomura grimaced, lying sprawled on his back. The hand, the one that usually covered his face, was missing. It had been lost in the chaos at USJ, blasted off in the fight. "We failed, Sensei," he muttered bitterly. "All Might wasn't even there when we first showed up. He came in late... and he took down the Nomu. Sensei, he wasn't weak at all. He's still too strong." His fingers itched, and he squeezed them into a fist, frustrated.

The voice hummed thoughtfully. "Even so, we may have chipped away at his strength. We must be patient, Tomura."

"But that kid..." Tomura spat, venom in his words. "That damn kid with wings. He got in the way, stepped in to protect Eraser Head, and then went toe-to-toe with the Nomu. But that kid kept him safe."

"Interesting," the voice replied, an edge of curiosity creeping in. "This child has caught your attention. Tell me more about him."

Tomura sneered, thinking of Izuku's green wings and telekinetic power. "He's strong. Not strong enough to beat Nomu, but he was persistent, and he nearly held out until All Might showed up. I would have killed Eraser Head if it weren't for him."

"You'll have time to seek your revenge, Tomura. For now, go to the doctor. You need to recover."

A portal opened beneath Tomura, sending him to the League's doctor for treatment. But the bitter taste of defeat lingered, and the thought of green haired kid with wings gnawed at him.

In the days following the failed USJ attack, Shigaraki was relentless in his pursuit to strengthen the League, frustrated by the capture of the hired criminals. He turned his attention to recruiting new members to expand their numbers and ensure future attacks would be more impactful. Soon, With the help of Giren, an information broker, Shigaraki also managed to recruit a few brutal individuals.

Twice: A man with the ability to create copies of himself or others if he knew their measurements, but he was unpredictable, struggling with a split personality that left him torn between loyalty and self-doubt.

Mr. Compress: A magician who could compress people or objects into marbles, making him invaluable for stealth missions and capturing targets.

Magne: A robust and tough individual with a magnetic quirk that allows her to manipulate the movements of others based on their gender. Her easygoing, rough nature provided the League with both strength and humor, and her dedication to tearing down the society that shunned her motivated her loyalty to Shigaraki.

Mustard: A younger recruit with a gas-based quirk that allows him to generate and control a sleep-inducing gas. With a gun in hand and a bitter hatred for heroes, Mustard had little mercy for his enemies, making him a deadly addition in combat.

Muscular: A sadistic powerhouse who could cover his body in muscle fibers, he respected only strength and power, fitting well with the League's goals of disrupting hero society.

Moonfish: A disturbing, cannibalistic villain with blades for teeth that could extend to cut down opponents.

Shigaraki's focus turned to one of the more notorious figures in the underground world—Stain, the Hero Killer. He'd gained fame for his brutal murders of heroes, and Tomura saw potential in his ruthless ideology. However, their meeting was disastrous; Stain rejected Tomura's vision of chaos, disgusted by the League's lack of purpose beyond destruction. But the League's plans still collided with Stain's when Tomura unleashed the Nomus on Hosu, hoping to attract new recruits and sow fear. The operation, however, did not go as planned. Stain's capture turned him into a martyr, sparking widespread support for his ideology, and it only served to increase the popularity of Izuku Midoriya, the young hero who had bravely faced the Nomu.

Despite this setback, Stain's legacy drew new faces to the League, all believing that the Hero Killer's ideals aligned with the League's cause. Tomura soon gained a new wave of recruits:

Dabi: A mysterious man with charred skin stapled together, who wielded deadly blue flames. His disdain for heroes was palpable, and his raw power made him a formidable addition.

Toga Himiko: A girl with messy blonde buns, a fascination with blood, and a fixation on Izuku Midoriya after the hosu attack. She could transform into anyone whose blood she ingested, an ability Shigaraki saw as a useful tool for infiltration.

Spinner: A lizard-like man who idolized Stain's ideals, wielding  swords and declaring his loyalty to the League in the Hero Killer's name. His dedication to Stain's beliefs, however, often clashed with Shigaraki's goals.

Together, this motley crew of villains formed the League's growing core, each bringing their own twisted skills and ideologies into Shigaraki's fold. With his eyes set on future plans, Tomura continued to fester with hatred for All Might and, more deeply, for the one name that haunted his thoughts:

Izuku Midoriya.