Wings of Awakening

Part 49

In the League of Villains' hideout, a portal appeared, and out stepped the battered remains of the Vanguard Action Squad. Shigaraki looked them over, irritation clear on his face. "Did you get the student?" he demanded.

"No," Dabi replied, his tone as calm as ever.

Shigaraki's eyes narrowed, his hand twitching with frustration. "You mean to tell me you couldn't even capture one kid?"

"We almost had him, but Compress was intercepted before reaching the rendezvous point," Dabi explained, unfazed. "But we did get the hero you wanted." He gestured toward Ragdoll, unconscious and slumped against the wall.

Shigaraki's irritation melted into a twisted smile. "Send her to the doctor." At his command, a portal appeared, swallowing Ragdoll and transporting her to the mysterious doctor's lab.

"If you weren't valuable to the League," Shigaraki snarled, scratching his neck until he drew blood, "I'd make you pay for this failure."

Before any response could be made, the bar's TV flickered on, and a chilling voice filled the room. "It seems your mission failed, Tomura."

Shigaraki's expression shifted, and he looked down, murmuring, "Sorry, Sensei."

The voice, calm and calculating, responded, "Do not worry. There will be another opportunity. With this attack, U.A. will face backlash from the public, weakening their reputation."

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The next day, protests erupted outside U.A., where angry citizens gathered, expressing their frustration and distrust toward the school's security measures. Inside, the teachers held an emergency meeting, analyzing the League of Villains' attack by their Vanguard Action Squad and its repercussions. Principal Nezu, maintaining his composure, addressed the group.

"Thankfully, none of the students were seriously harmed, and we prevented their kidnapping attempt on Bakugo," he noted. "On top of that, we managed to capture a few known villains during the attack."

Present Mic, however, voiced his concern. "But let's not forget that only the teachers and the Pussycats knew the location of the training camp. There's a traitor among us!"

Snipe shook his head, disagreeing. "If we start suspecting each other, it'll breed mistrust. That would destroy us from the inside, and that's exactly what the League wants."

Nezu sighed, acknowledging the weight of Snipe's point but resolved to keep the issue in mind as they moved forward. "We need a plan to rescue Ragdoll from the villains," Nezu said, his tone firm. "We don't know why they took her or what purpose she serves in their plans, but our priority is twofold: reassure the public and bring her back safely. I propose we form a rescue team led by U.A., coordinated with the pros to maximize our chances."

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The following day, the students received treatment for the injuries they had sustained. The teachers informed them that Hagakure and Jiro hadn't yet regained consciousness from the gas attack, and Momo was also hospitalized due to a serious head injury, though she had woken up the day before. However, the news of Ragdoll's confirmed abduction cast a shadow over the small relief of Bakugo's safety.

The police conducted a thorough questioning of all students involved. During the interviews, they learned that Momo had managed to place a tracker on one of the villains. When asked, Momo explained, "I created a transmitter, and Yosetsu managed to plant it on the Nomu."

She handed a small device to All Might, who accepted it with a proud smile. "You've shown true hero spirit, Yaoyorozu. We'll leave the rescue of Ragdoll to the professionals."

"Thank you, All Might," she said, relief evident on her face.

All Might turned to the students and teachers, his face determined. "We're going to bring her back. This fight isn't over."