Death Paradox 💥BAKUDEKU💥

Chapter 33

The Emperor

✧༺✦✮✦༻✧

Chapter 33

With a roar, Katsuki propelled himself from the dais, explosions bursting from his palms as he shot toward Shoto. He didn't stop to consider the danger or the damage. There wasn't time. Deku was tangled with the prince-turned-demon, and Shoto was about to rip his goddamn head off. The air blurred around him, heat and energy streaking in his wake as he slammed into Shoto with the force of a meteor seconds before Shoto's clawed hand could tear through Izuku's neck. They crashed into the ground, the impact sending cracks spiderwebbing through the stone and kicking up a wave of debris.

"Get the hell off him, IcyHot!" Katsuki seethed, his voice raw with fury. He didn't wait for a response, didn't care if Shoto was still in there somewhere. This wasn't about talking anymore—it was about stopping him. Period.

Shoto only snarled, his demonic features twisted in rage and pain, but Katsuki didn't give him a chance to recover—he drove the Blade of Aether down into Shoto's shoulder, the edge biting deep into scaled flesh. The blade flared, its runes pulsing with searing light as it connected with the writhing curse that had overtaken Shoto's body.

The reaction was immediate.

Shoto's snarl turned into a scream—part rage, part agony—as the blade's power surged through him. The curse writhed and twisted beneath his skin, fighting back against the light that sought to undo it. His claws flailed wildly, forcing Katsuki to duck and weave, his grip on the blade firm as he held it in place.

"Snap the hell out of it!"

The curse was alive, a pulsing, writhing force that seemed to screech as the Blade of Aether worked its way deeper into Shoto's essence. The dark scales on Shoto's arm cracked and split, thin tendrils of black magic leaking out like smoke, only to be consumed by the blade's relentless light. The Blade wasn't just cutting through the curse—it was devouring it, pulling it from Shoto's body like poison from a wound.

Shoto roared beneath him, his body convulsing as the curse fought back, trying to cling to its host. For a moment, it felt like the curse might win.

suddenly, a low, rhythmic whoosh cut through the noise, distant but growing louder. The unmistakable sound of wings—massive, heavy, and impossibly close.

A flash of green light erupted behind them, cutting through the gloom. Katsuki barely had time to duck as Izuku's blade swung in a wide arc over his head, the Blade of Eternity singing with power as it unleashed a wave of magic. The energy streaked toward Shigaraki, who let out a bloodcurdling shriek as the light struck him. The devil staggered, his twisted form writhing as he recoiled from the magic.

"Curse you!" Shigaraki roared, his voice a mix of rage and pain. His clawed hand extended toward Katsuki, dark runes spiraling outward as he hurled a blast of decay magic in his direction.

Izuku was already moving, the Blade of Eternity glowing fiercely in his hands as he intercepted the attack. The two forces collided, sparks of green and black energy exploding outward in a violent clash that lit up the cavern. The strain on Izuku's face was evident, his muscles trembling as he pushed back against the overwhelming force of Shigaraki's magic. Izuku's injured arm hung limp at his side, the once-green and white of his tunic now soaked through with his own blood. The gash in his shoulder was deep, the torn flesh still oozing as he fought to keep the Blade of Eternity steady in his good hand.

Katsuki's grip on the Blade of Aether tightened as Shoto's convulsing body grew still beneath him, the last vestiges of the curse devoured by the sword's relentless light. But there was no time to revel in the small victory. Another shriek from Shigaraki reminded Katsuki that the battle was far from over. Katsuki growled under his breath, already shifting to spring back into the fray, the prince be damned when a thunderous roar split the air.