𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗦 ⌈𝐈⌔𝐌 ✗ 𝔽!𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑫𝑬𝑹⌋

Chapter 109

CHAPTER 109: Heroes in the Wasteland

The world had already begun to crumble, but now, it was splintering beyond recognition. Japan was drowning in chaos-villains ran rampant, the streets were in ruin, and civilians had lost faith in heroes.

You had seen it firsthand.

The weight of the war still clung to the air, heavy and suffocating. Ever since the fall of Tartarus, villains poured into the streets like an unstoppable flood. With so many heroes either dead, retired, or missing, the people had no choice but to arm themselves. Desperation had forced them to become their own protectors.

As you and your team advanced through the streets, the air crackled with unease. Izuku led the way, his gaze sharp beneath his tattered hood. Around you, Ochaco, Hanta, Kyouka, Toru, and Mashirao moved with practiced coordination, eyes scanning for threats.

Ahead, the remnants of a makeshift refugee camp stretched across a ruined block. Civilians clung to what little they had, their expressions hardened by exhaustion. A truck-one that wasn't meant to be there-was revving its engine. The people around it shouted in protest, some wielding whatever weapons they could find.

Villains.

Before the realization could fully settle, the truck accelerated. But you weren't just standing there to watch.

"Izuku!" You called out.

"I see it," he responded immediately.

In a flash, he shot forward, Blackwhip unfurling from his arms like dark tendrils. His Danger Sense flared, warning him of the incoming threats. The villains surrounding the truck barely had time to react before he was upon them. With a combination of Fa Jin, Float, and Blackwhip, he wove through their defenses, striking with precision.

You weren't far behind. The moment you moved, the moisture in the air responded to you. Your quirk had come a long way-long enough that the fluidity of your control had become second nature. You raised a hand, and in an instant, water surged from the cracks in the pavement, twisting into jagged spears of ice. With a flick of your wrist, they shot forward, pinning down one of the escaping villains before they could disappear.

The rest of your team moved in sync. Ochaco used her Zero Gravity to disarm another, while Kyouka's soundwaves shattered the weapons some of the villains carried. Mashirao's tail snapped forward, knocking out a third.

The battle ended as quickly as it had begun.

As the last of the villains fell, you exhaled sharply, allowing the tension in your muscles to ease. But Izuku was still staring off into the distance, his eyes fixated on something above the ruined cityscape.

"What is it?" You followed his gaze.

Up on a broken overpass, a lone figure sat astride a motorcycle, watching the chaos below. The man held a photograph in his gloved hand, but his expression was unreadable. Then, without a word, he revved his engine and sped off.

Izuku clenched his fists. "We need to keep moving."

You nodded. There was no time to waste.

---

After regrouping at the police station with Teams 2 and 3, you were given your next assignment-track down and apprehend Ginji Kurau, a Tartarus escapee. It didn't take long to find him.

The moment Team 1 arrived at the Port of Niigata, the scene was already unfolding in chaos. Ginji was on the move, dragging a woman-Anna Scervino-through the streets with terrifying strength. The moment Izuku tried to intervene, everything fell apart.