Beauty vs the Beast (Katsuki Bakugo fanfic)

23:「 Stains of Corruption 」

"One after another. So many interruptions today," the villain said, pushing himself back up from Carine's surprise attack.

Carine could now clearly see his from. He had a red scarf tied around his neck, a beige mask, and two swords for each of his hands. So this was the Hero Killer, Stain. 

"Minazuki, you too?" Iida questioned. He was standing up, but his arm was visibly injured, with streaks of blood dripping to the ground beneath him. There was a conscious pro hero on the floor next to him, who seemed to be in a condition worse than the rest of them. 

"You figured out from the text too, huh?" Todoroki concluded. Carine nodded in response. She saw that he was hurt as well. There was a cut on his cheek and stab wounds on his arm.

"Minazuki! Don't let him draw your blood! He paralyzes opponents by ingesting their blood. THat's how he got us!" Deku yelled out to her. 

"But thanks to your intervention, he was taken by surprise. We can move now. He tasted our blood and paralyzed us. I can think of three possible explanations. Either the effect is weaker the more people he uses it on...or it's about how much blood he gets, or its effectiveness on blood type " Todoroki exemplified. 

"Blood type...? I'm B," the pro hero on the ground croaked. "And I'm A.." Iida said. 

Carine looked over at Iida. She knew how hard this had to be on him. She was worried for him ever since she'd heard the news of Ingenium's attack.

The resentment, the despair, everything...was etched in that smile of his. She knew now what it had meant. Although, Carine had always known what was hidden behind those types of smiles. It was nothing foreign to her.

After all, she grew up with the same expression, one that had managed to fool nearly everyone. She lived in the shadow that Rukiya casted ever since she left. 

For once, she wanted to see things from Akari's view, which is why Carine chose her agency for the internship. Akari was the light that poured over the darkness in everyone. So why didn't Akari's light every reach her?

Surely, her older sister knew had much she had been suffering. She did the same even now, as the Pro Hero Halo. Carine wanted to know, what exactly, gravitated people towards her. When Carine was younger, she would hear from her parents, her sisters--everyone--how radiant Akari was, but this time, she wanted to see for herself, what made her special enough to become the number three hero out there.

And the answer was so simple. So simple, yet she couldn't see it. 

When it's cold, light brings warmth and comfort. 

Halo was the people's warmth, their comfort. She was their light. From the beginning. 

"This had nothing to do with any of you...so, I'm sorry," Iida's voice interrupted Carine's thoughts. "Not that again," Deku sighed. "That's why...I swear I won't let you lose any more blood here," Iida stated confidently. 

"It's no use pretending," the Hero Killer suddenly spoke. "A person's true nature cannot be changed so easily. You're a fake who prioritized his own selfish desires. A cancer on this society warped by 'heroes.' Someone needs to correct the system." 

"So you're a fundamentalist? Get with the times. Iida. Don't even think of listening to his so-called reasoning," Todoroki shot back. 

"No. He's right. I have no right to call myself a hero." Iida's fists shook. "Still, I won't let him break me. Because if I break, then Ingenium's really dead." 

"You're hopeless," the Hero Killer smiled, preparing to attack. With her hands, Carine immediately blasted a spiral of water against the villain. Simultaneously, Todoroki launched a  burst of fire against him as well.

"Idiots!" the pro hero on the ground shouted at them. "The Hero Killer's after me and the dude in the white armor! Forget fighting back, just get out of here!" 

"I don't think he'll let us," Todoroki replied. "He went through a a clear change a minute ago. He's all fired up too." 

"Todoroki!" Iida called out. Instantly, Todoroki looked over at Iida. "Can you freeze my leg for me!? Without blocking the exhaust pipes!" Iida shouted. "Stop interfering!" the Hero Killer launched a knife at Todoroki.

Impulsively, Iida jumped and covered for him, resulting in the knife seeping into his skin. "You stay down too," the villain sent another knife that forced Iida to crash down onto the ground. "Iida!" Todorki yelled.

"Just freeze it!" Iida shouted.

Without another moment's hesitation, Todoroki continued to freeze Iida's leg, avoiding the exhaust pipes. "There," he said. 

Above, the Hero Killer lunged for them.

Carine thought about what Akari had told her. She needed to think of her body as water: movements that flowed smoothly, yet rapid enough to cause damage. With sharp eyes and a confident resolve, Carine leaped in front of the hero killer.

Fortunately, Iida and Deku had thought of the same thing. With his recipro extend, Iida jumped and aimed for the Hero Killer's left side. Deku, with the new technique managed to pick up, sprung and aimed for his right side. 

"Go!" Todoroki said with a smile, looking up at his three classmates. 

Together, Carine, Iida, and Deku pummeled into the Hero Killer from all three sides, respectively. To keep them from falling, Todoroki created a curve of ice that allowed them to tumble down safely. 

"Get up! He's still--" Todoroki stopped his words when he saw that the villain was motionless against the wall.