Chapter 10: One Moment

Shouto wiggled his fingers walking towards the cowering teen on the ground. The ice crackled slowly towards Leone. He slowly stood up and backed away from the half and half prodigy. A fog of smoke floated out of his mouth as he stood in front of him. "Believe me when I say that this isn't personal." He fashioned a blade of ice aiming it directly for his throat.

Leone shielded himself wholly expecting to be skewered but no pain came and he opened his eyes. A pair of floating gloves and boots dropped to the ground. "T-todoroki why are you trying to hurt Leone? H-he's our friend...I know you're scared and it looks like Leone knows these people but you can't just hurt him." Hagakure coughed.

"Hahakure..." Todoroki bit his lip and helped the girl back to his feet. "This is your arm I'm holding onto right?"

"Um, could you go a lighten up a little please you're digging into my forearm."

"My goodness, I'm sorry." He helped her back up and walked ahead not wanting to make eye contact with his target nor face the situation he had created.

Leone finally shook himself to action and grabbed onto what he assumed to be Toru's shoulder. "Are you alright? I'm sorry I didn't act at all. I was too scared I just-I just-"

"It's ok." She took a hold of his hand. "You're not the only person who has to deal with things like this. I understand you. C'mon! Let's get out of here!" Toru pulled on him. Leone's face shifted he could feel something strange about this girl who was being so kind to him. Her voice was filled with sincerity almost far too genuine as if she was speaking from experience.

It wasn't time to relax just yet. More villains stepped forth to oppose the three students. Todorki cracked his neck ready to strike back against them. "We gotta fight," Hagakure began. "These guys might just hurt our friends if we don't do something! We have to stand up even if we're scared. And..you should really think about who's side your on."

The confused boy clenched his fist and slid down the mountain. "Let's get rid of these brats yeah!" One villian cried whipping the others into a frenzy. One villian revved his chainsaw striking at Leone he rolled out of the way as he sliced through the rock cutting through it like paper. The younger man quickly picked himself back up and grabbed hold of his attacker's hair and fling him to the ground.

He stomped on the weapon shattering it before raising his arms and putting his front foot forward. "Isn't this the kid we're supposed to be taking with us?"

"Yeah but he's attacking us now."

"So what!? You wanna deal with that man-baby if we don't take this punk in? If he's gonna get in our way we'll knock'em out and bring'em right!" A villain with a Rabbit mask stepped forward brandishing his claws. "Honestly this'll be a good chance to get payback for his f-" Todoroki froze him over allowing Leone to drop kick him.

Hagakure quickly put up her hands shielding her face icy wind and debris. A guy on the right with bulging like muscles stomped forward ready to grab one of the icy boys. Shouto sopped him in his tracks before turning his attention to dark-skinned woman stretching out her hands and pelting him with small spikes. "If I could just hit this kid he'd be asleep in a second."

"That so." The ice looped around and rose from the ground. She released a final 'gah' as she joined her comrades in a stature state. "Is that all of them." Shouto scanned the area everyone had their lights knocked out or were fighting off third-degree burns.

"Your Yuuya's kid right can't you-" Leone smashed his fist into the thug's face and pulled it back his hands stained with blood that wasn't his.

"The end huh? These people call themselves the League of Villains but they're nothing more than a collection of morons." Leone and, from the bits he could see, Hagakure were walking away.

"Morons huh?" The mud underneath the teen shifted taking hold of his hands. "You can't use your quirk without your hands and feet, right? Even if you could..." Mud slowly rose up his body. "There's no way you can use it now." The mud splattered man pulled a scythe out of his coat. "Getting rid of you is gonna make a lot of people happy Endeavor's son!"

Shouto struggled to free himself he couldn't even get his fingers on the mud. His feet felt like they were dangling over the edge an endless trench. "No dammit!" His left side screamed begging to be used. A quick singe of flame, an eruption, anything could help him but for the life of him, he could not. His mind resisted where his body so wanted to push onto the attack.

Visions of his mother flashed in his mind. Her scared expression as she clutched the phone and finally the pot filled with hot water and tossed it at him. "I won't give you what you want..." He whispered.

Kaboom. Shouto felt his arms slack and his feet land on solid ground. He was hoisted up and dragged across the ground. Hagakure was waving her hands and he guessed, speaking to him. the whine in his ears finally stopped. "What's going on?"

"Hm..." The muddied villain slid their weapon across the ground. "So you're gonna be the one to fight me now kiddo? I don't know how I feel skewering you though you're kind of cute honestly. I bet in a couple of years you'll be a real heartbreaker and you're trying to become a hero I doubt you'll have no shortage of pretty ladies after you."

"I'm not particularly interested in random girls nor old people who call me cute."

"Aw but I'm only a year older than you Leone. Hm fine." She sunk into the ground. Leone got on his guard. "Your guard is open." He kicked only to be met with a mud creation behind him keeping his hand in place. "And you're slow. Come on now I thought you were supposed to be a good creation." His other hand caught something sharp slid against his carotid artery.

She covered his eyes. "Anyone ever tell you that you're cute when you're angry? We can talk another time try to sharpen your skills for next time ok?" She sighed and scattered across the ground. Watanabe broke free from the mud. Who was that woman?

Leone walked towards Shouto and Hagakure. "We did it!" She shouted. "That was so awesome you guys worked really well together." The boys shared a quick glance with each other and quickly looked apart. "Or not...We should go find everyone else however it'll be bad if more villains attack us."

"So I was right Todoroki." Leone sighed. A moment ago he was scared but now...anger was searing from him. "You want to get rid of me? Then I'll break you before you get the chance."

~Flood Zone~

"What do we do now?" Tsuyu asked.

"Right now we need to call for help. Iida may not have gotten out in that case...following the shoreline should keep us away from the fight and we'd be able to get out no problem But Aizawa-sensei…" Mirdoriya thought. "He sounded confident when we went in but that might have been to just reassure us. He swam faster. "If what I'm thinking is right then we need to get to him!"

"Are you sure about this Midoriya?" Asui asked. He nodded. "If you say so I can't let you go by yourself. You might get hurt."

"We just got away from those water villains and you want to take on more?" Minoru splashed.

Just as he thought villains swarmed Aizawa. He successfully ducked and dived through the attacks and sent them flying back with a strong punch or kick but his actions were slowing down. The ones he had defeated earlier rose and put up their fists ready to attack again. "No matter what we have to help!" He turned to Tsuyu and Minoru. "We need to help Aizawa-sensei!"

Just as he said that the ground cracked. The man with a hand on his face motioned for another...human...no creature to follow him. It stood perfectly still and stood next to him its brain exposed and a muscular form that could rival All Might. "Midoriya I think we may be in over our heads. I know I might sound cowardly but we should run and regroup with the others first. Then fight more villains."

Aizawa broke through their ranks. He charged the Tomura. He tried struck at thin air and had his elbow caught. It cracked like clay and then layer-by-layer his clothes, skin, then muscle broke apart exposing his bones. "Nomu." Shigaraki called. Trying desperately to defend himself Aizawa kicked at the mass of muscle only to have it smack against its hulking frame.

The massive monster dug its finger's into Aizawa's head and lifted it up and slammed him into the concrete ground. He cried out. "This thing...I'm sure I erased his quirk...is he really just this strong? Could he be as strong as All Might?" Seemingly deriving pleasure from his torture Nomu fully pinned him to the ground and with the other hand grabbed the erasure hero's arm and twist it back then for extra measure crushed it.

"Meet the Anti-Symbol of Peace," Tomura pointed to bis bodyguard "The bio-engineered Nomu made by All Might's greatest friend."

Tsuyu and Minoru trembled in the water. "I can't blame them for being scared." Izuku gulped.

"You're really pathetic aren't you?" Shigaraki snapped his fingers causing Nomu to continue smashing him into the concrete. "I can't have losers like you corrupting Leone's mind."

"This is bad, Midoriya." Minoru cried.

Izuku's heart race as his finger's curled into a fist. "Those other villains were nothing compared to these guys the only real power they had was an environmental advantage over us as they split us up. But those two...scratch that three, are pure evil."

Suddenly the same purple and black mist appeared before them. "Shigaraki I finished."

"About time you got here Kurogiri. Is Thirteen dead yet?"

"He is incapacitated. I had no time to deal the finishing blow." Kurogiri said. "There were some students I couldn't send away and unfortunately one of them escaped."

"Is that so?" Shigaraki said. He scratched at his uncovered neck. "Kurogiri, you're lucky that you're my only fast travel option or I'd turn you into dust. You think we're gonna stand a chance if over a dozen pro heroes show up. Not to mention no one's shown up with our special package yet...looks like we're gonna have to pause the game for now. Let's find Leone then leave."

"Did he really say that?" Tsuyu asked.

Izuku nodded. "Sounds like it."

There was a splash as Minoru jumped onto Tsuyu and hugged her. "We're saved!" Soon there were a gurgling and bubbles rising to their surface. Izuku glanced over and saw that the smaller boy was being held underwater. Ignoring the display of stupidity next to him he focused in on the intruders. "To do all of this, and then just leave I don't get it."

"Before we leave let's leave a bad taste in their mouths and some dead kids for their memories." In the blink of an eye, Shigaraki was right next to them hand outstretched. His hand reaching for Tsuyu's face. The image of her shattering into a million pieces flashed into his mind.

"Move! Move Izuku move!" Izuku could only stare in horror.

Shigaraki stopped short retracting his hand from the young woman. "Pro heroes are what they cracked up to be huh? Right Eraserhead."

The pro hero had lifted his head fury lacing his eyes. They were glowing red as he stripped Tomura's quirk. "Now!" Izuku suddenly leaped out of the water. One for All flooded through his body and with everything he aimed for Tomura. "UTAH SMASH!"

Debris and dust flew into the air. As it cleared Izuku hoped that a broken Shigaraki would be laid out on the ground but no Noumu had caught his punch with one hand. The massive creature lifted Izuku into the air as Shigaraki stood. "Smash huh? You must be a fan of All Might. All the more reason to get rid of you. Nomu let's make sure this kid doesn't cause us any more problems. Shatter his bones, toss'em then we'll deal with the rest of these kids."

Izuku screamed as his hand was crushed like a grape. Nomu lift him in the air by his hair and applied pressure to his head. Asui and Mineta looked on with terrified expressions in the water as Shigaraki continued his work.

The sound of metal echoed. The main doors smashed apart. A tall blond, muscular man emerged from the cloud of dust. All Might stood there. "Have no FEAR because I AM HERE!"

"All Might's here!" Izuku chuckled but there was one sight that made his blood run cold. All Might wasn't smiling.

All Might was furious steam escaped every part of his body as he stomped down the stairs. "Thirteen injured just so young Iida could escape. Aizawa, fighting out of his element and against so many foes how could I leave my peers in such a crisis! All because of my actions this morning. I wasted most of my strength and was not here not only that they plan to abscond with my nephew and hurt my students and successor!"

Turning to his students All Might spoke. "I'm sorry I'm late everyone. I had a meeting with the Principal but when I ran into young Iida on the way here and heard the news well I quadrupled my speed."

"About time you showed up here. It's rude to make people wait for you. Go on do your jobs." Shigaraki ordered.

Even though they were ordered the villains were still scared. As they got the courage to strike it was already too late. All Might leaped from the top of the stairs and in a flash bowled the villains and reached Aizawa. "I should've been here, Aizawa. I'm sorry." He lifted the injured hero and held him in his arms. Taking advantage of the confusion he grabbed Izuku, Tsuyu, and Minoru and set them and their teacher behind him. "You're hurt young Midoriya. Go on I will fight in your stead."

It was like he was reading his mind. "You're fast, not as fast as expected. I didn't think it was true, All Might you're really getting weaker."

"All Might we need to retreat," Izuku said. Fear coated his voice. "I threw everything I had at him but still I...I couldn't faze him at all."

"Young Midoriya I appreciate the concern but have I not said it? Fear not! CAROLINA SMASH!" He threw his arms out with diagonal chops. They did nothing so he switched his attacks to the monster's face even with the blows, the villainous monster was able to reach out to attack him even though he missed. "What in the world is this?"

"It doesn't work because he's got shock absorption. If you want to really damage Nomu, it would be easier to slowly gouge out his flesh. Whether he'd let you do it or not is a different issue, though. we took so long with this guy because Yuuya told us to. Looks like it was worth it."

"Thanks for telling me that!" All Might slid behind Nomu. He heaved the Birdman into the air, planting the villain into the ground. And for a moment he thought he had done it. But soon the villain had dug his sharp claws into the blonde's sides. He looked up and there was Nomu staring right back at him.

"You were hoping to keep him still by sticking him into the concrete, weren't you? Good job, Kurogiri. Isn't the villain supposed to be the one who has everything turned on them spectacularly." All Might struggled to break free. Nomu continued in to dig into his sides.

Kurogiri smiled."It's time Nomu."

"Tsuyu!" Izuku said. "Take Aizawa-sensei off my shoulders!"

"Sure...but why?" She asked.

Izuku spun on his heels. "ALL MIGHT!" He shouted as he ran a gate appearing in front of him.

An explosion drove away from the mist. "Get out of my way!" Of all people, Bakugou suddenly jumped in explosions crackling on his hands. Katsuki emerged from his smoke and smiled. "Get the hell outta here, Deku!" The explosion quirk user shouted. Katsuki pinned Kurogiri, Shouto not far behind and to top it off his nephew was there...with a scowl on his face.

"I heard you people are here to kill All Might how do you really think people like you could kill the Symbol of Peace.

"Maybe we can't," He pointed to Leone. "But he can. Leone you're here we can turn the tide now. Help us get rid of All Might and we can get out of here." He extended his hand. "You know what to do come over here."

"Aniki..."

"Come on Leone you know you're not meant to be a hero."

"Leone..." Deku called out. The boy looked to his injured friend.

"Izuku what happened to you...you did this? Deku...I'm sorry this is all my fault. Being too weak to act is going to cost me you and uncle. I'm not going to turn away my eyes again! Aniki...I thought I could trust you." Leone reached into his belt. " I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt because you were there for me for so long...but you're no different. He may not be perfect but All Might is the symbol of peace for a reason!"

Tomura lowered his hand. He had thought it would be easy. Leone knew what the world was like for them but he rejected them. He had seen their world so why? Why? Leone was an outsider just like them. "What? Did you think you could just walk in here and change my course just like that? You're thinking like a child! I refuse! I won't be the person you want me to be!" This was the moment to act.

Leone raised his leg and aimed directly at Nomu with his bombs. They stuck to his brain making Nomu fully release him. Todoroki combined his own power as All Might broke the frozen limb and freed himself, loosening the grip upon his sides. Now free he moved into position between his students and the villains. "Leone I'm so proud of you."

Noumu shifted through the warp gate and back towards Tomura. "My fast travel..."

"You careless bastard! You're just what I thought you'd be. Only certain parts of your body can turn into that fog and you use that to hide your real body. If your whole body was mist and physical attacks didn't work, you'd never say 'that was a close one! If you try anything fishy, I'll blow you straight to kingdom come!"

"Still worse than villians." Leone huffed.

"How shameful, that our League of Villains can't even stop a bunch of kids and my little brother...who corrupted my Leone." He pouted. "Noumu, kill the explosive brat. We need our escape route back."

They watched as Noumu slid out of the warp gate, the frozen parts snapped off its body and bubbled. They reformed and Nomu tested out the brand new arm. All Might held out his arm. "Get back everyone! It's clear that he has more than just a shock absorption quirk within him."

"Nomu was engineered to beat you designed to withstand your full power. We may only have blueprints but that should be more than enough to beat you. His healing factor is just part of that formula." Nomu charged towards Katsuki. All Might intercepted the attack blasting everyone back.

"That all you got big guy?"

"He protected the child? Goodie for you. But what if this had been the other way around? That kid came at me with everything he had what if he had blown my head off. Would he have still been an admirable hero, of course? And that's what pisses me off! Heroes and villains both thrive on violence, but we're still categorized. 'You're good.' 'You're evil.' That's how it is! Symbol of Peace? Hah! In the end, you're just a device to repress violence. Yet, violence only breeds more violence. The world will know the truth when we kill you."

All Might snorted. "That's preposterous. The eyes of white-collar villains burn silently with their ideas but you...you're only doing this for your self-satisfaction and enjoyment. Don't try to lie to me. "

The leader couldn't help but laugh. "You saw right through me…"

"Looks like they're ready for another round." Katsuki grinned.

"Backing up All Might," Kirishima hardened his hands. "Sounds fun."

"No! Stay back!" All Might ordered. "I can handle this."

"Hm...you can say that but things wouldn't have gone so well if Watanabe and I hadn't stepped in," Shouto said.

"All Might, you're bleeding…and, I think your time is..." Midoriya squeaked.

The Symbol of Peace grinned. "That was a different story young Todoroki but in case I cannot say it later thank you. But do not worry about me. Let me show you what happens when a pro gets serious."

"Nomu, Kurogiri put down All Might is yours. I'll deal with the kids and grab Leone."

"Midoriya is right. I'm close to my limit. I may have a minute or two left. My power is declining faster than I thought it'd be, but there's no other choice! But I must to this. Why? Because…"

I am the Symbol of Peace!

All Might released his power, cracking the ground and throwing the villains off guard. Nomu's retaliated charging head and they matched one another blow for blow.

"Uncle! That Nomu is a special build! Its big and used for absorbing your attacks!"

"Yes I know Leone, but that's the thing," All Might said as he met each fast and furious blow with one of his own. "It's absorption' not negation! He must have a limit. He was built to withstand me at my full power right. Then let me show you that not everything can be measured by schematics!"

"He's actually pushing back Nomu? How?" Leone shook his head.

"Then the answer's simple I'll just go beyond that!" All Might shouted. The flurries created a barrier keeping all those too weak out. All Might launched Nomu into the air and followed him then tossed him back down. He shattered the concrete with a wide smile on his face. "You may have heard these words before villain but let me show you what they truly mean! Go beyond! Plus Ultra!" His power collected into one hand and landed it square into his chest and sent him soaring. Through the USJ through the clouds and out of sight.

"I really am getting weaker. In my heyday, five punches would've been enough to knock that guy flat." His hair was a mess and his chin was coated entirely in blood. "But today it too three hundred mighty blows to save the day."

"How did he do that? He must have cheated!" the ringleader hissed. "He hasn't gotten weaker at all? What is this? Was I lied to!? He tore into his flesh and cried out angrily like a child throwing a tantrum.

"You came to fight me did you not?" All Might asked. "If you have the ability then prove it!" He challenged them.

If only we still had Nomu! How can he just punch someone out of our party like that!"

"Shigaraki, calm down," Kurogiri said. "Nomu caused plenty of damage to All Might and the children are scared stiff. We take our chance now we can win this."

"Yes," Shigaraki said's hands dropped to his side. "Yes. We can do this! We can kill the Symbol of Peace!"

All Might stood his ground as the villains charged. Kurogiri summoned many vortexes Shigaraki jumped through only to be punched back. Izuku jumped into battle along with Leone by his side. He smiled at his students as they stood together and they shouted, "Get away from All Might!" All Might prepared to move again but it was already over.

A gunshot tore through the USJ. The bullet hit Shigaraki's hand poking out of a warp gate and All Might relax. "They've arrived."

"Gah! Dammit." Shigaraki frowned. "Over already. Dammit. Leone..." He looked to his brother. "We'll come back for you." The villains soon retreated only a few managing to get away. Toshinori looked down at his boys.

"Thank you for saving me, young Midoriya, Leone. They probably would've had me, if it weren't for your quick thinking and reflexes." He coughed. "But it looks like I'm done for the day." His muscled form faded.

"U-uncle?"

"Yeah...I've got a bit of explaining to do." Cementoss raised a barrier between mentor and student and the rest of Class 1-A.

~Villains HQ~

Tomura flopped on the floor reeling from his injuries. What a shitty day. "How could this happen? I thought he understood! What did I do wrong? Was I a bad big brother?"

"Shigaraki..." Kurogiri began.

The TV flickered on. Master..."

"Why are you on the ground?"

"W-we failed."

"Failed? Hm, I find that hard to believe. Did you learn anything?"

"Learn?"

"Yes did you learn how to go about the next step of your plans. If you don't learn you'll never become stronger and Leone will become even more corrupted is that what you want? For him to drown in the filthy world of heroes?"

"No..." He struggled to his feet. "I won't stand by and let him be left to waste in this rotten world. For Leone, I'll be stronger and smarter."