Chapter 55: When the Fire Loses Its Calm (Part 3)
Harue's eyes followed Momo as she made the trackers exactly as he ordered. The moment she finished, Harue didn't hesitate.
Heat surged through him. Flames erupted across his body, golden and pure, coalescing into a massive phoenix. Wings spread wide, feathers igniting like molten gold. The sheer radiance cut through the darkness of the night.
"On my back. Now!" he barked.
The students scrambled, awe and fear battling on their faces, but none hesitated. One by one, they clung to the blazing feathers. Harue kept strict control of the heat. The last thing he needed was to scorch anyone beneath him. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Tokoyami, the shadow within him nearly flaring earlier. He pushed light into the darkness, calming it before it could get out of control. Another divergence from canon, he noted silently.
With everyone secured, Harue shot into the sky. Wind and heat whipped around him, trees bending as he accelerated, blazing faster than anyone had ever seen. Every movement was precise, calculated. The thought of losing control or hurting someone flashed through his mind—and he banished it instantly.
Below, the cabin lodge came into view. Dozens of Nomu were still advancing, but Vlad King and Aizawa were holding them off. Monoma, copying Aizawa's Erasure quirk, suppressed enemy abilities without Aizawa needing to worry about blinking.
Kojiro Bondo had coated the ground in sticky, white glue, effectively immobilizing the Nomu.
Mina took shots from a safe distance her acid hitting the Nomu and causing even more annoying, As for Denki… well, he looked like a potato so he must have overused his quirk.
Harue relieved detransformed as he put the students and the pros down, but then he immediately looked at the night sky.
Then, chaos erupted.
From the darkness above, a massive Nomu descended, wings tucked, falcon-like clawed legs extended. It dove straight at Mina and Denki, catching both teens in a single swoop. Mina screamed as the talons clamped around her. Denki dangled helplessly, his eyes wide and mouth open in that dumbfounded expression he always got in serious fights.
Mina's acid flared immediately, hitting the Nomu's leg. The metal-like limb dissolved in seconds, but the creature adapted, beginning to grow another leg even as it continued to fly. Mina fell to the ground, acid surrounding her just enough to cushion the impact, but the pain was immediate. She gritted her teeth, certain something had broken along her back.
Denki was still in its grip, carried toward a dark violet, foreboding patch in the night sky. Harue's eyes narrowed, and in an instant, he surged forward. His ignited body cut through the night like a golden missile, the shockwave of heat and sound trailing behind him.
He grabbed the Nomu by the back of the neck, muscles and flames burning through the motion. Denki dangled, limp and dumbfounded, as Harue yanked him free. With a flick of his wrist, he discreetly pressed a tracker onto the creature's back wing muscles. Then, with a powerful throw, he sent the Nomu flying towards a rapidly closing portal.
Harue dropped Denki to the ground and swept his gaze across the remaining Nomu. Concentrated heat blasted from his wings in a controlled wave, melting nerves and disabling the creatures in seconds. The students and teachers had kept them from advancing far, but this final strike ensured none remained standing.
He didn't pause to check anyone else. His eyes scanned the battlefield, taking in the scene.
He breathed slightly in relief as he saw Mina siting on the ground just a few meters away from the ground seemingly not too hurt.
Then his mind snapped.
A spark of anger flared, cold and sharp. One name came to mind. One student who was nowhere to be seen when it mattered.
Aoyama.
Harue's eyes narrowed. He clenched his fists inside his flaming form. You bastard.
He almost roared in anger as he then began to calm down.
'This is not the time Harue' The teen thought to himself.
That idiots hero dreams were going to end, with him expelled and his parents in prison.
I'll make sure of it.
———
After the last Nomu fell, the area around the lodge slowly settled. Smoke drifted through the trees and the ground was scarred with burn marks and broken earth. The fighting had stopped, but the aftermath was everywhere.
Harue let his flames fade and moved toward Mina.
She was sitting on the ground, her posture stiff, acid pooling weakly around her as if her body was still trying to protect itself. Her back was clearly hurting, but she was conscious and breathing steadily.
He crouched in front of her.
"Mina."
She looked up at him. There was fear in her eyes, but it didn't last. She gave him a tired smile.
"I knew you'd save us," she said.
Harue smiled back, but it was forced. His hand tightened at his side, fingers curling into his palm where she couldn't see.
Inside, his thoughts were harsh.
He should have done more. He had hesitated. Not because he couldn't act, but because he was afraid of changing things too much. Afraid of pushing events in a direction he couldn't predict. Afraid of drawing All For One's out too early.
Because of that fear, Mina had almost been taken.
Almost seriously hurt.
The thought made him feel sick. She was his girlfriend, and the idea that his caution nearly cost him everything stayed. He didn't know how he would have lived with himself if things had gone differently.
He stayed with her until help arrived.
A few minutes later, voices came from the edge of the forest.
Midoriya's group returned to the lodge. Tiger carried Midoriya over his shoulder, the boy unconscious but alive. Todoroki and Kirishima followed, both clearly exhausted. Kota walked between them, quiet and shaken.
The moment Mandalay saw him, she rushed forward and dropped to her knees, pulling Kota into a tight hug. Tears streamed down her face as she held him close. She told him how scared she had been, how she didn't know what she would have done if he had been hurt. She reminded him that she had promised his parents she would protect him.
Kota cried into her chest, gripping her costume as she held him.
The others watched quietly. Todoroki stood with his arms at his sides. Kirishima smiled faintly, relieved. Even the students nearby felt some of the tension ease.
It didn't last.
Not long after, the news spread through the lodge.
Bakugo had been captured by the villains.
The mood changed instantly. Relief was replaced by shock and worry. This was no longer just an attack. One of their own had been taken.
Medical teams and police arrived about half an hour later. Injured students were treated and evacuated. Three villains were taken into custody. None of it was enough to soften the reality of what had happened.
U.A. would face serious consequences. The public and the media would not let this go. Questions would be asked. Blame would follow.
Harue didn't care.
As the area filled with sirens and flashing lights, his attention was fixed on one thought.
He knew who had given the villains their location.
The traitor.
The orange-haired teen turned away from the chaos, already heading toward the teachers. Whatever came next for the school didn't matter to him. What mattered was making sure the person responsible was exposed and removed.
End of the Chapter.