Chapter 20: Chapter 20: I vs me.
Kurokai watched Todoroki's figure disappear in the distance, rushing towards Midoriya's shared location.
Instead of following him, Kurokai looked toward the nomu who was being confronted by heroes.
By barely using their coordination, the heroes were able to mitigate the damage caused by the crazy monstrosities.
Just then, a blond-haired woman in a green and white hero costume with a red scarf around her neck appeared in front of him, using her body to cover him she hurriedly shouted.
"Hey! You're in the way! Get back!"
"Scarlet! Watch out!"
A drop of sweat dripped down Hero Scarlet's cheek as she stared at the approaching nomu who was more than thrice her size.
The distance between the two quickly diminished under the nomu's crazy speed.
But just when Hero Scarlet was preparing herself for the upcoming impact.
The Nomu froze in place.
The scene stunned all the heroes present.
Listening to the footsteps behind her, Hero Scarlet looked beside her and saw Kurokai with his arm pointing at the nomu, the scene stunned her for a moment before a light bulb lit up in her mind.
"You're that kid from UA..."
Before she finished speaking, Kurokai clenched his hand making several debris scattered around the place fly up and stuck to the frozen nomu's body.
After successfully capturing the nomu, Kurokai put down his hand and said in a calm voice.
"Tornado of terror, that's my name."
Then under Hero Scarlet's stunned gaze, he walked towards the next nomu.
Looking at his confident back, Hero Scarlet couldn't help but wonder.
'Is this kid roleplaying?.....he does look kind of cool though....'
That sudden demonstration of power, his calm voice, and those steady steps.....it almost made her heart flutter for a moment.
"Stop dazing around and help us!"
Then she was hurriedly pulled back from her fantasy by her fellow heroes.
"Coming!"
----
"It's him! It's that bastard Kurogiri!", Shigaraki muttered in a crazy voice while roughly scratching his neck using both of his hands.
"Wait Shigaraki!, you're still not healed!", Kurogiri hurriedly stopped him.
"But! But!!!"
Shigaralki's eyes stared fixedly at Kurokai, as if wanting to want him alive.
Just then.
A mechanical noise made Shigaraki turn his head.
Seeing Mechamaru standing at the edge of the roof, Shigaraki muttered.
"Mechamaru you---"
"Wait for me, Shigaraki."
Then without giving Shigaraki and Kurogiri any time to react, Mechamaru suddenly jumped down from the roof.
----
"Amazing.....", Normal Hero muttered as he stared dumbly at the scene.
Both nomus who were wreaking havoc before were suddenly captured in the blink of an eye.
And all this was accomplished by a mere high school boy.
Normal Hero hurriedly put out the spreading flames before making his way toward Kurokai.
Just when he was about to open his mouth and say something encouraging, a black shadow flashed past his eyes, rushing towards Kurokai.
"Look out!", Normal Hero shouted in a hurry, attracting the attention of the nearby heroes.
Then the next moment.
*Boom*
A resounding sound rang out through the street as a mechanical figure who descended from above, attacked Kurokai.
But he was stopped by an almost transparent spherical green-colored barrier that surrounded Kurokai.
Seeing that his sneak attack failed, the metallic figure did a backflip and landed opposite Kurokai.
It was only now that the heroes managed to get a good look at the newcomer.
A robotic mutant with both metal and wood.
But that was not all.
Scarlet hero's body started shaking as she stared at the uninvited guest in fear.
She could vaguely see a pitch black, which seemed to be the manifestation of humanity's darkness itself slowly spreading out from the mechanical life form.
*Stump*
Her legs suddenly became weak making her lose her balance and fall down on her knees.
She was not the only one, all the heroes present were unable to move or more like they didn't dare to move.
'This is not an opponent I can hope to beat....'
Her body kept giving out warning signs making her breathing become rapid.
The suffocating feeling almost made her breathless.
Just when she thought she was about to lose her mind.
A calm voice reached her ears.
"Sneak attack? Only a villain would resort to such cheap tricks."
All of the heroes's gaze focused on Kurokai.
And as soon as they did they were stunned.
Why?
Because Kurokai seems completely unaffected by the pure aura of evil emitting from the robot.
A pair of green and black eyes stared at each other.
Suddenly the robot opened his mouth and said in an emotionless voice.
"My name is Mechamaru."
Kurokai raised his finger making several sharp debries fly up and point right towards Mechamaru.
"I am Tornado Of Terror and goodbye.", Kurokai flicked his finger at Mechamru making all the debris shoot towards him at an incredible speed.
But seeing the scene, the heroes present were not happy at all.
Because they know the enemy, this robotic monstrosity was in a league of its own.
And just as they expected.
A deep red flame burned all around Mechamaru, directly turning all the approaching debris to ash.
As if not expecting the sudden turn of events, Kurokai almost instinctively took a step back.
"You are faltering, Hero."
Kurokai's face harned hearing the obvious ridicule from the opponent's tone making him clench his fist in anger.
Seeing the scene Hero Scarlet hurriedly shouted in a worried voice: "Don't fall for it! He's provoking you!"
Hearing her voice, Kurokai's eyes shook.
But before he could react Mechamru who was standing in front of him suddenly disappeared!
'Fast!'
All the heroes present shouted in their minds.
"Behind!", Hero Scarlet said in a hurry.
"Too late."
Mechamaru's figure appeared behind Kurokai with his fist aiming for his head.
Kurokai only had enough time to barely turn back, but before he could do anything Mechamaru opened his fist making a hot flame rush out and envelop Kurokai's figure.
"No...", Hero Scarlet's eyes trembled as she muttered in a small voice.
"Kid...."
Normal Hero clenched his teeth and tried to move the water, alas his willpower seemed to be shattered making him unable to use his quirk.
Just when everyone thought Kurokai was gone.
"Hm?", Mechamaru let out a confused noise.
And in the next second, a hand came out from the flame and touched Mechamaru's chest.
"How?"
Mechamaru let out a confused voice before his body was suddenly pushed back with a powerful force making him crash right into the wall behind him.
The flames surrounding Kurokai's figure started dying down.
Seeing the scene Hero Scarlet's eyes shone.
But in the next moment, her eyes became worried again.
Because Kurokai's current state was bad, his white dress was almost burned to a crisp, she could also see some burned marks around his arm.
Kurokai was breathing heavily, but his gaze never wavered, it never left the villain Mechamaru.
"How did you dodge the attack?", Mechamaru asked in a surprised tone as he walked out of the broken wall with shaking steps.
His metallic skin was damaged, showing signs of cracking everywhere.
"I barely survived by using my power.", Kurokai replied.
"I see you coated yourself in telekinesis at the end, but since you got burned.....it seems your power is weaker than mine."
Kurokai's gaze hardened.
Suddenly Mechamaru raised his hand towards Kurokai.
Kurokai instantly dodged to the side after seeing his movement.
But then Mechamaru's words made him stop in his tracks.
"Are you sure about dodging?"
Hero Scarlet's eyes widened when she saw Mechamaru point his hand towards her.
'Am I going to die?', Hero Scarlet wondered looking at Mechamaru's emotionless green orb-like eyes.
'No....no...nononono'
A devil-like flame burst out of Mechamaru's hand.
'Move legs! move!'
The flames approached at a terrifying speed.
'Please....please..please..anyone....'
It seemed hopeless.
Tears rolled out of Hero Scarlet's eyes as she stared at the upcoming flames with trembling eyes.
But in the next moment.
Instead of a skin-burning sensation.
Her body was enveloped in a warm hug.
"I heard it."
Hero Scarlet looked up at the boy's smiling face.
"Your cry for help."
In the next moment, a massive flame surrounded both of them.
Looking at the high-temperature flame burning all around her, Hero Scarlet was dazed.
But the warmth coming from the boy's body made her regain her senses.
Hearing the sizzling sound coming from his clothes made her hurriedly try to push him away and shout in a hysteric voice.
"Kurokai! Leave me! Save yourself!"
"I can't."
"Why? Why? I don't even know you!", Hero Scarlet kept trying to push Kurokai away with tears continuously dripping down her eyes but to no avail.
She was unable to push away Kurokai's strong hug.
"Because I am a hero...."
"You're just a student!"
Kurokai was stunned for a moment.
Why does this woman keep retorting? Can't she just happily play along?
So he simply gave a makeshift statement.
"I am a hero at heart."
But hearing his reply.
For some reason.
Kurokai, in Hero Scarlet eyes started shinning.
"Scarlet!", Normal Hero shouted as he barely raised his hand and sent a spray of water towards Mechamaru.
"How pointless.", Mechamaru waved his other hand and simply evaporated the upcoming water stream.
"No way.....", Normal Hero said in a defeated tone as he fell back down on his butt.
"Heros have so much to protect.", Mechamaru looked around at the surrounding immobilized heroes.
"And that is their weakness."
Mechamaru used both his hands instantly tripling the flame power, under the immense heat the sphere-like shape crumbled directly.
The heroes watching the scene cursed at themselves for being useless.
"Now then.", Mechamaru suddenly withdrew his flame as if to demonstrate the result of his power.
As soon as the flame dissipated, a blackened figure covering the shivering Hero Scarlet appeared in everyone's vision.
"Kurokai...", The hero's eyes dimmed seeing the scene.
Mechamaru slowly made his way towards the unmoving Kurokai.
Seeing him approach, Hero Scarlet hugged Kurokai tightly as if afraid of letting him go.
Stopping in front of the two, Mechamaru stared down at Hero Scarlet with his green orb-like eyes.
"I won.", He declared in his emotionless voice.
Then he raised his hand again to deliver the finishing blow.
"No!", Hero Scarlet shouted as she tightly hugged Kurokai to cover his body.
Just when everyone rethought that it was over.
"Hellfire fist."
Mechamaru suddenly stopped and dodged the upcoming flame.
"What happened here."
A powerful voice entered everyone's ear followed by the appearance of a figure with his iconic burning flames.
"Endeavour!"
The heroes shouted in excitement and relief.
Endeavor looked around the area, then his eys suddenly focused on Hero Scarlet who was tightly holding onto a half-burned person.
'No wait.'
Suddenly Endeavour's eyes changed when he saw the familiar face of the boy.
A fierce flame burst out from his body.
Kurokai?
The kid who interned under him?
Who dares!
Endeavour's burning eyes fixed on Mechamaru's mechanical figure.
"Die!"
Endeavour sent a flame attack at Mechamaru.
Mechamaru also attacked with his flame at the same time.
A standoff between the two different flames took place before they eventually extinguished each other.
Endeavour's face turned serious upon seeing the scene.
It seems the opponent was not easy to deal with.
But just when he was about to launch another attack.
"Kurogiri."
A black shadow suddenly appeared out of nowhere and enveloped Mechamaru's figure teleporting him away.
And as soon as he vanished the place was covered by a massive flame.
"Ran away.", Endeavor said in anger.
"Support! Call support!"
Hero Scarlet's voice brought the heroes back from their reverie.
"Hurry! The kid needs emergency medical assistance."
"I'll carry him! Let's go!"
Hero Scarlet also left with the rescue team carrying Kurokai.
Endeavour clenched his fist looking at the medic carrying away Kurokai's unconscious body.
"Grrrr"
"Shut up!"
Endeavour roared in anger as he completely burned the nomu who appeared to ash.
----
Carefully opening his eyes, Kurokai stole a glance at everyone around.
Seeing everyone moving in a hurry he concluded in his mind.
'Let's just play dead for now.'
Then he closed his eyes and simply fell asleep.
----
Villains Den.
Shigaraki kept tapping the bar table while looking at Mechamaru who was cracked up in several places.
"Why did you attack? Mechamaru?"
Mechamaru didn't reply, remaining silent.
Shigaraki kept tapping the table.
"We lost three nomu and Hero Killer Stain also survived."
Mechamaru remained motionless.
"Tell me Mechamaru, what are you thinking?"
Shigaraki wasn't mad he was just genuinely curious.
If anything he was happy after seeing that Kurokai brat all burned up.
But that doesn't change the fact that Mechamaru acted without any warning.
If Hero Endeavour had arrived earlier then it could have ended badly.
Shigaraki didn't want to lose the newcomer he was just starting to like so soon.
If Mechamaru had died.....
He would be annoyed.
So Shigaraki stared at Mechamaru for an answer.
But after not receiving any, he shrugged his shoulder and waved at him.
"Whatever next time tell me in advance before pulling up a big stunt."
Even Kurogiri on the side noded.
Seeing the scene, Mechamaru suddenly moved.
He took out a decayed stone cold hand from his back.
Seeing the hand, Shigaraki's eyes widened.
"I saw Tornado of Terror carrying it along...."
Shigaraki's body trembled seeing, his father's lost arm.
"I remembered your fight at UA..."
Mechamaru placed the hand on Shigaraki's face.
"I thought you liked it so I brought it back."
Shigaraki's figure froze.
"I told you didn't I? Friend?"
Mechamaru made a thumbs-up with his hand.
"I'd win."
Shigaraki's figure started trembling like crazy.
Finally, he opened his mouth and shouted in a loud voice.
"M-mechamaru! You're my best friend!"