God… He just felt… So, so weak.
Iida for his part.
"Do not thank me Midoriya… I'm no hero."
...
Iida sounded… Actually couldn't tell how he sounded. He heard the words and did understand what they meant but… Somehow he did not get the feelings behind it. It did not take a genius to figure out that was really, really bad.
"I'm sorry you got dragged into this… That's why… That's why I'm going to help you out here now. I'm NOT going to let you get hurt further for my sake."
The man in front of them was not impressed.
"It's no use pretending. A person's nature is not so easily changed. You're a Fake, who has infected this society like cancer! A cancer warped by other "Heroes" like you!"
His eyes still full of that murderous intent focused all their attention on Iida.
"That's… That's not true-" Izuku began, only to surprisingly be cut off by Iida.
"No. It is. Stain is right. I… Have no right to call myself a Hero. Not like you Midoriya."
The taller boy glanced over at him, and Izuku, delirious as he was, thought he saw nothing but a bizarre mix of sadness and… Respect in those eyes?
Their foe cocked his head, but his frown returned as Iida continued.
"I'm no Hero… But I… I won't let him break me here. Because if he does… Then Ingenium really is dead."
Izuku had no idea what he was talking about, but he got neither time to ponder, nor ask, as their foe, now identified as "Stain" made his move.
"You're hopeless."
He was about to make his move forward, when Izuku threw the stone he still held in his hand, the projectile flying through the air like a cannonball.
Stain for his part though, quickly jumped up to the side of a building, landing by a couple of windows, then quickly dodged to the side as the other stone smashed into the spot under where he'd put his feet, breaking it apart.
Izuku ripped up one more piece of concrete and threw it at Stain's feet, and was planning on ripping up another one, only to immediately have to redirect all his attention as a throwing knife suddenly found itself heading for Iida's head.
With a sudden, frantic motion, his hand grabbed around the knife hilt with his immense, bringing it to a complete half, just an inch in front of Iida's face.
That one moment of divided concentration though was enough.
Stain had descended back to the floor, and with that uncanny speed, he barreled forward straight at Iida, that massive knife coming down in an arc straight at his neck.
Iida who for all his immense speed, lacked the kind of reflexes needed to fight at this kind of level, and was actually bringing up his foot in a kick to counter his movement, his brian not being quick enough to catch up to Stain's movement with the kind of immediate shift Izuku was.
Izuku did not think.
Instead, he brought to bear the only thing he had to protect Iida from the coming cut.
His right arm.
3 things happened.
The first was that the knife hit with such force that it cleaved deep, deep into his arm, cutting through muscle and sinew, until slamming into his bone.
The second was that Stain was taken by surprise for just a moment, his eyes darting away from Stain, over to Izuku.
The third was that his attention having been distracted at just the wrong time, Iida's kick landed, slamming straight into Stain's ribs with a sickening crunch, easily sending him flying backwards, and making him lose his grip on his knife leaving it to clatter to the floor.
Izuku screamed, the pain from his now cleaved open arm adding to his already horrific suffering, as it shot through him like a white-hot knife.
Stain was flying, but despite his pain, he amazingly managed to push through enough that as he flew, he gave Iida a parting gift.
Ida screamed as well, as a throwing knife, just the same kind as the one he'd just been saved from, found itself embedded inside his thigh, immediately bringing him to his knees.
Stain did not give either of the heroes though, as he immediately got back up, pulling out the final one of his big knives.
Izuku looked up and saw a face full of insane tenacity, who despite the heavy and pained breathing, was still forcing himself to get into stance.
He's about to attack again. Izuku realized.
He forced himself up with the blood pooling down his arm as well as his back, Izuku once more put himself between Stain and Iida, forcing himself into a makeshift stance, his right arm hanging limplessly down as he did so.
For a moment, the two just looked at each other, both of them breathing heavily.
Then they made their moves.
Stain shot forward like a bullet, knife at the ready, Izuku reading his final punch.
This was it. One way, or another, Izuku did not have more fight in him.
His mind was starting to go completely, the pain was so, insanely thoroughly intense, yet somehow beginning to fade, and his body felt like it was about to give out.
This final clash would end it all.
One way, or another.
Then, right before they clashed, something slammed straight into Stain's side, hitting him right in the ribs that Iida had just kicked.
He almost buckled completely midair, as Izuku brought up a jab from his left hand, and surged it forward towards his face.
However, despite the incredible, immense pain that must surely have wrecked Stain's body, he slammed his foot down into the ground itself, and forced himself to the side, barely managing to avoid the jab as it surged past him…
Only for Izuku to change the course of the punch, and turn the forward jab into a hook, socking him straight in the face!
It was not a full-power punch. Not by any stretch. In fact, as far as Izuku's punches went, it was a weak one.
And yet, Stain immediately went down like he'd been nailed by lightning.
He fell to the concrete ground, collapsing.
Izuku for his own part, also collapsed backwards, now completely, utterly spent.
He could barely, barely make out what was around him, as a set of strong arms suddenly rolled him over, and began tying something around his upper body, as well as his arm.
A flash of red told him that it was Stick.
"T-danchs… Fer…"
"Don't talk, don't strain yourself."
Izuku just weakly nodded, feeling like the entire world was becoming just shapes and colors.
He did notice though, as the world suddenly became black for a moment, and the hurt began to go away. Though he barely noticed the latter part.
The pain, thoughts, the world around him… It was all so, so blurry.
He heard voices, something happening, and then… Through the haze that was his blood-deprived mind, Izuku felt one incredible, massive surge of Killer Intent unlike any he had ever felt.
That was the last clear thought he had though, before a bit after, he finally blacked out.
...
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