Clang!
Countless ice knights rose from the snow and charged at the surrounding Nomu without discrimination. Though each knight was only slightly stronger than an average human fighter, their overwhelming numbers suppressed many of the Nomu in a short time, instantly turning the tide of battle.
"So he even has a move like this… I really underestimated him."
With most of the pressure lifted, Aizawa Shouta couldn't help but take a breath.
"He's still not dead… what a troublesome opponent." Shigaraki Tomura kept his gaze fixed on Aizawa Shouta. "Fine. Let's get rid of this one first. Even if it's only for a moment, his Quirk is incredibly annoying. I can't fully figure it out… does he even blink?"
His observational ability was sharp. If Aizawa Shouta's eyes hadn't been subtly altered by Etsuha, Shigaraki would likely have already detected his blinking pattern and launched a precise attack.
But now, with so many Nomu deployed, he no longer cared about revealing his hand.
"No. 3—break his arm."
At that moment, Midoriya Izuku and the others who had been knocked into the water carefully climbed back onto shore. The instant they saw the battlefield, they froze in shock.
"This is too much! Aizawa-sensei's completely surrounded!" Mineta Minoru cried out.
The power of the Nomu was undeniable. Even the weakest mass-produced models had enhanced bodies and modified Quirks, making them comparable to professional Heroes. In such a situation, Aizawa Shouta could barely keep up. After taking down four or five Nomu, he was already exhausted. Without the support of the ice cavalry, his condition would have been far worse.
"That black one… it's about to move!" Midoriya Izuku muttered, his mind going blank. In a battle at this level, he knew he couldn't contribute without mastering his power.
"With Aizawa-sensei and Etsuha's ice army working together… they'll crush it, right?" Mineta Minoru said, shivering.
As they spoke, the towering black Nomu stepped forward.
Its movements appeared ordinary—only slightly faster than a normal person—as it walked straight toward Aizawa Shouta and prepared to attack.
"…?"
Having just defeated another Nomu, Aizawa reacted instantly, launching a full-force kick. The black Nomu didn't even try to defend, allowing the blow to land squarely on its head.
In the next instant—
Aizawa felt a sharp, jarring pain shoot through his ankle, as if he had struck solid stone. He staggered backward, his expression tightening.
"Hah—!"
He inhaled sharply, staring at the Nomu in disbelief.
"I erased its Quirk… so what was that? It felt like kicking marble—my bones almost shattered!"
"Hahaha! Interesting—this is really interesting!" Shigaraki Tomura burst into laughter. "Hurts, doesn't it? That's a super rare rebound Quirk. Any attack it receives is reflected back intact. The harder you hit it, the more damage you take!"
Mineta Minoru's face turned pale. "What…? How is that even possible?!"
"Any attack gets reflected…" Midoriya Izuku's eyes widened as he grasped the key point. "This thing… it's their countermeasure against All Might!"
But Aizawa Shouta didn't have time to think.
The black Nomu suddenly charged forward like a moving mountain!
Rumble!
Its speed increased rapidly with each step. Aizawa tried to evade along an S-shaped path, but the Nomu was far more agile than expected. At the peak of its speed, it abruptly lunged, appearing directly in front of him and throwing a devastating punch!
Boom!
The air screamed as the fist tore through it. Aizawa raised his elbow to block—but the impact far exceeded his expectations.
Crack!
His left elbow fractured instantly, flesh tearing under the force as he was sent flying.
"—!"
Aizawa sucked in a breath. At first, the pain hadn't fully registered, but within seconds, a burning sensation spread through his exposed flesh. Worse still, even the slightest movement sent waves of agony through his body, severely affecting his judgment.
"It's over," Shigaraki Tomura muttered, bored.
The black Nomu grabbed Aizawa Shouta's wrist—and twisted.
Snap!
The sickening sound of bone breaking echoed.
"Aizawa-sensei!!"
From the shadows, Midoriya Izuku's vision blurred with rage. Every instinct urged him to rush forward—but reason held him back. Charging in recklessly would only get him killed.
"Izuku!" Mineta Minoru and Asui Tsuyu grabbed him, pulling him back urgently. "You'll just make things worse! That Nomu completely counters your Quirk—don't become a burden!"
Smash!
Aizawa Shouta's head was slammed into the ground. The concrete floor shattered, cracks spreading outward as blood streamed down his face, blurring his vision.
Even so, he struggled to lift his head, trying once more to erase the Nomu's Quirk.
But it was useless.
Instead, it only provoked the creature further. With brutal force, it smashed his head down again!
"DAMN IT!!!"
Midoriya Izuku couldn't hold back any longer.
His entire body shot forward like a bullet, his arm blazing with power. In an instant, he closed the distance—
—and threw a full-force punch, unleashing a storm-like shockwave!