Izuku tore free from the darkness—and dropped straight into chaos.
Cold air roared past him. Below, the flood zone spread out like a shattered ocean, littered with debris and half-submerged structures.
Teleportation.
The realization hit hard, settling like a weight in his chest. Whoever had warped them here hadn't done it randomly.
They'd split the class on purpose.
They're isolating us.
Izuku drew in a sharp breath just before impact and sliced cleanly into the water.
Sound vanished. The world narrowed to pressure and motion, the water thick and unwelcoming. Visibility was poor—just shifting shadows in a dim, blue haze. He twisted, scanning—
There.
A massive shape surged toward him.
A shark-like figure cut through the water with terrifying speed, jaws yawning open, rows of teeth flashing pale in the gloom.
"We don't know each other," it growled, voice distorted but clear enough, "but you're in the way."
Izuku's body tensed. One For All surged through his limbs, coiling, ready to strike—
A blur intercepted.
The creature's head snapped sideways as a sharp kick drove it off course. Tsuyu Asui.
Before Izuku could react, something wrapped tight around his torso. Her tongue. It snapped back, hauling him upward with startling force. On her other side, Mineta dangled, already secured.
They broke the surface in a rush of sound and air.
Tsuyu didn't stop moving. She dragged both of them across the water with steady, powerful strokes, pulling them onto a lone rescue boat drifting nearby. Izuku hit the deck hard, breath knocked from his lungs. Mineta landed beside him with a yelp, far less controlled.
A second later, Tsuyu climbed aboard, water dripping from her sleeves and hair.
Izuku pushed himself upright, coughing. "Thanks… Asui."
"Tsu-chan is fine," she replied evenly. Her gaze swept the surrounding water, sharp and alert. "And yeah. This is really bad."
Izuku followed her line of sight.
No familiar faces. No sign of the others.
"They split us up," he said quietly. "Tsu-chan, can you reach anyone?"
She gave a small nod, then bent slightly, hand to her mouth. A moment later, she retrieved the communicator she'd stored internally, wiping it off with practiced ease.
Static crackled faintly.
Before anything came through, Mineta grabbed Izuku's arm with a shaky grip. "L-look…"
Izuku turned.
Shapes were rising around the boat.
One. Then several more.
Ripples spread outward as figures surfaced—humanoid, but wrong. Scales caught the light. Tentacles curled and uncurled. Fins sliced through the water as they circled, slow and deliberate.
Closing in.
Mineta's voice broke. "There are so many…!"
He stumbled back, legs buckling as he collapsed onto the deck.
Izuku caught him by the front of his costume and hauled him up. "Don't freeze. If we panic, we're done."
"I'm not built for this!" Mineta shot back, trembling, eyes wide.
"Neither am I," Izuku said, steady despite the tension coiling in his chest. "But we don't get a choice."
Tsuyu's voice cut in, calm and grounded. "I reached a few people. They're safe for now. But the communicator's damaged—water got in. I can't reconnect."
She let it fall. The device hit the deck with a dull, final sound.
Izuku exhaled slowly, forcing his thoughts into focus.
No backup. Surrounded. Limited space.
"Then we handle it ourselves," he said. "They don't know our Quirks yet. That's our edge."
Tsuyu nodded once. "Agreed."
The villains hadn't rushed them. Not yet. They lingered just out of reach, watching, waiting.
Sizing them up.
Good. That hesitation bought them time.
"Let's use it," Izuku said. "Quick rundown. Strengths, limits—everything."
He started.
"My Quirk enhances my physical abilities—strength, speed, all of it. But I can't use too much at once without damaging my body."
No point holding back now.
Tsuyu followed immediately. "I can jump long distances, stick to surfaces, and use my tongue for movement or capture. Effective range is about twenty meters. I also have internal storage."
Clear. Efficient.
They both looked at Mineta.
He swallowed, then plucked one of the spheres from his head and pressed it against the boat's side. It stuck instantly.
"They're adhesive. Strong enough to hold for a long time. I can produce a lot, but if I overuse them, I start bleeding. They regenerate… and I can bounce off them without getting stuck."
The boat fell quiet for a moment, broken only by the soft slap of water against the hull.
Izuku's eyes sharpened.
"How many can you throw before you hit your limit?"
Mineta hesitated. "A few dozen… maybe more if I push it."
That was enough.
Izuku leaned in slightly, lowering his voice as he explained the plan.
Mineta's expression shifted from confusion to disbelief—and then outright panic. "No way! That's insane!"
Tsuyu considered it for a brief moment, then gave a small, decisive nod. "It's risky, but it works. Mineta, you don't need to overthink it. Just keep throwing."
"I am thinking—that's the problem!"
"Mineta."
Izuku met his eyes, steady and unyielding.
"We don't have a safer option."
The circle around them tightened. The water churned as the villains drew closer.
Mineta clenched his fists, shaking. "…Fine. Fine! I'll do it!"
"Good."
Izuku stepped onto the edge of the boat.
Below, the water rippled with movement—shadows gathering, waiting.
No more time.
He jumped.
The instant he hit the surface, the water exploded into motion. Dark shapes surged toward him from every direction.
From below, a voice drifted up, amused and hungry.
"Charging in alone? You've got guts."
A pause. Then, softer—
"Let's see how long that lasts."