A Tarnished Hero

"Fucking dogs… I swear if I see any of them again in this godforsakan cemetery…" Izuku scowled, his hand gripping tight against the handle of his zweihander, the blade lodged inside a dog's corpse. 

"What's your problem with dogs, anyway?" Katsuki questioned, his hands steaming from an earlier explosion he had wrought against a poor pupper. "I know they want to chew us to death, but they're fucking easy compared to the other enemies we fight."

"Easy?" Izuku turned his head so fast, one could imagine him getting whiplash. "Heh, say that again when you have dozens of these mongrels hounding you."

"So?" Katsuki still couldn't see the point. "What about those soldiers… or bandits dressing up as soldiers swarming us with numbers?" He scoffed slightly at the mental image. "As if any of those fuckwads could even lay a scratch on me."

"... You'll see." Izuku left it at that, leaving a puzzled Katsuki behind. The ash blond blinked twice, before shrugging and following the armored greenette into some kind of passageway lit up by torches on the outside and inside that a zombie and dog were guarding… Well, the dog was just lounging about and the zombie looked depressed, but semantics.

The passageway curved slightly to the right and at the end, they could see an open gate. Anything further was still covered by fog. However, they could hear something moving… Something mechanical… Like chains pulling and tugging, with the creaking of wood following.

Looking at each other, both Izuku and Katsuki nodded, their guards raised and ready in case something decided to jump them. Slowly approaching the open gate, Katsuki's eyes roamed the inner walls, his red eyes looking for anything out of place that may prove a hindrance to their advance. Izuku, meanwhile, focused on the gate, his right hand's grip tight yet loose, ready for anything that may be hurled his way.

The closer they got, the more the rumbling sound of chains and wood echoed within their ears. A bead of sweat dropped from Katsuki's chin and onto the concrete steps below. The stairs leading up to the gate were wet, their boots splashing amongst the little puddles.

They looked at one another one last time, the ash blond nodding his head and Izuku slowly going through the gate, his zweihander ready and waiting. His eyes scanned around every nook and cranny, and when he realized there was nothing waiting for them, he lowered his blade.

It was a relief to know that there weren't any ambushers hiding within the fog, but then again, where else could they hide? It was a literal concrete pathway going straight, with stairs at the end and…Izuku had to blink. Was that some kind of elevator?

Katsuki followed his gaze and had to blink as well. "The fuck is that?"

"I have no idea…" Izuku approached the thing, noting that there was an extended platform right at the middle of the bridge next to the giant lift that didn't seem to stop. Looking down at the bottom, they couldn't see the end, another huge platform made of wood slowly emerging from fog down under and making its way up, past them and into the fog overhead. "Might be some kind of lift… Though, I don't feel safe using it as of yet. What say we explore more for a bit?"

"I'm down." Katsuki nodded; his gaze turned towards the stairs at the other side of the bridge heading slightly up.

"Keep close then." Izuku took point and the two continued onward, ignoring the noisy lift for now. They scaled up the stairs and arrived at what seemed to be a field with statues of robed women praying and a giant monument right at the end.

What caught their eyes, however, was something swirling in the air just right next to it. Feeling the foreboding sense of something coming, Izuku tensed his grip and readied himself for a fight. Katsuki did the same, noticing the armored greenette's body language and readying his already sweaty palms.

A beat passed, then another, and then it came. It looked human, but the more his eyes beheld the being, the more he felt the pressure. Every step it took a loud drum amidst the chilling silence; every breath it took a sucking sensation that seemed to pull them into its eerie gaze.

Izuku at first didn't move, his eyes roaming over the figure that dwarfed both him and Katsuki. He didn't know what it did, and he sure as hell didn't want to make the first move only to get himself skewered by its blade. 

It stopped, its black, eerie orbs slathering them all over with its inhuman gaze. Katsuki gulped at the sensation but otherwise didn't let it affect him. Its breaths came out in wispy shades of grey, blending into the fog that surrounded the being.

It raised its sword, and they felt it. A force of motion. An impending sense of doom. Its blade struck the ground, and an explosive force blew outward, dust and debris flying their way and blinding them for a moment. They then heard something whooshing through the air and the two were quick to act.

Izuku dodged aside, his zweihander's blade slamming into the ground to halt his momentum. Katsuki, propelled by explosions, soared out of the danger zone, their sound echoing through the foggy field. Izuku glimpsed the source of the whooshing noise, a blur that slammed into their former position. The impact shook the ground, scattering dirt across Katsuki's breastplate, his position closer to the site than he'd hoped.

Katsuki heaved a sigh, thankful that he wasn't turned into paste from whatever that was, but instinct blared across his mind. He ducked, narrowly dodging a blade that would've decapitated him, but the near-death experience didn't let him falter. He was already used to blades and arrows flying overhead, or even beside him, and the experiences made him a bit desensitized to the act.

Which was why he let out a curse when his instincts blared again, and he had to dodge once more. It nicked him across the arm, his armguards proving useful as they stopped the blade from drawing blood, but it seemed that the tall asshole didn't want him breathing and it swung again, only this time, it was faster.

With no time to dodge, Katsuki growled against the current, refusing to go quietly into the night. He tried to use his Quirk to push himself out of the way, but it was too late. He felt the blade press into his side and braced himself for his coming end, only to have it cut short when Izuku came and yanked Katsuki by the scruff, saving him from what would've been bisection.

An ear-piercing shriek of metal against metal assaulted their ears, but that was incomparable to the relief Katsuki felt when he zoomed away the hulking figure, his armor gaining a new scratch from the brief contact. Skidding across the ground, he tried to right himself up, hands digging into the soil as they carved mounds of dirt. It took a modicum amount of effort to be able to finally stand on his two legs, and what met his vision was truly something that would put hero fights to shame back in Japan.

He knew Izuku held back most of the time during their travels. Hell, he held back when they sparred against each other back in Japan. He had never seen Izuku getting serious back when he was still in U.A. before being sent here, and during their week-long travel through the Lands Between, he had only seen him go all out a handful of times. All of which was because his ass was nearly on the chopping block.

But it lasted at most a second because of how fast he was. Now? When pitted against someone equal or maybe even stronger than him? His mouth went dry. A weak chuckle escaped his lips as he left the enemy that was way out of his league and took a step back, content to let Izuku solo the fucking asshole.

To his untrained eyes, all he saw were rapid movements that were all but blurs. One moment, Izuku was standing still and readying a stance, the next moment he was right next to the towering fuckhead while his blade swung down. The tall asshole, meanwhile, was able to block by raising its sword against surrender, a loud roar booming out of its mouth that made Katsuki's ears ring like it was fucking New Year.

Yep, way out of his league. He'll let Izuku take this one. That claim of slaying the dragon when he first arrived here was looking more and more valid the longer he watched the fight go on.

Meanwhile, Izuku was thankful to the ash blond for deciding to sit this fight out. He couldn't defend him very well while making sure this towering behemoth didn't rip him a new asshole to eat out of. Ducking underneath a swing and jumping back to avoid an overhead smash that would've pounded his head into a pulp, Izuku let the power within him flow to his arm, the large of a dragon forming over his appendage.

With a ferocious grin, Izuku leaped into the air at speeds that would've rivalled that of a speedster back in U.A. His claw slammed down and managed to nick the tall figure as it dodged to the side, a pained cry echoing throughout the foggy field. 

His arm glowed purple and Izuku's eyes widened a fraction. As he expected, he saw something hurtling towards him at breakneck speeds. Stepping to the side, he dodged the purple missile-thing and heard it impact the ground behind him. It held less impact than earlier, so that must be a different move.

Not wasting time, Izuku rushed towards the figure with his blade held high, only for it to come crashing down as the tall figure thrust its sword into the ground, an explosion of dirt and debris overtaking the area.

Izuku raged against the force, slamming his oversized draconic arm into the dirt to counteract the knockback. The ground beneath him was gouged beyond repair, debris and concrete scattering across the damp soil. His momentum stopped while his eyes trailed the figure, only for it to widen when from above, a portal opened and out came a rock.

He tried to dodge, but the rock proved fast enough, it slammed against his arm, a grunt forcing itself out of his mouth. His arm was broken, no doubt, but he didn't need both of his arms to win.

He only needed one.

The figure still looked like it was recovering from its latest attack and Izuku took the chance. He pumped power into his legs and flew across the field like a torpedo. The figure noticed the advance, but wasn't able to react in time, All Strike impaling the tall figure through the chest.

But it wasn't enough. Izuku could see one last ditch effort as it raised its free hand, a well of power hovering over its palm. He didn't want to know what it did, so he laid the fight to rest.

His chest grew hot, then it travelled up into his throat as the head of a dragon formed overhead. With a loud bellow, flames poured from his maw and doused the tall figure with searing heat. It shrieked, the well of power gone from its hands as the figure took the brunt, its squirming growing weak as time continued.

By the end of the breath, all that was left was the charred corpse of the figure, its slender body limp and unmoving. As it lay broken on the ground, shards of knowledge entered Izuku's mind, the possibility of using one of its powers as his own. Sadly, Izuku wasn't strong enough – mentally that is – to even dare attempt to use it. At most, it'd blow up in his face. At worst? He didn't want to know.

A breath left his lips as he crashed on his backside, the pain flaring on his left side reminding him of his broken arm. Rummaging through his pack, he withdrew the Flask of Crimson Tears and took a sip, his left arm mending itself back into shape. Through it all, he felt the pain of rapid regeneration, but he bore it with a smile on his face.

"Tough motherfucker, isn't he?" Katsuki made himself known as he appeared beside the corpse, his foot tapping on the charred husk that was the figure's head. He then looked at Izuku, red orbs trembling slightly as he took it all in. "...Things'll just get worse from here, won't they?"

"Yep." Izuku nodded. "Nothing ever stays easy in this land. And frankly, compared to some of the other things I've fought here, this was just kiddy time." He frowned, eyes turning to meet his left arm as he rolled it over. "Just got a bit surprised about that final attack."

"... You've got to be shitting me…" Katsuki's skin grew paler than usual when Izuku didn't retort mockingly. He turned around and paced back and forth, red eyes oftenly staring at the charred husk that nearly cut him in twain. "Fuck… Fuck fuck fuck…"

Izuku left the ash blond to his cursing rumination as he tried to catch his breath. Say what he will about the tall figure, it gave him quite the thrill. It was about time that he met another being that could give him a worthy fight, but with Katsuki here, he just hoped it wasn't too frequent.

[][][]

After the fight had concluded, Izuku was quick to gather the spoils, only to realize that the sword the tall figure used was broken beyond repair. It wasn't like the figure had any other valuables on him, seeing as how he was butt naked with nary a cloth to cover up his dignity.

Leaving the corpse to its lonesome, he spied a sparkle that glinted in his eyes, right at the forefront of the giant monument. Climbing up on top of it, he reached down and picked up a silver-ish piece of ore. His eyes widened as a grin formed on his face, the piece of ore slowly stuffed inside his bottomless box and handled with utmost care.

Izuku's been looking for somber smithing stones, and it was about time he found one.

Once he was done pocketing the ore, he hopped off the monument and went straight towards Katsuki, who was done pacing about while staring at the sky overhead, the loud pulling of chains and gears still entering their ears like a melodious symphony.

"I take it you've looked around while I was busy looting our friend here." Izuku said. The ash blond turned around and nodded, albeit grimly. Izuku sighed, knowing that the lift was incredibly unsafe, but there weren't any other paths they could take. "Shit… Welp, no other way, come on then."

Katsuki watched as Izuku stood in front of the lift, waiting for another platform to arrive so they could hitch a ride up. Katsuki was doubtful that they would ever find something of a safe spot as they ascended, but there must be some use to this giant thing, otherwise, why build it?

With a sigh and his hand palming his face, Katsuki followed Izuku, and once a platform showed itself, they hopped on. At least it was sturdy, no trembling here, no shaking there, just plain stableness. Excuse the fact that the lift didn't have handrails and was attached to only one side of the giant mechanism, and he dare say it could rival the safety of elevators back in Japan.

The lift was slow, rising higher and higher at a snail's pace. Izuku looked up, fog. He looked down, more fog. He closed his eyes, brain screaming that this was going to be a long wait.

[]

[]

[]

A/N: My Paypal got hacked, lost money. My Reddit got hacked, hacker went on to scam some people. What next? My Steam account? Fucking hell man. At least Paypal refunded the money the hacker took from my bank, now I'm just waiting for paypal to give me the money back since it takes a while to receive.

Shameless Plugs:

patreon.com/IAmGuavaFruitFictionHub (If you want to read 5 chaps ahead, head on over.)

discord.gg/v9f5kjsfVv