Chapter Text
“How far away are the others?” Izuku muttered under his breath to Iida.
“Two minutes… maybe.”
“He’s at least an S-Rank,” Izuku said, sizing up the Elf King before him. His pale-blue lips were curled up into a cocky grin. He made no moves to immediately kill them.
“Oh? You’re good. I was trying to hold back my Mana.”
Iida’s ears pricked up at the Elve’s words. “I wish we could understand Villains. An open dialogue would buy us time.”
Only then had Izuku remembered that humans, Awakened or not, were incapable of understanding Villains most of the time. There were sparse incidents here and there, but outside of Izuku, communication was a crap shoot.
“Our only shot is Midnight,” Iida reckoned, but Izuku shook his head.
“He knows about her Quirk. He’s been watching us this whole time. There’s no way we’ll get the chance to hit him with it.” The Elf’s grin only stretched wider at that.
“How do you know?”
Izuku gave a slight shake of his head. “I could feel… something, but I couldn’t pin it down.”
*******
[Ice Elf Elder Baruka:]
Rank: S
Type: Polarus Humanoid
Role: Boss
Proficiencies: Dagger Combat, Stealth
Skills: Blizzard’s Concealment, Ice Manipulation, Ice King’s Howl
*******
“So he really is S-Rank. I might not have a choice here. Igris could probably stand toe-to-toe with him while the rest of us kill the minions. Then we can overwhelm him…”
[Baruka is using Skill: Ice King’s Howl.]
[Alert: Skills have been “Frozen” and cannot be used.]
“Come forth…” Izuku muttered under his breath. Nothing happened.
[Shadow Extraction cannot be activated whilst under the effects of Ice King’s Howl. The Player’s Level is not high enough to resist it.]
“Well I guess we have no-“ Iida was shoved back by Izuku, who held up his hands to block the incoming strike from the Ice Elf’s dagger.
The impact created a shockwave that cleared the surrounding area of snow entirely, revealing the cold dead weeds underneath their feet from the endless winter.
Izuku’s forearms felt like pistons straining under the weight of something they weren’t designed to handle, screaming from the pressure. Despite the fact that Baruka had stabbed out with his dagger, it felt like Izuku was being hit with the blunt force of a 747. Had he not leveled up during the time inside this Gate, he would’ve already been dead, no question.
Izuku activated his Omni-Elemental Gem, igniting his gauntlets with burning flames. While Skills were blocked from activation, it seemed that items could still be used. It was fortunate because the flames caused Baruka to wince and leap back. Like other creatures in this environment, heat was their enemy.
“I didn’t even see him move…”
Izuku held up his gauntlets like a boxer, still imbued with fire magic. “He’s got some sort of Stealth ability. I’ll do my best to take him on. Get rid of the other Elves. We don’t stand a chance unless we gang up on him.”
Baruka cackled. “You’re asking for the help of humans? How pathetic! I expected more from a being like you!”
“A being like me? Does he mean the Shadows? Can he sense the System?”
“I was hoping to play with you for a bit, but maybe you’re not all that-” Baruka slashed his daggers, two curved blades of ice, through the air, creating a wall of ice off to his right. It was just in time to shield his men from a bolt of lightning. But even with Baruka’s Rank, the lightning, with all the heat and energy contained within the plasma, was able to explode the wall with ease, peppering the Villains with ice shards.
Izuku took the opportunity to rush forwards, throwing a haymaker at Baruka’s head.
Still resetting his stance from the dagger swipe, Baruka only had enough time to raise his arm at an awkward angle, using a dagger to block the blow.
Despite the blade being thin, it felt like Izuku was punching a brick wall. Even still, the flames of his gauntlet licked past the dagger, singeing Baruka’s skin and long flowing white hair. He winced in discomfort, but was swift to kick out at Izuku’s stomach, which he narrowly managed to avoid by twisting his body and tucking into a roll.
“He’s fast… but not insanely so… Physically, he’s high A-Rank… maybe low S-Rank. But his magic… That’s S-Rank for sure. The only reason Kaminari managed to blow up that ice wall was because Baruka had no time to respond, and because he’s weak to heat.” Izuku grimaced as he faced off with Baruka once more, sizing each other up. Their exchange had been so quick that Iida hadn’t even begun to attack the other Elves, who were watching their leader with what looked like apathy. “Do they want him to lose? Do they not care? Whatever… this isn’t a good scenario, but it’s not hopeless. Just gotta hold out for-”
“You’re not worth my time.”
Izuku didn’t even see the blow coming. A massive pillar of ice shot from the ground at a low angle, smashing into him like a semi-truck… a magical semi-truck.
[HP: 4312/7121]
Izuku couldn’t breathe. The wind had been knocked out of him so greatly that all he could do was lay in the freezing-cold snow, and try to find any semblance of air.
“Kill them all,” Baruka said to his royal guards, causing them to leap from their horses, and charge Iida, Izuku, and the rest of the Raid group, now emerging from the forest thicket.
They were all A-Rank. Izuku could’ve handled one, maybe two, on his own, but they would quickly tear apart his Raid team. They wouldn’t last much longer, not without Shadows, not without…
“Wait!” Izuku shouted, pleading with the royal guards, rather than Baruka. “Just… wait! You can understand me, right?”
One of the guards, moments away from burying a dagger into Iida’s throat, paused, glanced back at Baruka, and said. “Yes. And you can understand us. You are no normal human.”
Iida looked to Izuku, “You can understand them?!” Izuku shot back a look that said, “Save the questions for later!”
“I just want to know one thing,” Izuku extinguished the fire on his gauntlets. “Why are you trying to kill us?”
“Our liege demands it of us.”
“Why?” Izuku asked again, directing the question at Baruka.
Baruka just grinned sadistically. “All humans need to be killed. If you wish to hand over those vermin, perhaps we will let you live amongst us.”
“Amongst you?” Izuku got the sense that they weren’t just talking about their group.
“We will not let outsiders harm our home,” The guard said. “Our liege is compelled to kill creatures like you because of what the Rulers did to him, but we are not like that. We were born without such shackles. We merely wish to live.”
“Then why must we fight?!” Izuku cried out, ignoring the strange terminology they used.
The Elves glanced subtly at Baruka, the evil energy showering off of him giving Izuku the whole picture.
“Elder Baruka,” Izuku respectfully began. “We were mistakenly pulled into a situation more dangerous than we were prepared for. All we wish is to leave. Yourself and your people will not be harmed as long as you can help us-”
“Tch! Fool! I am King of this land! I rule it all! It’s meat! It’s women! Everything! You think I’d stoop low enough to help things like you?!”
One of the royal guards gritted his teeth. “My liege… please… you were not like this before. Once upon a time, you would happily accept a deal such as this. These humans are strong, but they are young. Allow them grace… I beg of you.”
“I will never do such a thing! And if you suggest it again, I will slash the throat of your firstborn!”
The Elf paled. “Yes my liege.”
“You can’t speak like that,” Izuku spat back at Baruka. “Not to someone who works under you!”
Baruka chuckled. “He is nothing but beneath me.”
“You have families?” Izuku spoke to the guards, who nodded. “And outside of Baruka, you live in peace? Somewhere in here?” They didn’t nod this time, but their eyes said it all. “Then help us free you from-”
“Enough!” Baruka flicked his daggers, sending another pillar of ice rocketing at Izuku.
[HP: 1113/7121]
Izuku coughed up blood, the crimson spattering melting into the snow.
“My domain knows peace because of me! My domain is perfect because of me! I will not have you sully it! Nor shall you intrude on my power!” Baruka stomped over to Izuku, raising his dagger high, aiming for Izuku’s heart, ready to carve it out. He swung down with all of his might, but…
“Forgive us…” One of the guards said, a tear rolling down his cheek as his sword pierced Baruka’s side. “But we do this… in memory of the symbol you once were for our people.” Three more swords pierced Baruka, then a few arrows.
The Elf fell to his knees, coughing up purple blood, mirroring Izuku. The sadistic light in his eyes dulled for a moment. “My children… I am… forever proud… of your resolve…” Then, the light in his eyes died completely.
Izuku’s vision began to darken, his body destroyed by the S-Rank Elf. He had broken bones, a punctured lung, and a whole host of other issues. He desperately tried to remain conscious. Because if the other Elves turned against his party, they’d be done for. But the pain shut down his muscles, his mind, and he simply could not fight against the encroaching darkness any longer.
*******
“I-I’m sorry… I don’t know what you’re saying. He was the only one who could understand you.”
A sigh could be heard. “I suppose it is not surprising that the rest of you are no different from average mortals. This one is… special, no doubt.”
Izuku groaned as the words hit his ears. “Is everyone…?”
“Oh my gosh!” The first voice, revealed to Izuku as Uraraka, rushed to his bedside within the warm log cabin. “Are you okay?”
“I need an Advil but yeah. The others?”
“They’re eating at a different building, and some are sleeping.”
Izuku sat up, his body, though healed, remembered the pain of Baruka’s attacks. He looked around the room. There wasn’t much. A small desk, the bed, and near the door, there was one of the Elves that had been guarding Baruka.
“I’m sorry.”
The Elf raised an eyebrow, before letting out a small smile. “Those were not words I expected.”
“You clearly cared for him.”
“We did, once upon a time.”
“What changed? What did you mean by Rulers?”
The Elf opened his mouth, but the only thing to emerge was a static that assaulted Izuku’s head. He screamed in pain, clutching at it.
Uraraka panicked, but the Elf remained calm. “There are some things even you cannot yet hear, I suppose.”
Izuku took a few sharp breaths, “Yeah… let’s not try that again.”
“All you need to know is that once our liege had… passed. Another Gate opened. I assume that was what you were hoping for?”
Izuku nodded. “I was hoping we could settle it all peacefully.”
“Well, sometimes violence is the only answer. We had lived under his rule for so long that we almost forgot our morality. It took… incentive to push us towards this path. He seemed at peace before his soul faded. Perhaps this was the best outcome for us all. I will do what I can to live up to his glory days.”
“You’re the new elder?”
He nodded. “Which is why I ask that you leave as soon as possible. My people must begin to mourn, and heal. They are uneasy with mortals in our village. And there are some within our settlement who are like Baruka, not nearly as strong, but just as driven to kill you. Thankfully, we have them sequestered away, but it cannot be kept that way forever.”
“I understand.” Izuku swung his feet over the bed, “We’ll depart immediately.”
The Elf nodded. “I will lead you to the Gate.”
After gathering up their team, Izuku and the others left the village, with Kirishima and Tetsutetsu waving to a couple of the Elves, who shockingly waved back.
“This is the strangest thing I’ve ever seen…” Midnight uttered.
“It certainly is.” Yui agreed, still as deadpan as ever, but finally in step with Midnight for once.
“So, Midoriya, have you always been able to communicate with Villains?”
Izuku was dreading this question. He had avoided using his Shadows, if only because he had been forced into such a situation, but in saving them all, he had done something else surreal. “Not always no,” He said, which was the truth. “I think it’s my Quirk. I have better control of Mana so maybe I can understand them because of it?” And there was the straight-up lie. He loathed doing so, but there was a limit to who he felt comfortable revealing his past and his secrets to. “I don’t advertise it because I’ve had a lot of… experiences being different. I don’t like it,” Was all he was willing to say.
Iida nodded. “Well, it was our salvation. So I do believe it is our responsibility to keep it a secret.” The others chimed in, voicing their agreement.
It was something Izuku wasn’t too afraid of being leaked. Because even if it was leaked through gossip, it wasn’t all that incredulous, as compared to his Shadows. It was still a big thing, sure, but it wasn’t something that would get him hunted down by other Heroes to find the source of his power.
“You hide the real reason?” The Elf asked. “They do not know what you are?”
Izuku shook his head, curious about the “what” in his statement, but was hesitant to pry, should he be hit by that same static as before.
“I see.”
After some time, the group emerged into the same clearing that Baruka had attacked them in, where a spinning Gate waited for them.
“Take this,” The Elf said, reaching into his cloak and withdrawing one of Baruka’s daggers.
“Why?”
The Elf smiled wistfully. “Just a reminder that there’s hope for some coexistence out there in the universe. I think he would’ve appreciated that.”
“I… I don’t think I deserve it, but… thank you. For everything.”
“I’d forgotten what it was like to talk and have someone listen. Much less in the middle of a battle. This hasn’t been a happy day. But I believe it has been a good day. Whatever that means. It was something Baruka used to say to us.”
Izuku returned the bittersweet smile, knowing that somewhere in his shadow, the Ice Elf Baruka, his Shadow already extracted, was watching with pride for his people.
Izuku had received Baruka’s Soul, as well as Levels and items, but had waited to look upon anything until he was out of the Gate, out of respect for the Elves. But he figured the Elf would like to see his village one last time, with a clear head, freed from whatever had turned him so evil.
“Be well, whoever you are,” The Elf said, turning on his heel before giving one last glance over his shoulder.
Midnight sighed, rubbing her temples. “Alright well… we’re not done yet folks. We still have one more challenge to conquer."
*******
[You have received alerts!]
[You have gained 7 Levels!]
[You have acquired Baruka’s Dagger.]
[You have acquired part of a Rune Stone for the Skill: Dominator's Touch.]
*******
Izuku Midoriya:
Level: 77
Strength: 172 (+5)
Vitality: 162 (+25)
Agility: 234 (+45)
Intelligence: 138 (+5)
Sense: 123 (+25)
Available Points: 0
[Mana: 6123/6123]
[HP: 9561/9561]