MHA: Guardian of the Golden Throne

«Melissa, watch carefully.»

Silence had been master of that alley for a few seconds before Izuku uttered those words.

Melissa, taken aback by that statement, looked at her teacher, in disbelief, who had not yet moved. The same happened to Stain, but as soon as he made an imperceptible shift in his foot, Izuku moved, generating a powerful explosion of air and finding himself facing his opponent. A lunge of the spear aimed at penetrating Stain's head was avoided at the last minute and, literally, by a hair; Izuku's armoured fist went over his opponent's head.

Stain was not long in coming. Knowing that he could never scratch that golden armour, his only chance of victory was to hit Izuku in the less armoured joints and spots. In fact, he was trying to hit him behind the knee, but the heavy and decorated stick of the spear immediately blocked the strike.

A parry so perfect it seemed prophetic, just like the kick Izuku kicked Stain, hitting him in the side and causing him to exhale violently. But instead of making Stain fly, Izuku grabbed his red scarf and, with a tug, threw him to the ground. It wasn't a powerful blow, but strong enough to make viewers feel the pain the Hero Killer had suffered.

«Do you surrender?»

Stain immediately got up, attempting a lunge at Izuku's throat, but Izuku retreated slightly, generating sparks when the blade struck the armour ruff. Quickly, Stain attempted a side slash from the left, intending to hit a poorly protected part of the stomach, where the breastplate joins the belt, but was again intercepted with the spear stick, with which he was pushed away, causing him to lose his balance slightly. More than enough, because Izuku kicked him, causing him to crash into a nearby garbage dumpster. The sound of the metal bending was clear.

«Do you surrender?» asked Izuku again.

Seeing Stain rise again despite the pain, a smile of approval appeared on Izuku's lips. Despite the difference in strength and experience, Stain did not want to give up. He wanted to persevere and continue the duel.

The fight continued, but even though maybe two minutes had passed, the more he exchanged blows with Izuku, the more Stain realised a fact. A fact that not even Melissa let slip: despite the parries and counterattacks that seemed prophetic, Izuku was containing his true abilities to give the Hero Killer a chance to fight on equal terms. Stain felt insulted by that behaviour.

«You're holding back, you bastard.» Stain said, spitting mixed blood and saliva

«If I don’t, you would have died before you even knew you were.» Izuku stated harshly «Just to make it clear, I'm not holding back to belittle you.»

«Don't insult me like that!» Stain exclaimed, annoyed, pulling out three throwing knives «Show me your respect by confronting me with everything you have!»

Stain jumped, throwing the knives that seemed to be pointing at Izuku. The Custodes did not move; in fact, he sighed heavily as he saw how the throwing knives were aimed at the three helpless people behind him.

«Stain. Your opponent is me.» Izuku called, resting his spear on his shoulder, the built-in Bolter pointed behind him, while his right hand was placed on the trigger «Don't insult me by targeting others.» he ended, annoyed.

Fire mode: burst.

He pulled the trigger, and three roars rang out into the alley, followed by three small explosions. Bullets from the Requiem integrated into "Mercy" hit the three throwing knives, deflecting them from their path and destroying them. Using the recoil of the shots, Izuku spun around and hit Stain in the pit of his stomach with the butt of his spear.

Stain lost consciousness when a stabbing pain spread from the pit of his stomach, almost as if he had been hit at that precise moment. That's when Stain understood. His opponent had no intention of killing him and, for this, had held back. Even the blow that sent him into dreamland had been carefully calculated so as not to kill him.

*****

Darkness surrounded him. Stain's senses seemed… dull, so to speak. A feeling as if he were dreaming or otherwise sleeping.

So, I lost.

That was his thought, and, although his senses were blurred, he felt a bitter sensation. Frustration stepped forward, replacing bitterness.

Suddenly, in that darkness, a light appeared. That light was blinding, of golden hues, and the sound of powerful wings grew louder and louder. He looked at the origin and saw a two-headed raptor flying towards him, whose golden feathers gave off a blinding light.

The bird came in front of him and, as soon as he leaned on the ground, if it could be said so, it changed, transforming into a gigantic human figure with indefinite features, as it continued to change into the form of a child, a young man or an old man. Stain didn't know why, but even though he didn't know it, his soul seemed to immediately recognise the figure of light in front of him, almost rejoicing in its presence.

The figure spoke, and when it did, its voice came from every nook and cranny of that place and nowhere, a mixture of young and old voices, masculine and feminine, but clear as the sun.

«Chizome Akaguro, you have done your best and demonstrated your determination and devotion to your ideals before my emissary.»

Stain didn't know if he had legs in that darkness, but he felt like he was losing all strength, making him believe he had fallen to his knees in front of that golden, undefined but warm figure. Almost as if someone had turned on a faucet, warm tears fell on his cheeks. Stain still didn't know if he was dead and, at that moment, he didn't care. That figure in front of him could only be defined as divine.

«I want to offer you a new purpose, but it will be up to you to decide whether or not to accept it.» the figure spoke again, extending its hand of golden light.

*****

Izuku was watching his opponent pass out on the ground, the katana broken at his side, when a dim golden light brightened around his neck. Instinctively, he took out the vial and noticed that it was the origin of that light. Izuku did not know what this sudden luminescence meant, but he was certain that he had fulfilled what had been revealed to him in the dream.

The chipped, bloody blade was Stain. Breaking the sword does not necessarily mean killing those who represent it. Now, it will be time, Stain's decisions, and the Emperor's will that will show me the reason for this directive.

«Can you move, Ida-san, Melissa-san?» Izuku asked without turning around

«Yes. It seems so.»

«I still can't...» Melissa replied

The sound of Tenya's armour had not gone unnoticed by Izuku, who thought that since Stain had fainted on the ground, the effects of his quirk had been undone. But, apparently, this is not the case.

Stain tried to hurt me several times, as he did with Native-dono, Ida-san, and Melissa-san. But is a little cut really enough? Spilt blood is probably the key. His weapons are all edged; I don't see any clubs or similar weapons. Two possibilities come to mind: it can depend on the amount of blood ingested, or on the type of blood the opponent has. I don't have enough data to draw a conclusion at the moment.

«Why?»

That question turned Izuku around. Tenya stood there, his face expressing frustration and disbelief. Tenya had a lot to say, but he didn't know where to start. Izuku didn't say anything, waiting for him to formulate his question.

«Why did you interfere?» finally asked Tenya «I inherited my brother's name. I had to be the one to defeat him. I had to be the only one-»

«I've answered that question before, Ida-san.» Izuku spoke «If Shield-san hadn't found you in time, you wouldn't be here repeating that question now. You were reckless, you almost died, and now you're complaining that we saved your life?»

«No one ask-»

«We intervened because it is our duty.» Izuku interrupted him again, removing his helmet with a harsh expression.

That statement left Tenya stunned, and a single word in it reminded him of what his two classmates had said as they confronted Stain.

"Only in death does duty end. And a hero's duty is to put himself or herself on the line if anyone needs to be saved."

“Protect humanity from what threatens it. And that means protecting it from itself too, if necessary.”