Chapter Text
“Administer 10 milligrams every 12 hours and note changes in brain and liver activity,” Deep Blue stood before a doctor, the man both fearful of the Shadow, and taken aback by his brazenness.
“I’m not just going to give the patient an unproven treatment! They’re in the Eternal Slumber! We don’t know what that will do to them!” To the doctor’s credit, he managed to push down his fear for the sake of his patient.
“Miss Yajirobe is stable, and this medication, at worst, will do nothing. At best, according to the calculations of myself and my Lady, the patient will regain consciousness.” Deep Blue had sought out one of the Eternal Slumber patients at the command of Momo. It was the family member of one of the Tracer Squadron Pilots, who had been bribed by Endeavor.
Momo could’ve tried the treatment on Izuku’s mother first, but the reason she didn’t was two-fold. The Empress targeting a specific woman with the Eternal Slumber would be suspicious, and there was a chance, however slim, that the treatment could make the patient worse. The percentage chance of that happening was next to zero, but so was the chance of the first atomic bomb igniting the atmosphere and killing all life on the planet. There was always going to be some risk to anything new.
However, they weren’t using this woman as a guinea pig to be cruel. The pilot was already behind bars and because of this, there was no one to fund the life support system of the comatose woman. The doctors were going to take her off life-support soon anyways, so they might as well try to save her at the last minute, and test a theory at the same time.
“If you will not administer the treatment, I will kill you where you stand and perform the task myself.” Deep Blue no longer had the strength to contend with National-Ranks, but he had the power to tear a human in half, no problem. Izuku would’ve taken issue with the methods he used, but Deep Blue was chasing knowledge, a trait that, in his previous life, drove him to commit some very disturbing acts. He’d tempered slightly in the presence of Momo and Izuku, but only slightly.
“You are going to damn this human female regardless, no?”
The doctor gritted his teeth. “I could lose my license…”
“Hmm…” Deep Blue calculated the percentage chance of the man losing his license, as well as the impact it would have on the man’s life. After all, he was ordered to save lives by any means necessary, but not to ruin other lives in the process. He could threaten them all he wanted, but causing actual harm was not acceptable. “Very well, I will take this patient off your hands and perform the tests myself. You should feel honored to have the Empress and Monarch personally oversee the care of one of your patients.” Deep Blue strolled into the hospital room.
“Well hold on! I didn’t say you could just take her!”
“I wasn’t asking.” Deep Blue opened the portal to the Luxian laboratory, wheeling the hospital bed and all the equipment inside without another word. “My Liege and Lady shall reimburse you for the life support systems.” And just like that he closed the portal, leaving the room empty, aside from a single doctor in stunned silence.
*******
Bael’s forge was filled with a clamor. Metal tools struck the anvil, molten liquid poured out faster than ever to meet increasing demands.
With Russia suddenly implementing Magical Metals into their army, practically every other military in the world was going to be left playing catch-up. Now, their tanks and jets could only be damaged by Magical means. It was akin to the development of the firearm killing off the need for well-trained knights wielding swords. Anyone could shoot a gun and kill a well-trained knight, but not everyone could wield a sword and match a knight in combat. It was what made medieval reenactments so exciting. It was a display of skill and steel. Watching a sharpshooter competition was nothing compared to two men in heavy armor swinging massive broadswords at each other.
Of course, one forge, Magical or not, couldn’t output the massive amounts of armaments an entire country needed. Producing guns was hard enough, but throwing ammo into the mix was just a mess. Russia likely built up their Magical forces over months if not years before attacking. Japan had just a few days, if not hours. No one knew when the next attack would come.
On top of that, Japan couldn’t incorporate tech into their weapons. They had to settle for unguided missiles which would invariably miss any target moving at a decent clip. Lux technology seemed to mix both Magic and science, but reverse engineering that wasn’t easy. It was still a work-in-progress for Deep Blue and Momo.
Right now, Loren was working the forge, but he wasn’t building anything for humanity, he was forging a sword fit for a king. The finest weapon the forge had ever made. Bael, the previous Lord of Hell, was a powerful demon, but he was short-sighted, blinded by power, and corrupted by delusions of grandeur. It limited his creativity, his true power, at the forge. Such things would not hold back Loren.
“Where’s Deep Blue?!” Loren shouted. “The blade is ready!”
“I am here.” The Lux creation stepped from a portal, having squared away his patient. In his hands was a single white sphere, the size of a marble. It was a Deus Core, the same item that granted Kaisel her transformative powers and the same item that formed the basis of the Mekanism weapon wielded by Igris. The Cores were few and far between, just a couple made by the Lux in their entire existence within the Dungeon.
Loren delicately took the white marble from Deep Blue, gripping it between his fingers, he fitted it into the gap in the pommel of the blade. He ignored the metal burning his flesh, and held it in place, hammering the blade into its final shape.
“Perfection…” Deep Blue muttered. Even he was in awe of the black blade. Its form was that of a simple longsword, but it held so much more within.
“Fetch Igris. It is ready.”
Deep Blue mentally signaled for the leader of the Shadows, who emerged moments later.
If there really was a National-Rank behind Russia’s schemes, then they needed all the power they could get, and they were going to power up the three strongest Shadows in Izuku’s army. First and foremost was Igris.
Loren grabbed a nearby heat-proof cloth. He had to be careful about handling this particular weapon after all. Scooping up the blade, he walked over to Igris.
“This… won’t make up for the past…” He said. He knew about Igris’s history with demonkind.
“No,” Igris growled. “But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from my Liege, it is that the past must be put aside for the future.” He reached out, taking the black hilt in his hands.
[The Blade that Rivals Gods: Caliburn]
Green energy, from Igris’s Shadow, raced down from the base of the blade, consuming Caliburn whole. Like a cocoon, the sword was encased, the green shell now returning the favor and creeping up Igris, to encircle him.
“There is no species in the universe as malleable, as adaptable, as the Shadows,” Loren and Deep Blue watched in awe as the Deus Core bonded with Igris, evolving him into something more. “For they are the sword of their Liege, bending to whatever shape he may need.” As the cocoon melted away, the room was given a sight of the new Shadow Knight.
*******
[Humanity’s Sentinel - Igris:]
Grade: Commander
Type: Evolved Humanoid
Skills: Eternal Blood-Red Blade, Hell’s Regent, Heaven’s Regent,
*******
Bulky didn’t even begin to describe Igris’s new physique. His armor had always made him appear sturdy, but now he was a true tank.
In each hand was a jade-green sword. Both were similar in shape, but one appeared to be made of more energy than the other. It looked like a lightsaber next to the more standard metal sword.
On his back were two wings, also made of the green energy. They didn’t look like they’d be able to take flight, but it was Magical after all.
“Your Liege will not be happy…” Beru chittered in jealousy, seeing the knight become his equal in combat. “The cape completed the outfit. This new form is so… unwieldy, kiek kiek…”
Igris said nothing, instead choosing to dissolve his wings. The green energy and the accompanying darkness encircled him, returning him to a visage of his past self, cloaked by darkness. He essentially looked identical to how he appeared when Izuku first met him, but his true form was waiting beneath.
“Take care of how you speak, bug. My Liege does not respect those who cannot respect others.” He glared at Beru. “You would do well to learn some empathy.” He gave a final nod to Loren before vanishing into the shadows and returning to Izuku’s home, tending after Kei and the Todorokis.
“Only two Deus Cores remain,” Deep Blue said. “My Lady wishes for this one to receive the next.” He pointed to Beru.
Loren needed but a single glance at Beru to know what his next project was to be, and he set to work in an instant, yelling out orders and moving to the forge. “Humanity moves out in two hours! Let’s not disappoint the Empress!”
The rowdy demons shouted out in unison. A great number of Tenebris had grown tired of war, but for the rest of their kind, it was all they knew. A call to action, an invigorating task that boiled their blood, was still a strong sensation etched into their Souls. They weren’t raring to go, and they would follow behind the army of Death as their loyal demonic compatriots.
*******
“Feels like just yesterday we were here,” Miruko remarked, standing in the Japanese Naval base, watching troops move supplies and prepare their fleet to sail.
“No rest for the wicked,” Admiral Mori deadpanned.
“You think this’ll work?”
“I feel like I should be the one asking that question,” Mori’s eyes had dark bags under them. “We have only a few Magic-based military weapons. We’ll be a distraction at most. It comes down to how you Awakened and the Shadows handle it.”
“You’ve certainly changed your tune from Jeju.”
Mori scowled. “If we just had more time… maybe we could’ve figured it out. How to blend Magic and technology perfectly. Regardless, I’m stubborn, but even I can recognize when I’m completely outclassed. It was my hope that young men and women like you would no longer have to brave the dangers yourself. That the military forces trained for danger could let you all rest.”
“Tch, I don’t think I know what the word ‘rest’ means.”
“On that we share common ground,” Mori responded, a smile in his eyes.
“You’d better survive this, Admiral,” Kaina said, strolling up to the two, “We need someone to be an ambassador to the Tenebris once this is all over, and I don’t trust those politicians.”
“Don’t worry. Even if I fall, many of my contemporaries see the Tenebris in a favorable light. And I’ve managed to get the support of a few politicians… not that I trust them either.”
“Is it really that big of a deal? They saved a bunch of people already and acted for Japan with nothing in return.” Miruko’s logic was sound, but her simple nature overshadowed just how petty humanity could be.
“They’re still ‘Villains’ to most people. It’ll take a while for that stigma to fade, if it ever does. Besides, plenty of countries have worked together to defeat a common enemy only to turn on each other. In war, the true nature of your allies is only revealed once the dust has settled.” Mori shrugged. “Fears are quite easily stoked.”
Miruko grumbled something under her breath in annoyance.
“Well, if you two will excuse me, I have my own preparations to make,” Mori gave a casual salute before walking off.
“Where’s Empress? We’re leaving soon aren’t we?” Miruko looked over the sea. Several of Japan’s fleet were already in a holding pattern, waiting for the rest of their ships. Many of them were the same ships that sailed for Jeju, and many of them were holding a great deal of Japan’s Awakened forces. Japan only lost S-Ranks and a few lower Ranked Heroes during Jeju, so their quantity of Heroes was still impressive.
“She’s checking the satellites, doing her best to zero in on where our National-Ranker might be. It seems like they’ve been able to suppress their Mana, making it hard to tell where in Russia they are.”
The naval base began to sound through its loudspeakers. “Fleet 6-A boarding process is beginning! Again, Fleet 6-A for battlecruiser Ishin is boarding!”
“Feels like I’m in an airport,” Miruko commented.
“Yeah, I feel like I should be worrying about my luggage,” A voice behind the two women said.
“Kyu!” Miruko practically jumped on top of the woman, crushing her in a bear hug.
“Hi Rumi.” Her voice was soft, but her face was crestfallen. It had been a little while since anyone had called her ‘Kyu.’
“Oh… shit, sorry.” Miruko was pretty dense at times, but even she could catch the mistake.
“It’s okay, not your fault…” She smiled kindly at the rabbit Hero, who finally took a look at her armor.
“Dang… you get yours from the moon too?”
“What?”
“It’s nothing,” Kaina said, and Ryukyu believed her. Rumi had a tendency to say something that meant a ton to her, but nothing to others. So she’d randomly belt out sentences that sounded completely out of left-field, something Ryukyu was used too.
“It’s made from the core of that thing from Jeju,” She spat, the memory of Beru killing Touya still fresh in her mind.
“Well it certainly looks impressive,” Kaina complimented, admiring the craftsmanship.
It was white and blue, reminiscent of Touya’s hair and his flames. It was harsh and jagged, giving Ryukyu a draconic looking form, even without actually transforming with her Quirk. The helmet was clutched under her arm, still keeping with the theme of a dragon. All-in-all, it looked badass, but they could tell it wasn’t quite on the level of Miruko’s Divine Armor. If Japan ignored people like Rumi, or Kaina, or Izuku, whose power was kind of unnatural for a human, then Ryukyu, with her armor, would likely be the strongest Hero in Japan. She’d probably tear Endeavor apart like he was made of tissue paper.
“I… uhm… I’ve got a weird question. Is the Shadow Monarch and Empress capable of bringing back the dead in their normal forms?”
Kaina raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean? Like can they resurrect people and have them not become Shadows?”
Ryukyu nodded. “I haven’t gotten the chance to ask them myself, and I heard you two know them.”
Kaina shook her head. “Anything they bring back is a Shadow, nothing more.”
“I see…” She looked down at the ground dejectedly, fishing her phone out of her pocket and showing it to the girls.
It was CCTV footage. Grainy, but still clear enough to make out. Walking down a market street was a man in a dark trench coat. His hair was snow-white, and it looked incredibly familiar.
“Dabi?”
“Without any burn scars…” Ryukyu said, as if that made everything make sense. “I thought, if he was brought back, maybe he would lose his scars. But if the Monarchs can’t do that then… I must be mistaken… Just a look-alike I suppose.”
Kaina and Rumi exchanged a glance, because even they were convinced that it looked like Touya Todoroki. But before they could say anything else, Ryukyu put her phone away and donned her helmet. “Time for me to go. We need at least one S-Rank to join the main fleet.”
“Good luck.”
Ryukyu scoffed. “It sounds like you guys have the more dangerous job. I should be the one saying that.”
“You’ll be okay?” Miruko asked. The last time they’d joined forces for something, it had all gone wrong. She didn’t want to lose Ryukyu.
“Trust me, I’ll be fine. It’s the rest of the fleet and Russia you should worry about.” There was a good deal of bloodlust in her voice, which was a strange sort of comfort. She wouldn’t hesitate to kill in order to stay alive. In war, that was all you could ask for.
The two parted ways with Ryukyu, heading to their own dock, where they were told to wait for Momo. Miruko still didn’t know her true identity, but she’d likely learn soon enough. After all, they were going to battle together.
“What’s that?” Miruko looked out to sea, watching as the water began to stir and churn, leaving a foam atop the waves.
Kaina used her Dragon God’s Eyes to zoom in, seeing the tip of something breaking the surface of the water. “That… is our reinforcements.”
Like some sort of legend about ghost pirates, Russian destroyers began to breach from the depth of the ocean, their hulls now made of the ungodly shadows.
[23 Lider-Class Destroyers - Colonel Grade]
And flying overhead was an entire squadron.
[8 SU-57s - Colonel Grade]
Once the plan to take on Russia was clear, Momo had dismissed the 30 Lux in her Shadow count, using that space as well as the one extra slot she had left over, to bring back the Russian forces.
“I guess that’s our ride…” Miruko said in awe, looking up at the destroyer docking at the naval base. Standing at the bridge was none other than Momo.
As they boarded, making their way up to the Empress, the rest of the naval base set off, the speed of their response critical in the war effort.
“Now this is what I’m talking about!” Miruko said, admiring the sheer scope of power Momo had brought to bear.
“You haven’t even seen the half of it,” She responded, gesturing to an empty patch of ocean.
Like Godzilla rising from the depths, Behemoth exploded from the water, Beru resting squarely on his shoulder.
*******
[Hive King - Beru:]
Grade: General
Type: Evolved High-Grade Nomu
Skills: Gluttony, Amplify, Hive Regent
*******
*******
[Gaia’s Titan - Behemoth:]
Grade: Commander
Type: Evolved Demolith
Skills: Omni-Resistance, Soul Resistance, Metallurgy, Soul Habitation, Spatial Immunity, Deconstruction Immunity, Raw Power, Soul Impact, Inverse Impact, Spatial Impact, Warhammer, Javelin, Soul Communication, Overwhelming Strength, Goliath, Magical Construct, Vex
*******
After bathing in the endless metal of Bael’s forge, Behemoth had ballooned in size. He was always a towering goliath, but now, over a hundred meters tall, he really did fit the title of ‘Kaiju.’ It was fitting that Japan would march alongside one into war.
Beru’s claws were sharper than before, his exo-skeleton now merged with Magical Metals from the forge, making him downright impenetrable.
The Tenebris began to flock through the air, their wispy shapes blotting out the sun. They were prepared to use Particle Storm to defend the fleet or tear through the enemy.
Over the radio, Miruko could hear Admiral Mori. “Yeah… I think this just might be enough.”
Japan may have been weakened, they may have been backstabbed by their own Heroes, and they didn’t have the technological superiority of Russia, but what they did have… was an army of death and demons.