Level: 170

Strength: 470 (+40)

Vitality: 453 (+80)

Agility: 482 (+60)

Intelligence: 376

Sense: 544 (+120)

Available Points: 0

[Mana: 76,801/76,801]

[HP: 45,129/45,129]

*******

[You have acquired Items:]

Rune Stone Part 4/7: Lust

Rune Stone Part 5/7: Envy

Rune Stone Part 6/7: Pride

Rune Stone Part 7/7: Greed

Hellscale Gauntlets (Dark)

Hellscale Helm (Dark)

Hellscale Boots (Dark)

*******

[You have completed an Optional Quest!]

[Rewards:]

Empty Synthetic Rune Stone

Chaotic Essence

The Key to Hell's Gates

*******

[The Seven Sins have been assembled]

[You have obtained Rune Stone: Chaos]

*******

[Item: Hellscale Gauntlets (Dark)]

Item Class: XS

Item Type: Gauntlets

Gem Slots: 1 (Dark)

+500 Attack

Description: Forged with a Dark Elemental Gem that can be removed and replaced unlike the rest of the Hellscale Armor. Every attack landed successfully with the Hellscale Gauntlets reduces the enemy's Vitality by 2 Stat points for a full hour.

*******

[Item: Hellscale Helm (Dark)]

Item Class: S

Item Type: Helmet

Gem Slots: 1 (Dark)

+50 Sense

+25 Vitality

Description: Forged with a Dark Elemental Gem that cannot be removed. Passively reduces the Sense of all enemies by 15%

*******

[Item: Hellscale Boots (Dark)]

Item Class: S

Item Type: Boots

Gem Slots: 1 (Dark)

+50 Agility

+25 Vitality

Description: Forged with a Dark Elemental Gem that cannot be removed. Passively reduces the Agility of all enemies by 15%

*******

Set Bonuses (Hellscale Armor):

[Set Bonus 1 (2 pieces): All Enemy Regeneration and Healing Magic effectiveness is reduced by 40%]

[Set Bonus 2 (3 Pieces): Constantly applies a dispel to enemies, removing some lesser buffs]

[Set Bonus 3 (5 Pieces): More likely for enemies to drop items and more likely that those items will be of greater quality]

*******

"Well, this should be enough to handle the Lux, but why do half of these things have no description?" Izuku asked out loud, looking through the items he received. The Hellscale armor was the obvious big ticket, but literally everything else had a question mark where an explanation of what it was should have been.

The Chaos Rune Stone, the Key to the Gates of Hell, the Empty Rune Stone, and the Chaotic Essence were all left blank, as if some programmer forgot to remove the sample text from their code.

"Guess the System doesn't want us knowing yet," Momo responded, taking the Crystal Armor and equipping it onto herself within the System. She wouldn't get the Stat bonuses, but it would give her the armor bonuses that Izuku was now missing. It fit her a lot better anyways, considering she was more of a Mage than Izuku.

"I'm gonna need those gauntlets back when we go to school," Izuku said, "People are gonna ask questions if I suddenly don't have my Elemental 'Quirk.'"

"If they're smart enough they're gonna realize we're both a lot stronger."

"Not everyone's Sense Stat is high enough to tell there's a difference."

Momo shrugged. "Bakugo and Shoto could probably feel it."

Izuku winced. "Bakugo is Bakugo, he's not really a concern."

"But Shoto?"

Now it was Izuku's turn to shrug. "Something's not entirely right with that guy. A problem for later."

"FOUND THEM!" A voice yelled across the forge. It was Quorra, who, along with Merix, were digging through piles of technology that Bael had left behind. She emerged from the corner of the forge holding two bracelets.

"Looking for some jewelry?" Momo responded in jest.

"They're artifacts," Quorra said, ignorant to the joke. "One is of Tenebrian make and the other is Luxian."

"They were created by our Gods," Merix added, dragging armor and weapons over to his wife. "The Monarch Yogumunt apparently made one for the Tenebris and the Ruler Correnic made one for the Lux. They steal the power of any enemies around them and give it to their wearers."

"So the Hellscale was Bael's attempt to recreate them?"

"Seems like it," Merix agreed. "But the bracelets can only be worn by their respective race. The Tenebris must've stolen the Lux one forever ago. I never heard about the theft, after all."

"Wish we had more time here," Momo mused, looking around. "This place is pretty incredible. All these rare metals and new tech to study..."

"We can return later," Merix comforted. "Now that the Tenebris homeland is undefended I can teleport us here whenever. Now help me with this, it'll get us straight to Floor 50 on the Lux side." Merix was fiddling with some sort of box, which seemed like it would boost his Spatial Magic.

Momo went to help, but remained quiet, not informing him that once the Gate closed they wouldn't be able to return. And as soon as they took down the Lux and saved Esil, they'd have to leave to make sure the real world wasn't in a state of panic with Jeju Island. Then again, there was the chance that the Raid was going exactly as planned. There could've been absolutely nothing wrong.

*******

There wasn't a single thing going right.

That thought occurred to Takashi as his comms were connected to Admiral Mori on the aircraft carrier.

"Get those jets to land now!"

"They won't respond," The Admiral said. "And they're in holding patterns, nothing's gone wro-"

"Endeavor paid them off to drop bombs filled with his fire magic on the Korean team inside the cave," Takashi said with not an ounce of hesitation.

"Mister Arata, I'd appreciate it if you didn't make such remarks about my men, they wouldn't risk a mission this important for money."

"Two of them have family members with Eternal Slumber, Endeavor's given them the money to take care of them. The third plans on deserting and is gonna use the money to start a new life. We have the transmissions to prove it. We're sending them over." Takashi scowled at the camera feeds inside the command center, showing the teams getting into position. One of them was focused on Endeavor.

"I can't... this can't be right, it's faked or-"

"Is there any other way to signal them to land?!" Takashi shouted, ignoring the denial phase.

"We'll try..."

"If they don't land you need to shoot them down."

"Shoot them down?!"

"Admiral, the S-Ranks on Jeju are worth more than any attachment you have to those men!"

"That's not what I mean!" The Admiral yelled back. "Those F-54s might be the most advanced pieces of technology on the planet! None of the ships can just shoot them down! We aren't equipped for that!"

"You need to at least try! Send your helicopter teams back to the island as soon as they land on the decks! The teams will realize something's wrong!"

"Will do."

"What is the meaning of this?!" A voice shouted as it was dragged into the command center.

Takashi's scowl deepened. "Gotta go." He hung up on the Admiral, turning to face the president of the Hero Safety Commission. The pale lanky man was being held by two of Takashi's personal guards, Awakened men who had likely fought off the president's own guards to take him.

"Yokumiru Mera! You're under arrest for interfering in an S-Rank Raid and endangering the participants!" Takashi declared loudly.

But the president just smiled. "Arrest?" He scoffed. "I'm just following your lead aren't I?"

"What are you-"

"That little shadow organization you're running." Mera smirked as Takashi's brow scrunched up. "Yeah I know all about it. I've even got some documents detailing your crimes. Arrest me and I'll hold you accountable for- urgh!"

The president's voice caught in his throat as Takashi strolled forwards and grabbed him by the neck. "What I did was for the sake of the world! And I will continue to act on that belief until I am six feet in the ground! If the public demands my head for my crimes I will happily die knowing that I bought humanity just a few more months!" Takashi's shouts echoed through the command center, drawing the staffs' attention. "Yes, I've done some very bad things. Made people abandon their homes, move them into more dangerous areas for Awakenings. I've killed people both directly and indirectly, but I did it to save the future!" He held nothing back as he broadcasted his secrets. "And if I have to go down to take you with me, I'll do that with a smile too!"

"I did it for our people!" Mera choked out, his face growing white with fear. "If Japan takes over Korea's Hero work in the absence of their S-Ranks, we'll get more than enough Villain Cores and materials to compete with America! I'm saving our land!"

"Everyone's our people you idiot!" Takashi's grip tightened, using just a little bit of his E-Rank power in spite of Diablo's poison still in his veins. "Do you think the Villains care about race?! Ethnicity?! Country of origin?! None of that matters if we all fall! There is no Japan versus America! No Japan versus Korea! It's us and them! And your actions strengthen them!" Takashi let go of the man and nodded at his guards. "Get him out of here."

Mera said nothing as he was dragged away, the consequences of Takashi's resolve setting in.

Takashi, meanwhile, turned back to the room, still staring in shock. "I'll abdicate my position when this Raid is finished, and take responsibility for what I've done. But until then, let's try to get them off that island... alive." And just like that, everyone went back to work.

*******

"Y'all are boring!" Miruko shouted inside the helicopter. "Do none of ya banter? Or talk? ...Or blink?!"

Sung Jin-Woo smiled at the feisty bunny girl. "Different cultures," He said in Japanese. Out of his team members he and Min Byung-Gyu, their team's healer, were the only ones who spoke both Korean and Japanese fluently. Cha Hae-In knew some, but not enough to hold a full conversation. "We get calm during our Raids, you get your blood pumping."

"That sounds like a lame way to Raid!"

Jin-Woo shrugged. "It makes sure we stay focused and aware of our surroundings."

"Fine..." Miruko said, already bored with the Koreans. "So what's your deal?" She asked, turning to Mirio in the seat next to her. "No one just goes to Jeju Island, especially not some kid!"

Mirio smiled in spite of her brashness. "You're twenty-one years old, right? That means we're about the same age..."

"Hmph... well my point still stands."

"I'll answer if you answer the same question," Mirio said.

"I'm just an adrenaline junkie," Miruko answered. "And I have way more Raiding experience than you do."

"How?" Jin-Woo asked. "Isn't the legal Raiding age in Japan 18?"

Miruko shrugged. "Yeah, but that's just the legal age."

"How long have you been raiding for?" Mirio asked, concern dashing across his face.

"Oh come on! I answered my own question! Time for you to answer it!" Miruko deflected back at the young man.

Mirio pursed his lips for a moment, but decided to let her have her secrets. "All Might's been training me ever since I entered UA. He's spent more time with me than any other student he's taught. He wants me to be his successor. I can't hide from a Raid like this, not when people need me to fight. All Might dedicated his life to the safety of others at his own detriment. I won't betray that legacy."

"That's noble," Jin-Woo commented. "But stupid."

"You think it's wrong to protect others?" Mirio asked with an accusatory tone.

"Obviously not," Jin-Woo responded. "But you can't sacrifice your own body for the sake of others. If you die, who will protect the weak? Your actions are noble, but your thought process will get you killed or permanently crippled."

"You'd run from a fight?" Miruko chimed in.

Jin-Woo nodded. "If I feel him creeping up behind me... I'll run like hell."

"Him who?" Mirio asked

Jin-Woo smiled, "Who else? Death." He leaned forwards on his knees. "I was an E-Rank before I Reawakened. I know the chill of the reaper pretty damn well. Where do you think my Hero name comes from?"

"I thought you were just an arrogant bastard," Miruko bantered.

"I know I'm not The Reaper. I just named myself that out of respect for the actual entity. He's saved me plenty of times."

"You believe in Gods like that?"

Jin-Woo went silent for a moment, eyes down in heavy concentration. "I don't know what to believe."

"The Reaper is not religious," Min Byung-Gyu chimed in. "None of the S-Ranking Koreans are. But we've been confronted many times with death. Amending our religious beliefs with this supernatural world has not been easy for any of us."

"What I do believe in, for certain, is that your teacher is an idiot for sending you here with such conviction in heroism," Jin-Woo said to Mirio, standing as they approached their drop zone. "Heroes and Villains. They're bad names. We're not Heroes, we're soldiers. And the same can be said about Villains. We're all soldiers. We're all fighting a war. And there's no glory in war. Don't be a Hero... be a soldier. Forget about all that noble crap."

Min Byung-Gyu shrugged at the glances he got from the Japanese Heroes. "He's nicer than he seems. This is just how he is on a mission. Cha Hae-In never would've gone out with him if he was always this brooding and cynical."

Miruko nodded. "Yeah... the headspace is wack."

The "wack" that Miruko was referring to was a psychological study performed in over 12 countries. Just before entering a Raid and during a Raid, a Hero's standard brain waves change. They almost became a different person altogether. It was the "Raid Headspace," and was acknowledged as the cause of many breakdowns within Heroes, causing them to freak and kill their comrades. It was similar to the effect that the arctic had on researchers staying at the South Pole, making them more aggressive and emotionally fragile.

Mirio nodded in agreement. The man he had known whilst sparring was calm, cool, collected, and smiled like there was nothing in the world that could faze him. But this Jin-Woo was nothing even close to that.

Their depressing conversation was interrupted as the helicopter's ramp lowered, letting in a rush of wind. Jin-Woo reached to his ear, signaling the other's on the island. "The Korean team is in position, draw the hive's aggro."

"""Roger!""" The Japanese teams responded in unison, letting out their considerable auras. Dabi and Endeavor even let their flames flare up as a beacon for the Nomu and their evolving brethren.

From Jin-Woo's position looking down on the hollowed out mountain, it really did look like an ant-hill, with countless black dots flowing out from all angles. Most of the Nomu were little more than blobs of darkened skin and muscle, but some of them were armored with chitinous plates, growing over them to make them look insectoid in nature.

"Let's go," Jin-Woo said, stepping off the ramp, falling hundreds of feet straight into the center of the mountain.

"I thought he was the team leader?" Miruko bantered, gesturing to Baek Yoonho.

Min shrugged. "We're a complicated group."

The others followed suit, with the helicopter dropping lower to let the cameraman out before the pilots went back to the aircraft carrier to refuel for pickup.

The center of the hive was a cylindrical hole, like a silo in the rocky walls. It was apparently one of the main hubs for Nomu activity, because it was peppered with dozens if not hundreds of different circular passage ways.

As soon as the cameraman's feet hit the ground and the helicopter was away, Baek Yoonho gestured to Choi Jong-In, The Soldier. The Korean man pushed up his glasses and brushed aside his crimson hair. With a snap of his fingers, the entrance to the caverns was sealed with a net of fire, burning lashes intersecting each other to burn whatever tried to re-enter the hive from that point.

"Give us a map."

"Kiek kiek kiek..."

"You hear that?" Mirio asked, his head whipping back and forth as the clicking sound bounced off the inner walls of the mountain.

"Yeah..." Jin-Woo responded, pulling two short swords from underneath his trenchcoat, they were made of crimson metal, gold accents, and black hilts. They burned with an energy that surpassed even an S-Rank. They weren't even close to something a normal S-Rank would carry.

"Don't get jumpy on us, kid," Mirko said with a smirk, her nose flaring in response to the smell of Mana. Cha Hae-In was doing the same, trying to ignore the pungent stench.

"Doesn't feel right..." Mirio mumbled.

"He's right," Jin-Woo scanned the area. "This isn't normal..."

"It's part of the plan," Baek scolded in Korean. "Soldier, give us a map." He repeated.

Choi snapped his fingers once more, conjuring dozens of fiery spheres. They hovered above his head like the Phoenix Lights in Arizona before zipping away.

"Must've been a rock," Choi responded. "The surroundings are clear. There's only a few sparse Nomu on the route we need to take."

"I'll take lead," Baek said, beginning the trek deeper into the caverns.

Mirio and Jin-Woo headed up the rear of the team. Neither of them could shake the sound from their minds. Choi Jong-In's magical scouting said nothing strange was nearby, but that just meant there was nothing nearby when they passed through the tunnels. There was a chance, however slim, that there was something in these caves... something that moved at a speed far beyond an S-Ranks magic.

Jin-Woo nodded to Mirio, the two in perfect sync. The Korean Hero also murmured something to his wife, to which she nodded, drawing her rapier from its sheath. It was incredibly thin, but it could've held up the Empire State Building with its durability.

"Where'd you guys get such premium gear?" Miruko asked, noticing the same thing as Mirio.

"I can't tell you that." Jin-Woo said with a strained smirk.

"Why not?" Miruko's response was indignant, like a child who had been told they couldn't have any more cookies for breakfast. "You get some kick from withholding information?"

"I signed an NDA. I legally can't tell you where they came from."

"Well sure, but legal doesn't mean squat to an S-Rank, or an XS-Rank for that matter."

Jin-Woo shook his head. "But it does apply when the legalities are between an XS-Rank and National-Rank. I'm not risking my head to tell you how I got these, or how she got hers."

Miruko sighed. "Fiiine... but I get next kill!!!"

The Rabbit Hero's sense of smell flared as the tunnel before them, perfectly cylindrical as if carved by a tunnel bore, filled with a few sparse Nomu. But just as quickly as they appeared, they vanished into spatterings of black meat and bone.

Miruko landed in a crouch amidst the gore, not a single speck on her. "Phew! I was starting to get all pent up, and you know how us Rabbits get when that happens!"

Baek looked to his friend Min Byung-Gyu for a translation, but the healer, clad in a divine-looking cloak, just shook his head.