Canon Fodder

CHAPTER 280 HELPING HAND

“How does this work?” Momo asked as we walked down the street. 

“Which part?” I asked, knowing full well what she was talking about. 

“This…thing. You have 2 girlfriends. Don’t they get jealous? How do you spend your time with them?” 

She and I had just finished up our 2nd official date. Like the first she had me running all over the city. A zoo here, paintball there, food to tie it all together, and now a walk. I wasn’t sure what was up with her and walking, but it was fine with me. 

Momo was wearing a flower design dress that showed plenty of cleavage. She had caught me staring more than once. I wasn’t ashamed of it. Momo was almost as tall as me. Dark black hair tied back in a pony tail, muscular thighs, and high heels, she was gorgeous. 

“3 girlfriends, technically,” I said. 

“3?! Who’s the other? And if you say me-” 

“No, not you,” I said with a chuckle. “You don’t even know who the 2nd one is.” She gave me a look that said she knew Nejire was involved with us somehow. “Honestly, I don’t know how it works. We spend what? Over 40 hours a week in classes. You spend a lot of time studying, I spend a lot of time training. So you find time in between. How do you think Toru and I kept it secret for so long? Because we didn’t complicate things.”

“Complicate?” 

“Yeah, that’s what kills a relationship. Oh, you’re free, you have to spend X amount of time with me. You only do that when you’re in a relationship to be happy. To make it less complicated you have to be happy before the relationship. You’re busy? Too bad, guess I’ll make myself busy. Let’s find some time later to do something. Sure, it helps that Toru and I usually sleep in the same bed so we have time together there-” 

“Stop, I don’t want to hear about your bedroom activities,” Momo said blushing. 

“Momo, you do know that it’s a normal human activity, right?” I asked, eyeing her up and down. “It’s not like Aizawa doesn’t have s-”

“Oh my god, don’t talk about our teacher that way,” Momo said, closing her ears. 

“I’ve heard he’s got quite the groupie following,” I admitted. 

“No way,” she said, laughing. “But he’s so tired all the time.”

“What I hear is he’s tired all the time because of the girls that throw themselves at him,” I stage whispered. 

“I don’t believe it. He’s so straight to the point.”

“Yeah, so I could be wrong. Just telling you what I heard,” I said truthfully. “Listen, I know this is weird for you. But I enjoy my time with you. I’m willing to go at whatever pace you need. I’m busy a lot of the time. I try to make time for simple stuff like this date, but it’s not always going to be this way. Things will happen where one of us couldn’t do this. So I try to enjoy what little time I have. Right now, I’m lucky. I spend my time with beautiful women like yourself. And the majority of them just want to get laid now and then.” 

Momo continued to blush so I dropped it. Letting out a sigh as we walked. Eventually she got the nerve to speak again, “I’ve never done anything like that.”

“Really? That’s such a shock,” I said as sarcastically as possible. 

“Screw you,” she said, hitting my shoulder. “Outside of class I spend my time studying and…that's about it. Our first date was the first time I took a break. For so long I’ve wanted to be a hero, but I get…” 

“Burnt out?” I offered. To be honest that was what I was feeling. Despite my vacation I was exhausted all the time, but I kept training. Trying to get ready for my next Challenge.

“Maybe. I think it’s more distracted by you,” she said, her eyes glaring. 

“Me? Oh no, that’s all you. You keep sending me the looks. Don’t think I can’t tell when you’re sitting behind me in class and watching me rather than the teacher.”

“I-I don’t do that,” she said too quickly. 

“You do,” I said. “I can tell, it’s all part of your energy. At least twice a day you think about me, and you get all tingly inside.” I only knew this because of her Spiritual Energy, or maybe it was part of the Search quirk that Ragdoll had talked about. Either way, she would get horny, and when I looked back she would turn away because she had been staring at me. 

“You can’t be serious,” Momo said, speeding up. I grabbed her hand, pulling her back to me. She moved to push her chest against me. Looking up into my eyes I could feel the heat from her breath. 

“You don’t have to run, you know,” I whispered. Her eyes sparkling as I felt excitement leak off of her. “I’m sorry that you weren’t my first girlfriend. But would you rather see where things can go? Or regret not going anywhere?” I asked. 

She licked her lips, her eyes looking from my lips to my eyes. I didn’t hesitate to pull her in for another kiss. Momo moaned as my hand went to her ass. She filled my arms naturally, as if she was made for them Curves in all the right places the kiss extended out until a huge explosion sounded in the building over our heads. 

Momo ducked down as I looked up. Over top of us glass was falling to the ground as well as what looked like a sofa. The thing was I knew the apartment building. It was where Endeavor lived with his 3rd family. As the glass and furniture fell Momo looked back up. 

“What do we do?” She asked, but I stepped forward and pulled out my Tremor power. Focusing it into my palm I pushed out at the falling debris. The glass shattered further and the sofa exploded out from the vibrations. My hand followed it down and by the time it hit a car it was mostly destroyed. 

“Start evacuating people,” I said as I felt Endeavor up above me. I could feel intense anger coming from him. It had only been a couple of days since I crashed his hero ranking ceremony, but that type of anger was saved for when family was in danger. 

“Where are you going?” Momo asked as I ran inside. 

“Hero work. Something is going on up there.” Before I went inside a huge fiery explosion shot out the side of the building. I could see Endeavor tussling with a dark skinned Nomu far above. My improved eyes telling me all I needed to know. 

“Weston! I’ll come with!” Momo yelled. I cursed but ran into the elevator. When she was out of sight I made a clone and turned myself into the Villain Slayer. Hiding behind shadow chakra I stepped out of the elevator just before Momo stepped in. My clone and her headed up to try to help, I ran outside. 

Dropping the chakra that hid me I pooled water at my feet and jumped on. Raising up into the air I came to find Endeavor’s girlfriend screaming. The apartment was on fire around her. I waved my hand, pulling the heat away and the fire went out. Her eyes wide she pointed to Hawks. He was knocked out on the floor. 

I walked over and slapped him awake. Knocked out somehow it took a few more slaps. His eyes bulged as he looked up at me. His hand grabbing my collar I held his fist back. “Calm it down, just helping,” I said. “What happened?” 

Hawks looked around the room. Seeing Endeavor’s girlfriend he stood up and faced the broken glass door that led to the balcony. “A Nomu appeared. Attacked Endeavor.” This situation felt mildly familiar, but I couldn’t place it. 

“You alright?” I asked the woman. 

“Uh yes, my son is at a friend’s house,” she said. 

“Good. Leave the apartment for now. Evacuate the area,” I said as I walked to the balcony. Outside it was easy to see the fight going on. Endeavor was not a stealth battler that was for sure. Streaks of fire like a jet engine trailed after him as he hit the Nomu again and again. 

“What are you doing?” Hawks asked as we watched. 

“Helping, why, gonna arrest me?” I asked. 

He chewed his lip, eyeing me. “Endeavor said I should leave you alone for now,” he said.

“Oh, talking about me before the Nomu attacked?” I asked, a smile on my lips. 

“That and other things,” Hawks said. “We should step in.” 

“We should talk once this is over too,” I said, grabbing his shoulder. “I know you’re trying to infiltrate the League of Villains. It’s a bad idea.”

“How the hell do you know that?” He asked, anger flaring. 

“Because I have my own guy on the inside-” I stopped as the sound of breaking glass and the creaking of metal sounded. Ahead, the Nomu and Endeavor had plowed through a large office building. Dust and glass billowing out of the place the number 1 hero and the Nomu weren’t being gentle. Then to my surprise the building began to teeter over. 

“Fuck!” I said jumping out as Hawks took flight. Speeding away on my disc of water Hawks and I moved into the falling rubble of the building. “You get the rubble! I’ll get the people!” I yelled. Hawks didn’t hesitate. The feathers from his red wings flying off of him he began to grab the concrete chunks of the building falling down. 

Sensing the Spiritual Energy of those inside I powered through a glass window and began pulling people to me from the water in their bodies. People yelled, but it was the weekend, luckily the place wasn’t too packed. Flying up a flight of stairs I was able to scan levels as I moved up. People trailing behind me wildly as I dragged them along with my chakra. When I felt I’d gotten everyone I came out another glass building. 

Endeavor above me I yelled, “Got them all!” He nodded and from his fingertips streaks of searing hot flames interlaced and moved through the falling half of the building. The flame was so hot it cut through the concrete and metal like they were nothing, making the rubble smaller as it fell. As the pieces became smaller Hawks grabbed them with his feathers, floating them safely to the ground. 

Once I dropped my wad of people off I flew back up to stand next to Endeavor as he faced the Nomu. “Who are you?” The Nomu growled. The monster had pitch black skin, a long neck a few feet long, and his teeth showing in an almost forced smile. I could feel the Spiritual energy leaking from it, the only way to describe it was…corrupted. Normally spiritual energy was uniform, but this being’s was unbalanced and unruly. 

“Doesn’t matter, you’re dead anyway,” I said. 

“No, we need information from it,” Endeavor said. 

“You really think this thing will talk?! It’s a puppet!” I said angrily. Before Endeavor could reply the arms of the Nomu shot out. Each moving quickly as they tried to pierce us. Endeavor and I moved out of the way. Looking down I noticed some weaker Nomus taking Hawk’s attention, so it was just me and the Number 1.

Endeavor and I zigzagged around the arms that tried to stab into us. “What can you do!?” Endeavor yelled. 

“Hit hard!” I yelled back. Charging my fist I ventured in. Dodging more spikes that shot out from the Nomu’s body. Riding my water like a Green Goblin glider I twisted in the air this way and that as I got closer to the beast. When I was close enough I sent a shockwave of Tremor into it. It’s body vibrating the spikes froze as I pulled my arm back and sent one of my ultimate punches into it. 

Nen, Chakra, Haki, and my quirk melded perfectly. I had been saving the energy from the fires I put out in Endeavor’s house and added it to the wave of my fist as I punched center mass of the Nomu. It’s body burst open and limbs were thrown away. Endeavor growled angrily but focused his hands and sent a searing hot wave of heat into the falling body. 

I almost didn’t sense the part break away. No more than the size of a hand a piece was missed by the flame. I ignored it for a moment but then the Spiritual Energy of it flared. Growing out the black blob became the size of a head then a torso. Endeavor was still shooting flames into the body as the spikes stabbed out from it. One stabbing into his side, the other hitting his face. 

“Fucker!” I yelled, sending a Tremor at the small flesh blob. But Endeavor lost control. The flames at his feet died and he fell to the ground. 20 stories up he would have died if he hit the ground. I jumped down after him. Grabbing his arm before he landed on a pile of rubble I slowed us down until I set him on the road. 

“Heavy bastard,” I grumbled, but Endeavor was out. The Nomu landed on the ground a little away from me. I ignored the cameras focused on me as I cracked my knuckles. 

“I want to test my power!” The Nomu screeched.

“Guess I do too,” I said, turning my head as I cracked my neck. I began to gather power. “You got regeneration, stabbing move, any other quirks you got hidden in that ugly ass body?” The Nomu screeched again. “Take that as a yes.” I stepped forward and sent a shockwave into the Nomu knocking him back. 

“Endeavor! Time to be Number 1 dude!” I yelled back as the Nomu attacked me. Using my Observation Haki I dodged more spikes shooting from it’s body. Punching it hard wherever I could the once-man broke apart but quickly grew back. I really didn’t want to take this thing. I’d already messed up the guy’s entrance as Number 1. I didn’t want to have to fight his fights for him as well. 

I pushed the Nomu back with more blows to the body. Making each hit stronger than the last as it screeched and bit at me. I felt Endeavor get up behind me. Pushing my hands into the Nomu I pushed a huge wave of tremors into it. The air cracked as it’s body burst out with blood. Stumbling to the ground as it struggled to reform I jumped back. 

“Time to deal with this thing, big dude,” I said, helping Endeavor up to his feet. 

“I need to cool down,” he hissed through gritted teeth. I began to pull hot energy from him. I was surprised how high his temperature actually was. He let out a sigh. “I-I can go hotter. Just not so close to people.” 

“I can get you up and out of the way. But if you can’t handle it, I can help,” I said. He had a bad gash over his left eye where the Nomu stabbed him. His side bleeding he gritted his teeth. 

“Just get us away,” he groaned as he stepped toward the Nomu. The thing was reformed again. Screeching louder it ran at Endeavor. Spikes stabbing out from it’s body into Endeavor’s he took the hits and latched onto him. I created a bowl of us under them and froze it. Raising it in the air I followed along as Endeavor began to heat up. 

I had fought Todoroki once a while ago. He had refused to use his fire side. As I raised Endeavor and the Nomu up into the air I felt the heat that the Number 1 hero could put out. I was impressed. Continuously melting the ice at his feet I stayed close to freeze it again. Endeavor yelled as he only got hotter. The Nomu screeched. 

When we were up in the clouds the heat became almost too much for me. But I kept water underneath Endeavor. Pulling as much heat from it as I could. I wanted to shoot the heat at the Nomu, but Endeavor was too close. The hero’s roar peaked and the Nomu disintegrated. 

Endeavor fell down to the ground but I grabbed him. Holding up the heavy man as we drifted toward the ground. Once we landed he dropped to his knees. It was a powerful moment for him. People cheered all around and I hid behind some shadow chakra. 

Finding my clone and Momo was simple enough. Switching the clone and I out I dropped the Villain Slayer face. 

Helping people out of a few buildings I couldn’t help but wonder what the hell I was doing. A part of me wanted to become these people’s savior. Another part just wanted to keep going after girls. But a bigger part knew that this was all just a distraction. What was the point of planning for the future if I died during my challenges? 

I had to keep training. Though I didn’t have my same physical strength during the challenges, the battle instincts I learned during fight training were invaluable. I had been able to go up against the Nomu that the Number 1 hero struggled with because of my Haki. I had to keep training all of these things over and over until they became second nature. 

“Should I leave?” I mumbled. I didn’t just mean MHA, but also the hall. I felt like I had learned everything important from the rooms. Hell I spent days learning water jutsus but hadn’t used any of them yet. 

“What?” Momo asked next to me. 

I frowned, saying, “World Escape.”

The red room all around me I realized that my plan was too soft. “You’re getting cocky,” I said. “Fights aren’t what they used to be. I need to focus once more somehow…” 

A glint caught my eye as I turned around in the room. Frowning I walked over to it. A simple key was sitting on the ground in front of my 11 O’clock door. “High School of the Dead,” I said. “Fuck that feels forever ago.”

I had jumped right into a world then, and probably almost died. “I was so weak back then,” I said flexing my arm. It was like my muscles had their own muscles. “I freaking need World Lasting Physique as a Challenger Slot. There has to be a way. Courtney had mentioned an Easter Egg in each hall. Maybe that was it? Or something else…” 

“Fuck, there is so much I don’t know.” For some reason I was in a depressed mood. All the drama with Toga, and juggling the Villain Slayer persona was eating away at me. “I had gone in wanting to kill all the villains. My mother was killed by them and I know the world would be better without them. But is that the right answer?” I asked for the thousandth time lately. 

I took in a deep breath and exhaled. “I think I know that I want my wish to include all of these worlds. If I make it past the final challenge, I want to live all of these lives,” I said. Who wouldn’t want that? 

“But I need to remember that my actions have real world consequences,” I said. “Who knows what I would want for these worlds when it’s all said and done. Maybe I shouldn’t rush in to making world shattering changes. Then again, I need freaking Challenger Slots.” 

“God dang I hate this. Why is there no set path?” I asked no one in particular. “I need some wise old man to tell me what to do. That’s what my journey needs. A mentor…” 

As I racked my brain for some wise old man in the worlds I had been to I really couldn’t come up with any. “Not like I could tell them my situation anyway.” 

“Seriously?” I asked the ceiling above. I doubted that they just thought of us. I was sure that whoever controlled the area heard me. Wanting something new they offered me a World Choice.

“But am I ready?” I asked. “I feel like if I step away, I won’t be back for a while.” I had to be all in or not at all. “I’m so close to finishing MHA. 6 months? One Piece, probably less with how fast that place has been moving. Demon Slayer…long training arc to learn the breathing method and I’m still not convinced I can beat the bad guy. One Punch-Nope don’t think about that one. Gotta get more Weakness Eliminators first. Attack on Titan? Damn I really don’t want to mess up that world. It’s already plenty screwed up. If I plan to live out lives in these worlds I would prefer a solution without a bunch of death and destruction. I have a pretty good idea what to do there. But I need a lot more Weakness Eliminators for that. Hunter x Hunter, canon is all over the place there. I doubt Challenger slots would happen for a while. Berserk…Needs more thought. I want to know the ending, that’s for sure. Wish I could get a long stretch of time between challenges to figure that one out. But hell it takes weeks to get anywhere. That’s a long haul one.” 

I looked to the door that led to the Junction. “Honestly, the Harem world was pretty fun. I bet there could be interesting stuff in that dungeon. But if I need a dungeon I should go to Manhwa, their worlds are always focused on dungeons. Fantasy World was fun too. Could kill the demon king. Might get something cool from that.”

“So back to my original question. Do I venture out into the wide worlds other than manga?” I asked the room. “I could pick one, a new one. In Books or Comics.” The World Choice gave me possibilities. “But…Goddamn Weston, when did you get so indecisive? Take what you want and damn the consequences. I need Challenger Slots. But I already have 6 skills that I can use in my screen. I need to master those before I move to something else. “ 

I grabbed the door to MHA again and stepped in. 

“What was that?” Momo asked. 

“Nothing,” I said, grabbing her hand. “Want to make out some more? That was fun.” She blushed deeply and I laughed. I didn’t hear a no.