Part 24: Revelations

                                    

                                          
You run through the forest. The smoke makes it harder to see.
Kuuga: Damn it...
You stop for a minute to catch your breath.
Your Thoughts: Aoi and Yaoyorozu were the last group to go through... Where are they?
You suddenly get blasted by a familiar blue fire and you see the villain who attacked you and Hongo during your work study. His burned corpse-like face makes your blood run cold.
????: Surprised you aren't charcoal.
Kuuga: Why are you here?
????: I have my reasons.
Y/N: You're after one of my classmates... Who?
????: You're pretty sharp, Bug Face.
He launches another torrent of flames.
Kuuga: Cho Henshin!
You change to Dragon and dodge the fire.
????: We were originally sent to bring a certain someone back with us. But we were also told to deal with any obstacles.
You dodge more flames as you try to get close. You hear Aoi scream in the distance and you get distracted long enough to get hit by a fireball.
????: That voice... Whoever that girl is, she's important to you, huh?
The villain gives a twisted smile.
????: How about after I kill you, I help her join you in the grave?
Your eyes widen and you finally realize how unhinged this guy is. He just wants to watch the world burn. You charge and before the villain can launch another barrage of fire, you transform back into Mighty and pin him as you start punching. He tries to guard with his arms but you knock them aside and punch even harder. You go to deliver a brutal right hook but when your fist connects, he dissolves into sludge.
Kuuga: A... A copy?
You stare at your hands for a moment.
Kuuga: What would I have done if that was a real person...
Something Daguva said rings in your head.
Daguva: You're much like me...
Kuuga: No... No I'm not...
You stand up and whistle. Gouram flies in and clicks its pincers.
Kuuga: I'm fine. We need to find Aoi.
You hop on the beetle and fly up. You change to Pegasus to briefly use its heightened hearing. You hear a gunshot and see purple gas in a large section of the woods. You change to Mighty.
Kuuga: Gouram!
The beetle follows your command and you fly into the gas. You find Aoi unconscious with Kendo and Tetsutetsu trying to fight a villain with a gas mask.
???????: You UA punks think you're so great!
He shoots at Tetsutetsu who uses his Quirk to defend himself.
Kuuga: Kendo, Tetsutetsu!
Kendo notices you first.
Kendo: Don't take off your helmet! This is knock out gas!
The Gouram lunges at the shooter as you jump off, running to Aoi's side.
Kuuga: Aoi!
You notice a gunshot wound in her abdomen. You stare at the injury and your rage begins to boil over.