The Hero and Villain Hunter: Emerald Tempest

Chapter six: Rags

"Answer me something first. Why is she bandaged up like this?" Izuku asked coldly as his eyes pierced Overhaul.

"She's very clumsy... She keeps falling down and scraping her arms." He explained.

"Then why is she so scared of you?" He asked with a little bit of anger beginning to seep through.

Overhaul couldn't answer that question and realized trying to fool Izuku would be difficult. "I know you're a resourceful kid. I should have known I wouldn't be able to fool you. You recognized me so easily after all. Come let's talk somewhere more private." He said before turning around while motioning Izuku to follow.

Izuku looked at Eri and gave her a reassuring look and despite the mask he had, Eri calmed down a bit and they both followed Overhaul deeper into the alleyway with Izuku holding onto Eri's hand.

"Even though I haven't exactly seen you fight, I can tell that you are dangerous, so I'd like to resolve this without conflict." He said, with his back still turned. "I'll make you a deal. Return Eri to me immediately and I grant you a place in the Shie Hassaikai, receiving all the benefits one could receive, money, respect, power and most importantly, the benefits of a little project I'm working on."

The fact he was trying to be bribed pissed Izuku off but he was curious about this so called 'project' so he stayed calm for now. "What is this 'little project' you mentioned?" He asked as Eri flinched which Izuku noticed.

"You see... Eri is... Special. All I will say is that she is powerful and using her, we could be able to do great things. I can tell you aren't very fond of this society. Why don't you help me change that?" He finished, still keeping his back turned as he continued.

"While you are correct in your assumption... To think that you'd do such things to a little girl... You're a monster." He said, stopping in his tracks and holding Eri behind him.

Overhaul stopped in his tracks as well and held up his left hand. "Unfortunate. I was hoping you'd see to reason." He said as he began to remove his white glove. Eri noticed this and she tried to run back to him but Izuku held her back and before Overhaul could even turn around, he was met with a roundhouse kick to the back of the head, sending him tumbling to the ground but he managed to pick himself up.

"Eri... Stay back... If It looks like I'm starting to lose I want you to run as fast as you can." He said. Eri looked at him with tears in her eyes. She saw this look he had. She wasn't sure why but she felt not only safe but she felt like she could trust this individual and so she nodded, while running back to the entrance of the alleyway so she would be safe but still able to see the fight.

"You will regret that kid." He said as he knelt down, placing his head on the concrete floor, disassembling it and then reassembling it into spikes which shot at Izuku at tremendous speeds. Izuku couldn't react in time to fully dodge, so he put his hands up in a bracing stance and moved just enough that the spikes brushed against him, leaving a few cuts and scrapes but nothing major.

"Impressive intuition... But you can only keep this up for so long!" Overhaul shouted as he launched another batch of spikes. Izuku was ready this time, and dodged the spikes using his agility and intuition while closing the gap between the two, although not without difficulty. Overhaul began to panic, using his quirk more erratically, dirting himself in the process as he began to break out into hives.

"What are you!?" he shouted as he reshaped the entire alleyway, leaving a wide space in place of the few buildings that stood there moments ago, launching even more stone spikes as the ground itself was reformed into various altitudes and spaces.

Izuku was forced to step back as the onslaught would have seriously wounded him in combination with the ground being altered. "I WON'T LET YOU HURT HER ANYMORE, OVERHAUL! I WILL DEFEAT YOU!" He shouted. Eri, who was watching while staying hidden by the alleyway entrance, began to cry. Hearing those words from someone made her experience an emotion she had never felt before. She wanted to help him but all she could do was watch as Izuku and Overhaul fought.

Izuku had finally closed the gap and as he did, Overhaul realized who he was. "Wait... that appearance... those movements... You're that vigilante that is taking down heroes and villains alike aren't you!?" He shouted as he swung a right hook at Izuku with his palm open, trying to use his quirk on Izuku. Heeasily dodged and used the opening to strike Overhaul in the chest, causing some ribs to break. Izuku then got into his combat stance again as his hands began to grow a bright green. He then began mercilessly pummeling Overhaul. Izuku then struck Overhaul in the face with an uppercut kick, knocking him back while causing his mask to fall off which alarmed Overhaul.

"You... YOU BASTARD! I WILL HAVE MY GOALS REALIZED!" He shouted. In desperation, Overhaul immediately after picking himself up, placed both his hands on the ground, causing matter to disassemble and reassemble at a rapid pace, causing Izuku to lose his balance and stumble, while he launched concrete spikes straight at Eri, who screamed as she saw what was happening.

Izuku's heart dropped as the spikes curved around him and headed for Eri. His rage boiled through but instead of taking over, it mixed with his determination and will power, turning his stream from a light to a dark green as he rushed towards Eri at unthinkable speeds, using said spikes to maneuver and propel himself forward.

"EERRRIIII!" He shouted as he was able to grab her right before Overhaul's attack struck where she was. The attack did however connect with Izuku's left leg, creating a deep but non-fatal cut as Izuku winced at the pain, stumbling over but managing to keep Eri from harm. Overhauls attacks didn't stop however and Izuku kept narrowly avoiding each one with Eri in his arms.

"Eri... I need you to close your eyes for me and hold on tight!" Izuku shouted. Eri nodded and held onto his hoodie for dear life as she shut her eyes. Izuku then turned and began heading for Overhaul as he began to panic again. Overhaul launched attack after attack as he tried to make Izuku lose balance in order to finish him, but Izuku had picked up on Overhaul's attack style and due to his panicked state, he wasn't showing any new moves.

Izuku finally made it to Overhaul as the two locked eyes. One had fear and dread spread throughout his entire face while the other, had eyes full of hatred and anger. Izuku's full body began to stream a dark green and Izuku prepared his final attack.

He lifted his right foot and with devastating precision, struck Overhaul's head, knocking him out and sending him flying into a wall as a small crater formed, after which he fell to the ground. Izuku stood there panting and clutching onto Eri.

"It's okay now... It's over... You can open your eyes..." Izuku said in between breaths. Eri opened her eyes slowly and noticed Overhaul. He was heavily bruised and bloodied as blood leaked out of his forehead. She then glanced over at Izuku who had many shallow and a few deep cuts and some bruises as he too was bleeding. His clothes were also heavely torn.

"You're... Hurt..." She said with tears streaming down her eyes.

"No... I've never felt better..." He said and although he had a mask on, Eri could tell through the look in his eye that he was happy and smiling. "Th-thank... Tha-thank yo-you! Thank-k You-u!" She said while bawling her eyes out, in between sobs  as she tightly clutched Izuku's jacket, realizing that she was free from Overhaul for the first time.

"Come on... Let's get you somewhere safe."