Showdown! The Best of the Best

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Green light blazed overhead in streaks as Deku and Mr. Incredible's feet landed on solid ground once again. The young aspiring hero nodded to the colossal green giant that had carried them across the battlefield, and Garfield's colossal green head bobbed in acknowledgment. Then, his wings beat the air ferociously, carrying him skyward again. Deku surveyed Mr. Incredible nervously. He was doubled over, his wounds clearly taxing him. The older hero's whole body shook, and it was clear that his battle with Muscular had taken its toll.

Deku remembered his first fight with Muscular vividly. He had been in much the same state at its conclusion. He wondered if Danny really had some miraculous way to beat the seemingly insurmountable challenge before them. Around the two heroes, the battle still raged on, littering the air with blasts of multicolored energy, battered bits of metal, and pieces of earth. Deku perked up as Danny descended in a halo of green, ghostly light. His brow furrowed as he saw an unfamiliar figure being carried by the ghost boy.

The humanoid thing carrying a three-barreled hand cannon almost reminded Deku of his classmate, Eijirou Kirishima. Deku's friend and ally in Class 1-A at U.A. High possessed the Quirk of Hardening, which allowed his body to solidify until his skin became durable enough to deflect bullets. However, this creature was marginally different, as his skin was seemingly made of living rock. Deku's keen eyes focused on the new ally Danny had brought them as they stepped closer, and he noted that the coat of ash-colored granite flowed with every movement he made. 

The rock was his skin. 

"What the hell happened?" Danny asked as he approached the battered retiree. 

"M-Muscular," Mr. Incredible sputtered. "I fought him. One on one. H-he...tried to hurt Dash..."

"Did you beat him?" Danny went on, his eyes flickering between Deku and the sentinel.

"Muscular won't give us any more trouble," Deku assured Danny. "How are we doing?"

"I've been in the air over the battlefield more than once, at this point," Danny explained, gesturing to the ongoing carnage. "We've taken out over half of the Kriegbots that were on the battlefield originally, but they're onto us now. They've taken up key positions on the western edge of the meadow, and they're dug in pretty deep."

"They're protecting Kringle's Cathedral," the stranger broke in.

Three pairs of eyes hovered in his direction.

"Cathedral?" Deku parroted.

"His base of operations," the rock-man rumbled in a crisp baritone. "That's where all of Kringle's planning takes place. He held me there, for a while." 

"What did...Kringle...w-want with you?" Mr. Incredible sputtered.

"He used me to get to you," he replied frankly.

Deku's eyes widened, and his mouth fell agape.

"You were the one?" Deku demanded.

The armored stranger gave a curt nod. "It wasn't my choice. I didn't even know I could do the things that he had me do. And if I'd known he was coming, I'd have fought him every step of the way. But he surprised me on my world, took me here, did experiments on me. Just like he surprised you guys."

There was a brief pause of stunned silence. The only sound that passed between the three warriors was the ceaseless orchestra of battle. Danny stepped toward the new warrior.

"This is Ed," he introduced them. "He can fight and kill Kriegbots as well as the rest of us, and he's agreed to help us infiltrate Kringle's fortress, this 'Cathedral.' There, we can destroy the Amulets, and stop him. Permanently."