Crossroads of Worlds on the Edge of Reality

Contrary to Deku’s suspicions, Katsuki wasn’t asleep while Izuku was on his extremely unsuccessful patrol. Troubling thoughts swirled in his mind, preventing him from dozing off even for a moment. Trying to analyze everything that had happened to them over a single pathetic evening, he came to some rather ambiguous conclusions: he had been incredibly lucky, having faced mortal danger twice in his twenty-one years. And he had survived both times. Surely, he had already worn out Lady Luck’s patience. Katsuki smirked slightly as he recalled Kaminari’s ridiculous phone game that he had played constantly during their third year. There was a character that looked somewhat like Katsuki and went through all sorts of misadventures, but he only had three lives. Whenever that character got in trouble, a warning message filled the screen saying “Game Over,” and the player had to start all over again. Katsuki understood that it was just a game, yet at the same time, he saw echoes of his own life in it. He too had gone through so much, but his life didn’t end, despite all the dangers lurking at every turn. He was like that character in the game, who always managed to survive the most difficult situations. How he wished life were like that — just three lives, instead of a multitude of life-threatening situations that he somehow managed to escape from. But reality was far more ruthless than any game. Katsuki couldn’t help but smile faintly, comparing himself to that unlucky game character. Perhaps if he had three lives, he would learn to cherish each one much more. He was troubled by the thought that sooner or later, luck might turn its back on him, and then... Katsuki shuddered, pushing aside those dark thoughts. Right now, all that mattered was waiting for Izuku to return and ensuring that he was okay. The events of the previous day still had no resolution, which greatly troubled Bakugou. What to do about the quirks? Their supposed saviors? He could clearly see that Izuku was on his side and understood the potential danger they could pose. Katsuki needed to know one thing — what were their motives? What were they thinking? Katsuki felt a mix of anxiety and dissatisfaction with the situation. He was worried about Izuku’s safety, whom he had protected through countless events. The time spent without sleep only amplified his unease, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation. It was clear that he was experiencing a complex array of emotions — from fear for their safety to desperate determination to uncover the true intentions of their saviors. This predicament weighed heavily on him, making him feel vulnerable and the urgent need to take action. He felt like a game character with a limited number of “lives,” whose fate had already been tested multiple times. The new dangers and problems he faced served as a reminder of the fragility of life and the uncertainty of the future. At the same time, he was grateful for his luck — that he had managed to avoid fatal consequences so far. Almost, he reminded himself. Katsuki understood that reality was much harsher and more relentless than any game, and this gave him a sense of uncertainty and growing responsibility. His thoughts were focused on how to protect them and untangle the situation, in order to prevent any potential threats in the future. Katsuki’s feelings were filled with mixed emotions — from anxiety to determination and a lack of control over the events. Izuku felt quite down after Kacchan left — not only did he have no idea what to do in the current situation, but he also, to his shame, was beginning to suspect their saviors of having less than altruistic motives. Katsuki wouldn’t have gone so far to slander the innocent, would he? Although, one could argue that Kacchan did often act that way in the past. It was hard for him to imagine that these girls could suddenly turn out to be villains, especially since the surrounding atmosphere didn’t lend itself to that idea. He was somewhat disheartened by the fact that they had ended up in who-knows-where at a rather late hour, and there wouldn’t be many people on the streets. In total, the three individuals they had encountered along the way didn’t have any distinguishing features, unlike what he was used to back home — here, everyone seemed too ordinary. Yes, it was also not immediately apparent what kind of quirk Izuku and Katsuki had, but there was another factor that troubled Izuku. Neither Inoti nor Keki had inquired about their quirks. In their world, this was a common question, akin to asking “How are you?” or something similar. And that wasn’t even the strangest aspect of the girls’ behavior. As odd as it seemed to consider, after Kyoki-san’s reaction and a series of other circumstances, Izuku was starting to suspect that being quirkless was the norm here. Midoriya bitterly chuckled — his life would have been so much simpler if he had been born here. “Maybe this is what alternate universes are like?” Deku quietly wondered, listening to the dead silence. Katsuki was also nowhere to be heard; apparently, there would be no incidents during his patrol. At least, Izuku truly hoped so. It was unlikely that Katsuki’s encounter with any of them would end peacefully. Izuku had no idea how right he was.

***

Uraraka floated in the air, carefully scanning the cityscape below her. Tokoyami stood silently beside her, his shadow flickering, ready to spring into action at any moment. She had previously maneuvered through every street and alley, trying not to miss a single detail. “Did you find anything?” Uraraka asked anxiously, descending a bit lower. Tokoyami shook his head. “Not yet. But I will be examining every corner and crevice closely.” Uraraka frowned, her gaze sweeping the streets and rooftops. “I feel like they’re nowhere to be found. What if something happened to them? What if...” She trailed off, unable to finish her thought. Tokoyami placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to reassure her. “We can’t lose hope. They’re somewhere around here; we just have to find them. Let’s split the sector and take turns searching. You focus on the aerial view, and I’ll check all the hidden spots, then I’ll also search from the air once your time limit is up.” Uraraka nodded, gathering her resolve. “Okay. Be careful, Tsukuyomi.” “And you too, Uravity,” the hero nodded. Uraraka watched sadly as his figure melted into the shadowy corners before she ascended once more, continuing her search. It was evident that Koda and Asui were also facing their own challenges. Tsuyu felt that searching for them in the sewers was pointless; however, the stench of the area and other unpleasant aspects should not distract from their primary goal. She skillfully navigated through the dark sewage pipes and cramped underground tunnels like a fish in water. Her sensitive appendages explored every ambiguous bend of the walls, every deviation in the airflow. All of this was in pursuit of finding even the tiniest trace of the missing. One of her recent assignments included inspecting the collectors, where she discovered several mysterious burrows leading to unknown doors sealed by years of neglect. Her ability to sense vibrations and move without hesitation made her an invaluable asset in the fight against crime, penetrating the darkest corners of the city. On the other end of the spectrum was Koda, whose quirk of summoning local animals, including service dogs, became key to his success in tracking down criminals through the streets and parks of the city. The impeccably trained dogs reacted instantly to his commands, starting from the moment Koda pointed out the first scent and continuing until they found its source. However, this was of little help in their current endeavor. As they delved deeper into their investigation, Koda and Asui began to combine their quirks to enhance the effectiveness of their search. Koda used his summoning ability to find animals that could pick up the scents of Katsuki or Izuku. Asui employed her tentacles to explore hard-to-reach places that were inaccessible to the dogs. In their most recent assignment, Koda led his team of dogs into a difficult-to-access area of the city, where a group of fugitive criminals was suspected to be hiding. It was possible that the villain named Rift was not alone; his victory over Katsuki and Izuku seemed too suspicious. Swiftly and accurately, they scoured every corner, every shadowy alley, trusting their instincts and senses. Alongside Asui, who was investigating the underground systems in search of an exit, Koda and his dogs formed an astonishingly effective duo, one that seemed to know no fatigue or barriers. Well, at least until the end of their assignment when they were barely dragging themselves along the ground. Not only did it turn out that they hadn’t detected any of the sectors, but they also found themselves in a completely unfamiliar location. Kirishima and Todoroki were assigned to a task that required inspecting hard-to-reach areas for key clues. Both heroes used their abilities to overcome the physical obstacles in their path. Kirishima, with the precision of an experienced climber, activated his quirk. His body gradually transformed into a mass of stone, allowing him to effortlessly scale vertical walls and the ruins of buildings. He quickly located sheltered spots and traces that were inaccessible by ordinary means. “There’s no one here, Shoto!” another exclamation escaped the lips of the somewhat exhausted Kirishima. But he needed to push his limits, as his best friend was among the missing. Kirishima felt immense pride in Bakugou’s actions, and even though he suspected that they wouldn’t find them today, he would put forth his utmost effort to do so. It was unusual to work with the ice-cold Todoroki; he wasn’t as withdrawn as before, but unlike Midoriya and even Bakugou, they communicated much less. Referring to him by name — though it was his hero name — also felt rather strange. Todoroki, with exquisite precision and composure, formed ice platforms and staircases. His icy constructions were so beautifully woven that it seemed as if the ice itself obeyed his will. With their help, he crossed bottomless chasms and reached points that were otherwise inaccessible. Kirishima couldn’t help but chuckle; it reminded him of a cartoon he watched in childhood, where the main character was Princess Elsa. It was a devilishly amusing and mesmerizing sight at the same time. Sometimes, Kirishima and Todoroki combined their abilities. When it was necessary to reach particularly hard-to-access places, they created a synergy between stone and ice. Kirishima secured his stony hands onto Todoroki’s ice structures, providing additional stability. In response, Todoroki used ice to secure Kirishima on high, unstable surfaces, where the risk of losing balance was present. Exploring difficult areas required not only physical agility but also mental clarity. Each step was thoughtfully calculated, and every quirk was utilized to its finest detail. This made their team unbeatable in the search for hidden shelters and key clues that could unveil the mysteries underlying their current assignment. Shoji moved silently, his multiple hands and sensory organs actively exploring the surrounding space. His eyes, ears, and tentacles meticulously scoured every nook, seeking to catch even the slightest hint. “Midoriya and Bakugou, where are you?” Shoji mentally repeated, concentrating on the territory. His organs would stretch out, catching the faintest movements, then freeze, picking up any suspicious sounds. Jirou walked beside him, her ear jack tense and extended, picking up the slightest fluctuations in the air. She listened to every rustle, every creak, hoping to catch something familiar. She was glad to be in the same sector with Shoji; they had often worked together in the past, defeating villains and rivals. “Do you hear anything?” she quietly asked, not taking her eyes off the surrounding environment. Shoji shook his head, his organs continuing to meticulously scan everything around. “Not yet. But I feel we’re close. I think we’re almost there.” Jirou pressed her lips into a thin line, trying not to succumb to despair. Shoji’s words seemed to her nothing more than ordinary words of encouragement and felt far from the truth. “I hope you’re right. I’m afraid something might have happened to them.” Shoji extended one of his hands and reassuringly squeezed his friend's shoulder. “We will find them. I feel they’re here, somewhere very close. We just need to be patient and observant.” Jirou nodded, trying to instill confidence in herself. They moved on, their heightened focus leaving no chance for anything to slip past their attention. “We’ve been assigned the strangest place for a search,” Sero remarked, looking around. “Right,” Kaminari agreed, not really grasping the meaning of what was said. However, Sero was always the voice of reason among the three, so he wouldn’t say anything ridiculous. Sero quickly recognized this and rolled his eyes: they were simply wasting time. “Pinky,” Hanta called out to the girl in front of them, “we’re wasting time. I just spoke with the other guys, and no one has found anyone. We definitely won’t find anyone at the mall. Deku and Dynamight would have figured out to go back to base if the portal had thrown them here.” “Then let’s head back,” Kaminari declared, squaring his shoulders defiantly. “If the villain has already been interrogated, we’ll understand where to search for them.” “For once, you seem to have a few brain cells left,” Sero joked, laughing under Kaminari's glare. However, tension obviously hung in the air; people occasionally stared at them, mentally questioning the results of their search. The news of the two top heroes' disappearance had spread much faster than anyone would have liked. “Bakugou and Midoriya would have returned anyway if the portal had dumped them somewhere in the city,” Mina said, shrinking back. “Even if they were anywhere, wouldn’t it be easy for them to just call? And they’re not just famous in Japan,” she continued, frowning more with each word as she slowly realized what was happening. “We’re lucky this portal isn’t like Thirteen’s, but what if…” Ashido clearly hesitated to finish her thought, as it was interrupted by her own sob. Sero and Kaminari exchanged helpless glances and simultaneously approached her, wrapping her in a comforting embrace. Their gentle patting on her back didn’t improve the situation, but Ashido was determined to pull herself together as quickly as she could. The last thing she needed was to break down at the mall. “Let’s go back,” the heroine said, gently withdrawing from their embrace. “We’ll bring them back no matter what.” Ashido’s expression was so resolute, even with tears in the corners of her eyes, that it was impossible not to believe her. The remaining guys helped Iida and Yaoyorozu get in touch with various agencies so they could report the missing heroes. The results were disheartening, to say the least. By the time Aizawa arrived, participants from all sectors had also gathered. “We interrogated the villain,” Eraser Head announced to the frozen group. “And what did he say?” Mineta shouted almost excitedly, only to be met with Todoroki's irritated look, which seemed to curse him silently. In response, Aizawa played the recording of the interrogation. The villain was securely bound and — as Mineta noted — wore shackles that suppressed his quirk. Now, Minoru shot a victorious glance at the son of the Pro Hero. In the recording with Aizawa was All Might, who looked extraordinarily troubled by the situation. It appeared that his face had become even more gaunt, making him look almost skeletal. Opposite the villain, seated in the interrogation room, was Detective Tsukauchi, who asked questions of Rift. “Name?” “Rift.” “And in the documents?” “Tanaka Shiro.” “Why did you choose two of the top heroes in the country as your target?” “I was inspired by a villain who went against the Pro Hero. And if I’m getting attention, it means I’m truly powerful,” the criminal said with a self-satisfied grin while looking at his shackles. “How does your quirk work? Where did Deku and Dynamight teleport to?” “No one knows. They might be dead. It depends on the universe they ended up in.” Tsukauchi’s expression changed for a moment, but he didn’t let it show. All Might whispered something to Aizawa and left the room. “How do we bring them back?” “In a world with billions of universes, good luck finding the right one. I’m not much help here. My quirk just opens a portal; I don’t decide where it goes.” In the recording, Tsukauchi let out a loud sigh through his teeth and gestured for the operator to stop the video. Kirishima's eye twitched with irritation. He knew that Bakugou was alive. There was no way it could be otherwise. What the hell was wrong with the villain’s calm demeanor? Was he enjoying his triumph? The prospect of going to prison didn’t seem to bother him at all; he seemed too happy. “And what are we supposed to do now?” Ashido asked, hugging herself. “We were searching in all the wrong places,” Tokoyami replied. “We have neither proof that they’re alive nor any idea which universe we should search,” Todoroki said in such a grim voice that Sero, standing nearby, could almost feel the chill, even though Shoto hadn’t used his quirk. “Let’s assume there’s another Earth much like ours, with a huge number of countries. How is it even possible to narrow down search locations under those conditions?” Tsuyu added. Yaoyorozu was about to respond when a knock at the door interrupted her. “Principal Nezu?!” the young heroes shouted in unison. The second newcomer was someone none of them really knew, except for Shoto and Iida. “Hello,” Todoroki greeted him without bowing, quickly explaining to the others, “This is the police chief. I met him when I took down Stein with Ingenium and Deku.” “Hello,” the others replied. “I’m glad you’re here,” Aizawa said. Even now, when Aizawa was no longer their teacher, his voice still held the power to calm the turbulence of his former students. The chief and Nezu nodded to Sero and explained their visit: “For understandable reasons, the academy principal called me urgently and suggested we meet here. Judging by the recording, you’ve interrogated the villain. I will leverage all necessary connections to search for Deku and Dynamight.” “We greatly appreciate it, gentlemen,” All Might said as he entered the room. “Hello, All Might,” they all bowed. “You arrived just in time,” Nezu said as he turned to the others. “After thoroughly considering the situation, I can only conclude that we need the intervention of scientists. Think about it. The villain cannot control where he sends his victims. Therefore, his portal is like a randomizer. Since we currently have no way to contact the victims, all we can do is take samples of his quirk and create a similar portal to search through various universes. Any questions?” “I don’t want to doubt the effectiveness of your plan, but…” Yaomomo responded, “as Froppy mentioned, even if we theoretically assume that there’s a similarly populated planet like ours, we have no idea where to search. The search could take years, and we can’t be sure that… they will be alive by then.” “Yes, I thought about that too,” Invisible Girl said. “How do we even know if they’re alive right now? I don’t want to sound like an annoying pessimist, but we’re talking about different dimensions, not just planets. Even if they ended up in a place where a person could survive, who would shelter them for the night? Who would take care of them? If it were Deku and anyone else… I would understand. But we are dealing with Dynamight, and you know how he can be.” “I think that in the face of danger, even he would be kind to Deku,” Sero replied. “We should only worry about the disposition of the dimension as a whole.” “Has anyone thought about the possibility of them ending up in space? Who even said they had to get to another dimension? After just ten seconds in space, your lungs would burst, and…” “We understood, Ingenium,” Uraraka said sadly. Everyone maintained a grave silence; no one had the energy to suggest more ominous alternatives. Optimism, it seemed, was also not conducive to the situation. On that note, Nezu intended to conclude the meeting, planning to gather more data to aid in the search, when suddenly an unexpected person burst into the office — Yuga Aoyama in the flesh.

***

Those idiots are really getting on my nerves, Katsuki muttered quietly as he examined the walls of the apartment. Instead of wallpaper, posters were hung up, some of which clashed so horrifically with the surrounding decor that the interior designer in Katsuki couldn't help but stir. What the hell is this? Not only are they crazy, but they also have no taste… His train of thought was interrupted by the noise coming from his destination. Stepping in quickly, he spotted the bespectacled girl — the same one who had worried about their sleep. Bakugou barely noticed as he mentally mocked her again, almost feeling Deku's judging gaze at the back of his head. The girl stood in her pajamas, calmly sipping a glass of water. However, Katsuki noticed the sharp turn of her head in his direction and the cautionary look that followed. Everyone is so judgmental, the blonde noted. Having no idea what to ask her, he silently gestured to the pitcher of water and the clean glass. Sei silently handed him the indicated items and stepped back a little. Katsuki hesitated for a moment, poured himself some water, and took a sip. He glanced sideways at Sei, noticing how she was tensely looking back at him. An awkward pause fell over them, which Katsuki seriously tried to break. “Sorry for insisting you stay the night,” a quiet female voice unexpectedly cut through the silence. “You didn’t seem too pleased about it, and…” “I’m not ungrateful,” Bakugou interrupted her stream of speech. “It just seems pretty strange that you invite people you don’t know for a sleepover after barely seeing some blood on them.” “That’s true,” his interlocutor agreed, to Katsuki’s slight surprise. “But the thing is, I don't know you personally, and how should I put it… your shell?” Inoti finished hesitantly, gazing directly into Dynamight's red pupils. “What are you talking about?” The confusion was clearly visible in the boy's eyes, and Inoti mentally slapped herself — how could she have expressed it that way? And with language like that, she planned to write books? “Forget it,” Inoti replied, massaging the bridge of her nose. “Are you also keeping watch over the room?” Katsuki asked bluntly, having lost the energy to beat around the bush. “Yes,” she answered after a moment's pause. Katsuki frowned, staring intently at Inoti. Her words about “his shell” were puzzling, but now he understood that she was also monitoring their room. This made him even more on edge. “Explain your motives.” “Motive? You mean why we let you stay the night?” he nodded, and Sei sighed loudly. “There are none.” “I thought you would be honest to the end,” the guy chided her. “But there’s really nothing. Almost,” the girl suddenly smiled. Katsuki turned to her as if uninterested, demanding her to continue. However, Inoti felt no need to explain her selfish motives to him. To be honest, she thought it was obvious even to those they had saved. Suddenly, Sei recalled the extremely tense conversation with Kohari, and her smile vanished immediately. “Sei! Sei, wake up!” Keki exclaimed, shaking her friend’s shoulder and almost shouting in a whisper while cautiously glancing at the unlocked door. “Sei, damn it!” “What? Is it my turn already?” Inoti mumbled sleepily. Rubbing her eyes in the bright light felt quite unpleasant, but noticing her friend's frightened expression, she quickly snapped to attention. “What happened?” “I ran into Midoriya 2.0. It was a total nightmare. They’re really insane! I asked him where he got that scar, and guess what he said. He said it was during a fight with a villain. What the hell?!” “Okay, calm down. We need to think. What else did he say?” “He said he was joking! And added something like: ‘There hasn’t been a war in a long time.’ What war, for crying out loud?! Is he pretending to be an idiot?! I’m in complete shock. We need to kick them out right now!” “Don’t rush. Fine. It’s my fault; I’ll sort everything out,” noticing her friend’s frowning face, she stood up and adjusted her pajamas. “If the blonde comes out, I’ll talk to him. Why are they still wearing wigs? Can they even sleep comfortably in those?” “Ask him about it,” Kohari suggested. “Let’s see what he says.” “Where did you get that scar?” Sei suddenly asked, scrutinizing every change that crossed Katsuki’s face. He frowned even more and muttered a curse under his breath. “Counter-question: which city are we in?” “Tokyo,” she replied immediately, sensing something was off. “Have you heard about the war with the League of Villains?”  “Well… Yes?” What is he talking about? Is he inspired by Katsuki’s feats?! “I got this scar during the war with them.” “You must be joking?” Even though Sei didn’t like to lie, she was never in a hurry to ask anything directly. She preferred to come up with her own conclusions and then compare them with the actual circumstances. Katsuki, on the other hand, wanted to know the exact answer to his question, a confirmation, rather than think it through himself. These two factors made it quite difficult for them to engage in a proper dialogue. “Say what’s on your mind,” Katsuki whispered hoarsely, slowly closing in on the girl. “W-what?” Her eyes, penetrating right into his soul, irritated Katsuki. Shoving the brunette against the wall, he loomed over her, tilting his head slightly in her direction. The girl’s chest rose heavily, almost touching the boy’s, given how close they were. “You invited me to stay the night because you love me, right?” Inoti tore herself away from the daydreams that always came alive at the sight of Katsuki (even if he was just a cosplayer) and looked into the eyes of the boy standing before her. Who was he? Why did he seem so… anything but just a crazy cosplayer? She didn’t want to be deceived by appearances, but after giving the situation a good thought, many things appeared rather strange. First, her own behavior; as unbelievable as it sounded, offering help during a late-night circumstance with unfamiliar people and blood that could belong to anyone had never been her way. Risk was the last thing she engaged in her life. And here she was, having seen the damn cosplayer — this cosplayer, for crying out loud! — and she was practically insisting on this madness. Second, she was extremely surprised by the secrecy of those they rescued: not only was it unclear where they had come from, but they didn’t know the city they were in, didn’t take off their wigs, and didn’t wash away their scars (which, as it turned out, were real, only complicating the situation). They wouldn’t even share their names. The boy cosplaying Midoriya had called his friend Kacchan even before meeting them, which puzzled her further. So, this wasn’t a game? A shiver ran down Inoti’s spine, and Katsuki noticed her tautness immediately as he stared at her intently. “Why would I joke?” Katsuki whispered almost inaudibly after an unacceptably long silence. “Is your real name Katsuki?” Bakugou stayed silent, bewildered again. They had seemingly shared their names. Why didn’t she believe them if the only one acting suspiciously was herself? He could only nod, as the only way to figure everything out was to search the apartment. Why do I feel like a damn interrogated suspect? She knows the answers to all the questions. I’m sure this is a stupid test. This game can be played by two. “Never heard of the hero Dynamight? The Symbol of Peace Deku?” Katsuki cautiously questioned, watching Inoti's reaction. She mirrored his surprised expression from half a minute ago but remained silent. For some reason, ignoring questions in this situation felt normal. The concealment was irritating. It was evident that they both equally hated this, yet both were guilty of doing it out of spite for the other. “Listen, I think it’s time for us to go to sleep. It’s pretty late to be discussing these kinds of topics,” Sei said with a smile, having exhausted her patience, as well as her endurance to look him in the eye. He silently nodded and stepped aside toward his bedroom. It seemed he wouldn’t be getting any sleep tonight.