The victory over Shigaraki had been a bitter pill. Li Wei was recovering in the infirmary of the Fortress of Justice, his body still aching from All For One's brutal attack. The image of the Symbol of Peace, All Might, weakened, and the sudden appearance of the true titan, had left a deep scar. But there was no time for lament.
"Commander, the situation in World 2 has escalated drastically," Aegis's voice was now a series of red alerts. "Multiple high-security prison breaks across Japan. Quirks are being used to generate massive chaos. Main riot hotspots: Tartarus, the Villain Confinement Prison, and Ketsubutsu Villain Security Prison."
Li Wei sat bolt upright in bed, a sharp pain in his side. "What's happening?"
"Pattern analysis: It appears to be a coordinated operation, but there is no discernible leadership signature on the ground. Anarchy is the objective. Furthermore, large concentrations of villains, including remnants of the League of Villains and freed criminal groups, are heading towards the epicenter of heroic resistance: U.A. Academy."
Li Wei's eyes narrowed. U.A. The heart of hero society. "It's a distraction. Or worse. An attack on their morale. On their future."
"Correct. Professional heroes are being overwhelmed on multiple fronts. Japan's security council has authorized the use of lethal force on all fronts to contain the chaos."
The authorization of lethal force. That meant the situation was desperate. Li Wei didn't hesitate.
"Aegis, transfer me to the command bridge. Activate all combat systems. And notify our teams on the surface to prepare for base reinforcement mobilization. I want the Elite Helldivers on the front line."
"Confirmed, Commander. Starbase reinforcements ready for deployment."
Super Earth's Counterattack: Reinforcements at U.A.
Li Wei, his body still sore but his mind as sharp as ever, directed operations from the Fortress bridge. U.A. Academy, that bastion of hope, was under siege. Villains, a tide of uncontrolled Quirks, tried to break through the defenses.
"Commander, the villains are attempting to flank U.A.'s defenses in the West sector. Requesting fire support. All Might and other heroes are holding the main line, but they are being overwhelmed," a Helldiver reported from the surface.
"Elite Helldivers! Rapid deployment to U.A.'s West sector! Use the Orbital Containment Barrier to isolate the enemy and strike with everything you've got!" Li Wei ordered, his voice resonating with unwavering authority. "Activate all Super Earth Armories! I want our Combat Engineers on the front line, deploying defensive turrets!"
Beams of blue light shot from the Fortress, teleporting squads of Elite Helldivers and 'Liberator' tank units directly onto the battlefield. The tide began to turn. The Helldivers, with their advanced weaponry and tactical discipline, swept through the villains, their energy weapons cutting through Quirks.
First-Person Account (through the Elite Helldiver): The ground trembled beneath my boots. Hundreds of villains, with Quirks as varied as they were destructive, surged forward. My flamethrower unleashed a purifying torrent of fire, incinerating a group of mutation Quirk villains. Beside me, a 'Liberator' tank fired its plasma cannon, blasting a hole in the horde. Li Wei, over the comms, was a god of war, his orders precise, unstoppable. "Sector Gamma, prepare for orbital bombardment! Concentrated fire on the infiltration point!" Li Wei's voice was a balm of order in the chaos.
The Sacrifice of Protection and Li Wei's Fury
The battle raged on multiple fronts. The Fortress of Justice was the brain, Li Wei the commander, and the Helldivers the hammer. The U.A. students fought bravely, but the shock and the sheer magnitude of the invasion overwhelmed them.
Amidst the chaos, Li Wei focused one of the combat cameras. He saw a young woman, her black hair tied in a high ponytail, her face strained with effort. It was Momo Yaoyorozu, the creation prodigy. She was on the defensive line with other students, creating weapons and shields to protect her comrades. She was a beacon of ingenuity and courage.
"Commander, a sniper with an energy projectile Quirk has been detected, position on the roof of the Chemistry building, 800 meters from Yaoyorozu's position," Aegis warned. "Objective: Neutralize support heroes."
Li Wei felt an icy chill. He could see the red laser sight dot on Momo's forehead. The pain of his own past, the feeling of powerlessness when witnessing Lin Jian manipulate and destroy innocent lives, returned with overwhelming force. He would not allow this young woman, this symbol of hope and creation, to become a victim.
"Aegis, redirect a Precision Orbital Strike to the sniper's coordinates! Now!" Li Wei roared, his voice filled with a visceral urgency he rarely showed. Momo Yaoyorozu's life, a life of limitless potential, depended on his speed.
Time slowed down. The sniper's energy blast had already left. It was heading directly for Momo. On the screen, Li Wei saw the young woman glance in terror as she saw the projectile.
First-Person Account (through the Helldiver camera closest to Momo): I saw the energy beam fire. It was heading straight for Yaoyorozu's head. There was no time for the orbital strike to hit. No time for a Helldiver to physically intervene. But Li Wei, from the Fortress, acted with the speed of thought.
"Commander, orbital strike will impact in 0.7 seconds. Enemy projectile will impact in 0.2 seconds. Probability of direct interception: 0.00%." Aegis's cold logic.
But Li Wei was not pure logic. He was will. "Aegis, deflect the projectile with my Personal Distortion Field! Maximize the effect, even if it leaves me without energy! Now!"
From the Fortress, Li Wei's armor, still in the infirmary, emitted an energy pulse, overloading itself to the limit. A minuscule distortion field, invisible to the naked eye, manifested just centimeters from Momo Yaoyorozu. The energy projectile curved, grazing her cheek, instead of impacting her head.
Momo fell to the ground, the projectile hitting a wall behind her with an explosion. Her eyes, filled with terror, widened in surprise.
A second later, the sky tore open. A brilliant beam of energy, the Precision Orbital Strike, pulverized the roof of the Chemistry building, eliminating the sniper in an explosion of light and debris.
"Commander, orbital strike successful. Sniper neutralized. However, your Personal Distortion Field has been overloaded and is offline for 24 hours. Your vital signs show a stress spike."
Li Wei collapsed onto the infirmary bed, cold sweat covering his body. The pain in his side had intensified with the effort, but the image of Momo safe, her face stunned but unharmed, flooded him with a strange calm. It wasn't a total victory, but it was a life saved. A life his former self wouldn't have been able to protect. A life Lin Jian would have destroyed without a second thought.
The battle for U.A. continued, but the tide had turned. Super Earth reinforcements had arrived, and Li Wei's hammer from the sky was striking mercilessly. The villains, seeing that U.A. would not fall, began to retreat, their riots disorganized by the Commander's relentless force.
"Commander, U.A. has been secured. Villains are in retreat. Primary threat has been contained. Mission in this universe is in progress," Aegis reported, with a note of unusual optimism.
Li Wei closed his eyes, exhaustion overwhelming him. He had protected Momo. He had saved the symbol. He had fought not just for victory, but for the protection of a future that Lin Jian would never understand.