Chapter 36

Deku landed nimbly in the clearing, his body still shrouded in electric light, like his body had become lightning itself. He was in a dense part of the northern forest, where he had ordered his tribe to evacuate. And what he found was worse than he had anticipated. The clearing had been turned into a makeshift camp, but the majority of those gathered were injured. And it wasn't just the warriors, but women and children who were bleeding. Recovery Girl was tending to the wounded, doing her best to keep up with the massive amount of injured. But even with help from Tsuyu, the strain on her was starting to show. She looked up when he suddenly appeared, her face pale.

"Chief Deku," she said, her voice trembling.

"What happened?"

"They came out of nowhere," Tsuyu said. "After you left, they broke through the barrier and headed north."

"Where are the others?"

"The warriors are trying to hold them off, but they were making their way toward the Sacred Pool."

Deku darted off in the direction of their tribe's hallowed ground. He should have known better! There was no guarantee that All For One hadn't developed a way to break through One For All's protective barrier. He had done it before, though it had been weakened back then, when the power was being transferred from All Might to himself. But there was also Dabi to consider—he had been able to break through with ease, on multiple occasions. He made his way through the dense forest with inhuman speed, all his muscles enhanced thanks to the elixir Recovery Girl had concocted from the Stellanium. It didn't take long for him to reach the glade where the Stellanium caves were hidden. There were more villains than there had been on the night they had attacked him and Kacchan. But several of the faces gathered were ones he recognized. Toga and Dabi were missing, but Shigaraki, Spinner, Twice, Magne, and Mr. Compress were all there.

"Hey, I recognize him!" Twice, the masked man, shouted. "Who is he?"

The warriors who were still standing were battered and exhausted. The villains were driving them into a corner. Even seasoned veterans like Aizawa, Vlad King, and Snipe were being pushed to their limits.

"Chief Deku!" Uraraka shouted, relieved to see him.

Twice lunged toward him. Deku sidestepped his attack. Snatching him by the arm with one hand and the nape of the neck with the other, he twisted hard and forced his attacker to the ground. He sent a jolt of electricity through his hand into Twice. His body stiffened from the shocks until he felt him lose consciousness. Snatching up the man's fallen dagger, he threw it at Spinner. The reptilian man parried the blade with his own sword.

Each time he used the magic, it sent a surging wave of agony through his body. But he couldn't afford to waver here, not when the lives of his tribesmen were in danger. Deku slammed his fist into the ground, sending a shockwave through the earth. The tremors caught the villains off balance, giving his warriors the chance to counter attack. Uraraka managed to wrench Spinner's sword from his hands and knock him to the ground. Deku lunged at Shigaraki. He swung his staff, hitting the ringleader hard across the chest. The impact knocked the wind from his lungs. Deku knocked him to the ground and pinned him facedown. He secured the shaft of his staff across the man's chest, immobilizing his arms.

"Where is All For One?" he demanded.

"Sensei has more pressing matters to deal with," he spat.

Deku tightened his hold, making it hard for Shiagaraki to breathe. "Where. Is. He."

Shigaraki coughed, trying to catch his breath. "hat he c-came for."

"The caves. But which one?"

"Why don't you figure that one out on your own, Chief."

Deku tightened his grip again, holding the villain there until his eyes rolled back and his body slackened. He had lost consciousness due to lack of oxygen. Deku released him, the villain's limp body slumping to the ground. Resting his hand on the ground, he took a deep breath to clear his mind. He concentrated on the flow of energy coursing through the ground. He could sense the people around him, each of their energies distinctly different. Dear gods, help me find him, he prayed. He expanded his senses beyond the clearing, searching the caves one by one. But still he couldn't find All For One. Not until he expanded his reach further did he sense the villain's presence, in the glade where the Giant Coir resided. The Sacred Pool.

A loud roar echoed through the forest, jolting Deku back to his surroundings. He sensed another presence above them. He looked up to see the red underbelly of a dragon. A figure dropped down among the chaos, red cape fluttering in the wind. Explosions rang out as Bakugou swung wildly at the villains that swarmed toward him. Though startled by his sudden appearance, the warriors rallied around him. The presence of another formidable fighter was just what they needed to turn the tide in their favor.

"I finally caught up with you, you little shit!" Bakugou shouted at Deku.

"Kacchan, please, help them subdue the villains!" he yelled back, as he darted off toward the Sacred Pool.

"Where the fuck are you going?"

But Deku didn't answer, disappearing into the brush. With his increased speed, he would reach the pool in no time. He just prayed he wasn't too late. All For One was after the Stellanium, but he had also threatened to seize the land for himself. With his lust and obsession for god-like power, there was no telling what he would do to their sacred space. He might burn it to the ground, destroy the home of their gods. Whatever kind of desecration he had planned, he could not let it happen. He could sense All For One's presence as he drew closer. The silence of the glade which was normally serene and tranquil was eerily quiet. The shadow of a figure loomed ahead. Deku skidded to a stop when he reached the glade. All For One stood, clothed in black, gazing at the lone island in the middle of the pool. He wasn't wearing the mechanical mask like he had the night All Might had been killed. Deku could clearly see the scarred, disfigured face of his father's murderer, his hands clasped calmly behind his back.

"I was wondering when you would arrive," All For One said calmly.

He turned slowly to face the young Chief. And though he could not see, thanks to the disfiguration of the top half of his face, he seemed to be able to sense the strong power coming from Chief Deku. He smirked.

"You drank the elixir," he said. "I never thought someone other than my little brother would do something so stupid."

"Necessity calls for action."

"Desperation breeds idiocy."

In a flash, All For One was in front of him, his fist slamming into Deku's face. The force sent him flying backward. The wind was knocked clean from his lungs as he was hurled against a tree. He gasped, momentarily stunned. The bitter, coppery taste of blood filled his mouth. The villain was faster than he remembered. The last time he stood face to face with All For One, he had easily been overpowered. His body trembled, remembering the fear he had felt that night. And even with the magic from the Stellanium elixir flowing through him, the man was formidable. But he had expected that. To have survived thousands of years off of stolen power, he was truly a terrifying enemy.

Deku stood, his muscles screaming in agony from the foreign power pulsing through him. Though it was painful, he couldn't afford to let go of his grip on the magic. It was the only thing that gave him a fighting chance. The Chief launched toward him, but the villain caught his fists. The force from the impact of the strike created a burst in the air pressure. Shifting his weight, Deku swept his foot under All For One's legs. It threw him off balance, but not enough. All For One twisted Deku's captured fists, eliciting a cry of pain from him as his wrists were wrenched at an unnatural angle. All For One forced him to the ground, pinning him down. Deku summoned the magic to him, electricity crackling in the air around him. All For One managed to leap back as a bolt of lightning struck with a resounding boom. Slamming his palm to the ground, Deku created a shockwave through the earth, throwing the man off balance. Before All For One could right himself, the Chief rushed forward, dagger in hand. He slashed open the villain's tunic, revealing a strange scar over the left side of his chest. All For One lunged for him. Deku kicked off the ground, using All For One's momentum to somersault behind him. He swung again, his dagger sinking deep into the man's right shoulder. All For One rounded on him, but Deku managed to yank the blade free and leap back, just out of reach.

"You're a spry one," All For One snarled. "I should have killed you when I had the chance all those years ago."

"Why didn't you?"

"I thought I'd give my successor the opportunity. Maybe I'm getting soft in my old age."

He moved so quickly, it was like he had disappeared completely. Before Deku could blink, All For One was on top of him. He snatched the wrist that held the dagger. All For One forced him back. He wrenched the knife out of Deku's hand. As Deku struggled to hold him off, he noticed something strange in the man's movements. He wasn't using any magic, only hand-to-hand combat. Given his legendary strength, it couldn't be a coincidence. As All For One wrenched the dagger from Deku's grasp, the boy secured his feet against the man's chest and kicked hard. The force sent the villain flying backward, slamming him into a tree. The trunk splintered and bent under the impact.

"You're dying, aren't you?" Deku said, panting.

All For One pulled himself up, dusting off his torn clothes.

"Whatever means you used to extend your life has reached its limit, hasn't it?"

"Your powers of observation are quite annoying," All For One said. "What tipped you off?"

"You're not using magic. All you have is your enhanced strength and extended life. Whatever powers you had must have faded, which is why you can't fight with anything but your fists."

All For One chuckled. "The Stellanium really is remarkable, isn't it? I didn't want to share control with my brother, I wanted to dominate it. All those years ago, I stole a rather large piece of Stellanium. And as you've already discovered, Little Chief, the crystals grant you unimaginable power. Just using them wasn't enough. I wanted more." He ripped his shirt more, further exposing the scar on the left side of his chest. "So I implanted the crystal in my body. Right here. And over time, it fused with my body, extending my life. But my little brother couldn't just sit by and let me rule the village on my own. No, he stubbornly stood against me."

The vision flashed before Deku's eyes. Only this time, it was of the past, not the future. Standing next to him was has father, and beside him was a beautiful woman with long dark hair and a tough-looking face. Behind her were people he'd never seen before except in old drawings—the past Chiefs. The traces of One For All and its past holders, all the way down to a weak-looking man with long hair. He was facing a younger and unscarred version of All For One. The villain wore a feathered headdress, the same as Deku now wore. Only this one did not contain as many feathers. Though All For One was considerably stronger than his younger brother, the First Chief stood bravely against him. He did not have particularly strong musculature, nor did he seem to possess any unique abilities.

"Why do you stand against me?" All For One's voice echoed through his consciousness, the whispers of a past conversation. "My adorable, foolish, little brother."

"Because everything you're doing is wrong! desecrating the gods' land, stealing from them…I can't possibly forgive you, my own brother."

"You are no better than me!" All For One shouted. "You've taken the power into your body for what? To take me down?"

"I will do what I must to protect our people from your tyranny, to protect the world."

Deku gasped, the world slamming back all at once. The vision left him feeling breathless. All For One seemed to have been affected as well, his marred face slightly pale. The Stellanium within them both must have resonated, allowing them both to relive the visions of the past.

"You saw it, didn't you?" he growled. He stalked closer. "My own little brother turned against me! After all I did for him! And this cursed place, the damned 'gods' twisted his mind against me, his own flesh and blood! This Stellanium extended my life and granted me power, but my brother, who fully ingested this damned stuff, gained power that I had only dreamed of. And what did it do? It killed him." The anger in All For One's voice was terrifying.

Swinging his staff, Deku struck All For One hard across the chest. A gale surged outward from the impact. The villain caught the shaft and yanked Deku off balance. All For One thrust the dagger into Deku's side. Sharp pain ripped through him as the blade sank deep into his skin.

"After I have had my fill of power, I will destroy it all! I'll burn this cursed forest to the ground, along with everyone who dwells here! I'll purge the earth of this curse and its gods!"

Just the threat of burning the forest and killing everyone who inhabited the woods filled him anger. It brought back memories of the visions he'd seen as a child. That was the future the Coir had showed him, the one he was meant to prevent. Even if All For One couldn't use magic anymore, he was too strong to subdue with conventional means. And even when he did defeat him, he would be too dangerous to keep alive. He had to kill him here and now. He would have to use every ounce of natural energy he had inherited from the elixir. Deku twisted hard, wrenching his staff free, and backhanded the villain hard. He could feel the man's jaw pop when his knuckles connected. All For One stumbled back, yanking the dagger out of Deku's side as he did so. He spat out a bloody tooth. Deku swung his staff again, guiding the powerful draft toward his enemy. The wind swirled around All For One, tightening around the villain and immobilizing his arms.

There was a sudden explosion as Kacchan burst through the underbrush. He launched at All For One, more explosions bursting from his hands. The sudden outburst threw Deku off balance, breaking his concentration. The wind binding his enemy wavered. All For One seized the opening and broke through the prison of wind. He rounded on Bakugou, dagger raised.

It felt like a silent clap of thunder boomed through Deku's entire being. Magic exploded outward, unfettered. Water from the Sacred Pool rose into the air like ropes. They snatched All For One's wrists, yanking him to a halt. The liquid curled around his enemy, entrapping him in a prison of water. Electricity arced outward, tongues of flame leaping out of thin air. The power lancing through him was unlike anything he had ever felt before. Bakugou stared at Deku, eyes wide. He could see the shock reflected in Kacchan's eyes. Ignoring Kacchan's sudden appearance, Deku tightened his grip on the magic. All For One winced, his water restraints forcing him to his knees and forcing him to drop the dagger. The pain the magic brought with it burned through every muscle and fiber, but Deku fought through it. The villain struggled to no avail. Deku approached him, picking up his fallen dagger. If he didn't defeat All For One now, he would destroy everything and everyone he loved. He had to destroy his source of power and immortality. He would have to cut the Stellanium from his chest.

"Do it," All For One growled, his disfigured face set in a mocking sneer. "Go on, Little Chief. Do it! Do what my foolish little brother was too cowardly to do!"

His hands shook as he held the point of the dagger to All For One's chest, just over his scar. Ever since he was little, he had hated the idea of fighting, killing…taking another's life. He had never even wanted to become a warrior. But in order to protect his people, those he loved, he had to make sacrifices. He couldn't let his personal convictions get in the way. The needs of others for the greater good outweighed his own moral dilemmas.

"DO IT!" the villain screamed, enraged.

Dear gods, give me strength.

Deku plunged the dagger into the villain's chest. All For One coughed up a mouthful of thick blood. He gasped, choking on the red liquid. Deku felt the tip of his dagger hit something solid—the Stellanium. He sliced through the blood vessels and tendons that had fused to the crystal, cutting it free from the man's body. As he pulled the crystal free, his hands covered in blood, he watched as All For One's body slackened. Deku released his hold on the water and the man's body immediately slumped to the ground. His skin rapidly began to age, wrinkles that should have set in a long time ago quickly covered his once young skin. All For One's breathing was little more than a wet rattle.

"You have…m-more guts than I…thought," All For One gasped. "I underestimated you…."

All For One's chest stilled, his last breath escaping his lips. It was over. Deku released his hold on the magic coursing through him. The strange markings that had appeared on his skin began to recede. He could hear Kacchan's footsteps as he approached him.

"Deku, what the hell was all that?"

A sudden jolt of pain surged through Deku's entire being. He chest heaved and he retched, coughing up a mouthful of blood. Now that the magic flow had faded, it brought fresh agony in waves. It felt like every nerve and fiber was on fire. He couldn't breathe. It was worse than when he had ingested the elixir. He suddenly remembered what All For One had said the Stellanium had done to the First Chief—it had killed him. He fell to his side, arms clutched around his abdomen as he cried out in agony. So this was the price he must pay for the gods' power—his life.

Remember to leave a review and check back on Monday for Chapter 37!