A portal opened in the bar the League of Villains called their headquarters, ejecting first Shigaraki, oozing blood from his numerous gunshot wounds, then Toya, still partially encased in ice, Nigata, her eyes haunted, and finally, a very bruised Sangata.

Sangata groaned as he rolled over. "Well, that was a shit show."

"We completely lost." Shigaraki was still, his eyes not leaving the stump where his hand had been. "Shot in the arms and legs, my hand is gone. The fodder defeated in an instant, even the Nomu were beaten."

Shigaraki growled in frustration.

"Those kids, they were strong, stronger than you said they would be." The pale villain slowly raised his head to look at the screen on the wall. "You were wrong, the Symbol of Peace, he's just as healthy as he's always been."

The screen blinked into life.

Shigaraki rose to his knees. "You were wrong, Sensei!"

The raspy man, All For One, spoke. "No, I wasn't. You were underprepared, even after the intel I granted you, you underestimated them. Especially Izuku Midoriya."

"Heh, at least that's one thing I crossed off." Shigaraki gave a twisted smile. "Even if he did get in the way of killing All Might, I managed to get him with Decay, the kid's dead."

"I doubt that." All For One replied, his tone final.

"Of course he is, I got him, I got him." Shigaraki insisted.

All For One shook his masked head. "Izuku Midoriya is resourceful, and powerful."

Shigaraki shakily pulled himself up to the bar with his remaining hand. "How would you know he's resourceful or powerful?"

"Of course I know he is, he got it from his old man, after all." All For One soaked in the room's reaction.

Toya was the first to speak, having thawed from the ice with his quirk. "You sent us to kill your own son? Even my own father isn't that cold."

All For One chuckled, the sound lacking any true mirth. "No, I sent you to try and kill him, any child of mine that couldn't survive that, well, they're worthless to me."

"Was that all it was, a test for my darling baby brother?" Nigata questioned, looking somewhat indignant.

"In part, but that was a last minute addition, Izuku's attendance at U.A. is something I wasn't aware of." All For One sighed. "No, the true purpose of today's attack was to make a message, it's for the best that you did this under that cheap 'League of Villains' moniker. By the way, what of the Nomu, were they retrieved?"

Already standing behind the bar, Kurogiri spoke. "The two Alpha-series Nomu were recovered, they were both damaged, not surprising due to the rushed nature of their creation, but they are still viable. I returned them to the doctor's lab. As for the Omega Nomu, the Anti-Symbol of Peace, he was blown away."

"What?" All For One's voice had dropped dangerously low.

Sangata snorted derisively. "Yeah, All Might-"

Shigaraki hissed.

"-beat him until that shock absorbing quirk of its couldn't handle it, shot straight through the roof."

"Are you quite done?" Kurogiri questioned, silencing Sangata with a look. "It's worse than that, without precise coordinates of its location I cannot find him, even with my quirk."

"After all myself and the doctor did to make him as strong as All Might, damn." All For One sighed. "But, as unfortunate as it is, it cannot be helped."

Shigaraki was still staring at his missing hand.

"However, this was not a futile endeavor." All For One said. "Tomura, the doctor can replace what you have lost, and, I shall grant you the power to become the symbol you need to be."

The room was silent, its occupants, except for a bored Toya, hung on the supervillain's every word.

"For now, take your time, work on furthering your quirks, recruit the elite to your side."

"Then, Tomura Shigaraki, you will show the world that you are to be feared."

Nedzu sat behind his desk, his arms resting on it, paws placed together.

On the other side was the principal's senior leadership team, the only people, besides All Might, he trusted with his life. Aizawa and Yamada sat in the chairs, while Kayama, Inui, Kan and finally Shuta Yosei, better known by his hero name, Snipe, stood.

"Shota, are you sure you should be here?" Kayama questioned. "You really did take a beating."

Aizawa sighed. "Midoriya healed me with that ridiculous quirk of his, he used sheer overkill with Heal to fix all my broken bones and save me from long-term damage to my eyes."

"He used Recovery Girl's quirk to do that? Wouldn't the stamina drain alone have killed you?" Yosei sounded like he was frowning, not that anyone could see behind his mask.

"Apparently he's found a way to use another quirk to power Heal instead of draining stamina." Aizawa shrugged. "Damn problem child."

Yamada grinned and poked Aizawa's face. "Look, Shota does care after all, did the healing make your heart grow three sizes?"

Aizawa pushed his partner's hand aside. "The kid may have healed my bones, but he missed literally everything else."

Nedzu cleared his throat, getting his employees' attention.

"Now that Chiyo is seeing to the health and wellbeing of our students-"

"And All Might."

"-and All Might, there are some matters we must discuss."

Aizawa raised an eyebrow. "Like how a massive group of villains managed to break into a secure facility with detailed knowledge of U.A.'s top secret schedule plan?"

"Yes." Nedzu lowered his paws. "It is very clear that the press break-in yesterday was a front for this League of Villains to infiltrate U.A. and obtain the information on our schedules. However, Mikumo Akatani, of Class 1-H, and Toru Hagakure, from Aizawa's class, have come forward with further information."

Kan spoke. "What information is that?"

"Hagakure was responsible for hacking our system to obtain the class schedule, she then passed that to Shigaraki during the break-in." Nedzu paused, seeing his employee's shock. "However, she did this under the threat of physical violence from her parents. They were both arrested as a past of the League of Villains's assault force."

Nedzu continued, he had their full attention. "Hagakure believed she would be in trouble, however, I have assured her a place remains at U.A. if she wishes to continue hero education."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Yosei asked. "The young lady could have been more willing than she let on."

"I can assure she was not, this interaction took place in the presence of Detective Tsukauchi, who, as I'm sure you all know, a lie-detection quirk." Nedzu replied. "He confirmed every word she spoke was the truth, apart from one comment about her parents, that she wasn't hurt by them."

Yamada's usual carefree demeanour was gone. "What will happen to her now?"

"Well, she has no family outside of her parents, so if she decides to continue her education here at U.A., in any form, she would become a ward of the school. However, if she chooses to leave, then she would go into the public childcare system."

"If she stays, Shota and I will take her in." Yamada stated firmly.

"We will?"

Yamada looked to his partner. "Shota-"

"I understand." Aizawa cut him off. "I really do."

"Well then, for now, that issue is settled." Nedzu smirked, unsurprised by Yamada's insistence. "The Sports Festival."

"It can't go ahead." Aizawa shook his head, before wincing at the pain in his entire body.

"I agree." Kan added. "That many students, that many civilians, it would be a prime target for this League of Villains, and those they have no doubt emboldened, to attack."

Kayama shook her head. "No, the Sports Festival is pivotal to the development of students across all years and courses."

Yosei was in agreement. "It's not just the perfect stage for the hero students to gain exposure from hero agencies, but a time for those in other courses aiming to transfer to show their abilities."

Inui shook his canine head. "As much as I understand the negative effect of canceling the festival would have on not just the student's growth and our reputation as a hero institution, the health and wellbeing of our students should be our main concern."

"Hmm, perhaps a vote then?" Nedzu suggested. "Majority rules, I myself am in favour of it."

Aizawa sighed. "Fine, I'm against it."

"Same." Kan nodded in agreement.

"It has to go ahead." Kayama stated.

"I agree." That was Yosei.

Inui was next. "Against."

Everyone looked to Yamada, he was the deciding vote.

The voice hero took a deep breath. "For."

Kan and Inui spoke, voicing their displeasure, Kayama arguing with them.

Nedzu silenced them with the swish of his paw. "It's decided then, the Sports Festival will go ahead."

"We'll need to increase security then." Aizawa stated, mild annoyance creeping into his normally neutral voice.

"That we shall!" Nedzu exclaimed, clapping his hands together at the same time. "I shall request three times the normal number of pro heroes to provide security, amongst other ideas."

"But, for now, go home and rest, I've given all students Thursday and Friday off while the police conduct their investigation, and I give the same to you and your colleagues." Nedzu paused. "Today has been trying, but I fear even more trying days lay ahead."

The pro heroes went still, Nedzu's words resonating with them all.

Nedzu's demeanour shifted, giving way to a smile. "Anyway, enjoy your long weekends, rest Aizawa. I'll see you all on Monday."

Each of them murmured to Nedzu before leaving, Aizawa and Yamada were the last, the underground hero forced to lean on his partner more than he wished to admit.

"Why?" Aizawa questioned, once they were alone.

"About Hagakure?" Yamada gave a blinding grin. "Well, you know how I feel about child abu-"

"I meant voting in favour of the Sports Festival, don't deflect."

Yamada stopped talking, looking across to his boyfriend. "Oh, that? Well, I mean, I guess I thought about the fact that if we hadn't had a Sports Festival in our first year, then there's a good chance we'd never have met. And I don't want to think about my life without you in it."

A very small, very sentimental part of Aizawa he insisted didn't exist melted at hearing Yamada's words.

The idiot could be so romantic without ever realising.

But Aizawa had to admit he was right. He remembered his first Sports Festival, he'd made it to the semi-finals despite being a member of GenEd at the time, facing off against Yamada.

The blond had beaten him soundly, but Aizawa's performance had impressed Nedzu, as well as the 1-A Homeroom teacher of that time.

He'd been promoted into Class 1-A and in a lot of ways he'd never looked back.

I guess I don't want to imagine my life without Hizashi.

Aizawa smiled.

Yamada poked his cheek. "AW! You really are going soft!"

"Do you remember what I said about every part of my body hurting?"

"Sorry." Yamada paused. "But have I told you how attractive that new scar of yours makes you?"

Aizawa's face flushed red.

He would insist years later that it had been the trick of the light.

Katsuki weaved his way through the graves, a bandage of his cheek, with a metal bucket in one hand.

Stopping at a moss-covered headstone, Katsuki bent down and loosened his school tie, before pulling a soapy sponge from his bucket. Slapping it against the stone, Katsuki scrubbed it with frightening intensity.

"DIE, MOSS!"

Washing the dirty sponge, Katsuki returned to the gravestone with another yell.

"Bakugo?"

Katsuki didn't react, continuing to clean the headstone.

"Bakugo?"

"I heard you." Katsuki kept cleaning.

Uraraka shuffled nervously, in her U.A. uniform, a bandage peeking out from under her left sleeve. "Deki texted me, he said you'd be here."

"So the nerd got you to check up on me?" Katsuki dropped the sponge back into the bucket, the water stained green.

"You rushed off after Recovery Girl gave you the all-clear." Uraraka paused. "I just asked Deki where you might go, I-I was worried about you."

"Worried about me?" Katsuki raised his head. "Why the fuck would you be?"

Uraraka was taken aback. "W-Why? Bakugo we were attacked today, by villains!"

Katsuki stood. "They were a bunch of pushovers."

"What about that woman, Nigata?"

"Tch, whatever." Katsuki tossed the water out into the grass. "That bitch wasn't even enough to phase me."

Uraraka looked confused. "Bakugo, it's okay to not be okay, you know that, right?"

"Of course I'm fine!" Bakugo calmed, before muttering to himself. "I can't afford to not be."

Uraraka folded her skirt under herself and sat down. "'You have the perfect quirk for being a hero', that's what they said to you, right?"

Bakugo wheeled around, looking down at Uraraka.

"That's what they told me too." Uraraka shrugged. "My teachers, classmates, even my parents, it just made me feel so under pressure, like this tight feeling in my chest all the time."

His knees went weak, Bakugo slumped down next to the brown-haired girl, no-one had ever managed to vocalise the same feeling he felt everyday.

"You're afraid that if you fail then you'll be proving them wrong, that you don't deserve your quirk." Uraraka gave a wan smile.

"How?"

"Hm?" Uraraka tilted her head.

Bakugo spoke again. "How do you cope with it? How do you ignore it?"

"I don't, I use it to fuel me, to push me forwards." Uraraka glanced at Katsuki. "My parents aren't rich, i-in fact they're pretty poor. They have a construction company, my mom inherited it from my grandparents, but ever since All Might became the Symbol of Peace, villain attacks have been dropping, and so has the amount of property damage. Not that I'm angry about it or anything, you know, I'm happy people are safer than they were."

Katsuki listened.

"I remember, not long after my quirk manifested I told my parents I'd use it to become a hero so they didn't have to worry about money anymore." Uraraka paused. "They told me that my dream should be something for myself, not them, but it isn't, even now. If I fail at becoming a hero, then I fail them too."

"I always wanted to be like All Might, better than All Might, I thought that because I have the perfect fucking quirk for being a hero, so I must have the potential to be even stronger than him." Katsuki gripped the sponge. "But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't beat him. I couldn't beat Midoriya, even when everyone bullied him for being quirkless, he would always jump in to help them if they were sad or hurt, like a hero, right?"

Uraraka took her turn to listen, she had a feeling this was probably the first time Katsuki had admitted any of these feelings, even to himself.

"He wants to be a hero for completely unselfish reasons, I can't beat that, ever."

"Why do you want to beat him?"

"Izuku has the heart of a hero, the mind too, and he doesn't even have a quirk. He deserves that quirk of yours, not you."

"Look at Izuku. Why can't you be well-behaved? Like him?"

Katsuki shrugged. "Whatever."

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it." Uraraka took a chance and gave Katsuki a hug.

He tensed at first, but suddenly relaxed, allowing the brown-haired girl to hug him.

Letting Katsuki go, Uraraka looked to the gravestone. "Was he a friend?"

"Is." Katsuki replied, his tone harsh. "Red Wings, Kayomu Tsubasa, he went missing a couple of years ago, just fucking vanished, 'cept everyone knew his bitch mother was slapping him around, and none of them did a damn thing."

"So you were close then?"

"Out of all the other fuckers in my school he was the only one who wasn't a total extra." Katsuki paused. "Him and Deku."

Uraraka smiled. "So you do like him after all."

"Nope, hate the little shit." Katsuki replied quickly. "But at least he's got some fucking guts, you have to if you gonna blow up your goddamn arm."

Uraraka shivered at the memory of Izuku's exploded arm.

"How is he?" Katsuki's voice was barely above a whisper.

"What did you say?"

Bakugo growled. "Don't make me say it again."

Uraraka giggled. "He said he was fine in the text, although he did say something about how hard it is to text with his left hand."

"Good, whatever, I guess."

Clack. Clack. Clack.

"Thank you for your time, Detective." Recovery Girl came to a halt, the clacking from her cane stopping as well.

Naomasa nodded his head, standing in one of the hallways of U.A., he had been back a few times since he'd graduated from the GenEd stream years before. "Of course, Recovery Girl, I'm always happy to help, especially in sensitive cases such as these."

"Call me Shuzenji, I haven't been an active Pro Hero in years." Recovery Girl set off down the corridor, cane clacking once again. "Thirteen and Aizawa have both been discharged, Midoriya's healing, as unfocused as it was, was enough."

They stopped at the door to a classroom, its massive door towering over both Naomasa and Recovery Girl.

"I've triaged the students and Toshinori, apart from Midoriya, the most serious injury was Ojiro's broken leg, the rest were largely unharmed." Recovery Girl paused. "Under normal circumstances I wouldn't have admitted all the students, but there's one student I wanted to perform a physical on before term started. Their mother blocked me from doing so, as well as any further attempts."

"But after an event such as today you can justify ignoring the mother's refusal if you triage every student." Naomasa realised.

"Exactly." Recovery Girl nodded. "I suspect child neglect, malnutrition, and possibly physical abuse."

Naomasa took a deep breath, steeling him. "I understand, lead the way."

Recovery Girl opened the classroom door, revealing it had been converted into a makeshift infirmary, with four bays, one empty.

In one bay was Ojiro, fast asleep and snorting, his leg healed. The other two held Tsuyu and Mineta, both sat on their respective beds, facing each other.

Tenya carefully adjusted his tie, using the glass window as a mirror. He had been the last of his triage area to be cleared by Recovery Girl, thus Aoyama, Tokoyami and Koda had left already.

A knock came from the door, before it opened.

"Tenya?"

Straightening his posture, Tenya turned to see his older brother enter the classroom-turned-infirmary.

"Older brother, it's good to see you."

Tensei swept his little brother up in a hug, holding him tightly. "Tenya, I'm so glad you're okay, mom and dad are on plane back from the conference so I came to pick you up."

"Tensei, I am happy to see you, but you are crumpling my uniform." Tenya tried to extract himself from his older brother's arm. "If you would please let me go-"

"Not a chance." Tensei's arms, his quirk granting them extra muscle mass, were unmoving. "I could have lost my little brother today."

That made Tenya pause, he hadn't really thought of it that way.

Relaxing slightly, Tenya hugged his brother.

Mikumo sat on the edge of a walkway, he and Hagakure were in one of the Support hangers, below them were various projects, power armor, motorbikes, car, abandoned now school had been cancelled for the week.

"Are you going to stay?" Mikumo glanced up to Hagakure, where she stood, resting against the railing, her U.A. uniform showing where she was.

"Can I?" Hagakure sighed. "It's my fault, today, if I hadn't given Shigaraki that folder then it wouldn't have happened. Ojiro, Midoriya, All Might, you. You all got hurt because of me."

"You didn't have a choice."

Hagakure shook her head. "I did, I had a choice, it would have hurt me, but I was a coward, I chose to let others get hurt to protect myself."

"Don't say that." Mikumo was adamant. "Your own parents hit you, used you for their own villainous gain, it was never your fault."

Mikumo looked at Hagakure again, he couldn't get a read on her body language.

"I never had parents, Snipe found me wandering the streets when I was seven, no memory of who I was, just a name, Mikumo Akatani." The dark-haired boy sighed. "But even I know your parents are a load of flaming trash."

"Kinda like Bakugo's personality?" Hagakure sounded amused.

Mikumo shrugged. "I met Bakugo once, in a library, two years ago. He came up to me, asked what the fuck I'd done to my hair, and then promptly just left."

"Really?"

"Yep. That so confused me, until like three seconds after I met Izuku." Mikumo gave a sad smile, reaching up to touch the new scar under his left eye.

"He's your brother, isn't he?"

Mikumo nodded. "Yeah, not sure how exactly I'm supposed to bring that one up, 'Hi, we're brothers, also our father is the Merchant of Quirks'."

"Wait, what?" Hagakure turned her head, the bow in her hair swishing as she did. "Your father is that weirdo on the TV screen?"

"You met him?"

Hagakure shrugged. "Met would be a strong word, being in the presence of his voice would be more accurate. Huh, I guess we're both the children of villains."

"Doesn't mean we can't be heroes." Mikumo paused. "I wanted to be a hero, ever since Snipe rescued me. But now, that drive, it's different, I want to be a hero so I can tear down my father's legacy, to stop him."

Hagakure sat down next to Mikumo, linking her arm in his. "I guess I'll just have to do the same."

Mikumo looked across at the invisible girl.

"I'm going to tell Principal Nedzu I'm going to stay, and we're going to get you into the hero course. First step, you win the Sport Festival."

Mikumo smiled. "Sounds like a plan."

"Eh, more like 12% of a plan."

Recovery Girl sighed, she was back in her office, Izuku and All Might both in beds, the former had his right arm in a sling, the latter in his true form, his torso covered in bandages.

"Because of the situation I can't even scold you this time." Recovery Girl paused. "After all, if the two of you hadn't acted…"

All Might turned his head to look at the ceiling, his feet poking out from under the blanket.

"I'm not sure, but I think I might have shortened my time limit again." All Might paused, unaware of the fact that Izuku had awakened. "I hope I still have an hour at least."

Izuku shook his head. "B-But what about the power I transferred to you, 80% of One For All's power?"

All Might started slightly, before he looked at his successor. "You're awake again, I thought you might not remember what happened last time you woke up."

"All I remember is Shigaraki, he got me, then you were there, and another man, but then, nothing." Izuku pulled the sling to one side, revealing a bandaged stump. "M-My arm!"

"It's only temporary." Recovery Girl moved over to Izuku's bed. "What you two did to stop the nasty boy's quirk caused massive overstraining of that regeneration quirk you copied, the arm will grow back once the quirk and yourself have had time to recover, your memory will most likely return as well."

"Thank goodness." Izuku calmed, before glancing at his mentor. "All Might, once I've recovered, I could copy some more quirks, then I could give to you, so you can be a hero for longer."

Recovery Girl hit Izuku on his good arm. "Don't you dare think about that, quirk overstrain is serious business, nothing to be played around with."

Izuku went to rub his arm, but missed.

Oh right, my hand is gone.

"I-It's okay, I won't do it." Izuku insisted.

Recovery Girl squinted at him for a few seconds, before relaxing. "Fine, but I'll hold you to that."

All Might sat up. "It's okay, these things happen. What happens now, that just something we have to work through, is it not?"

Izuku smiled, before nodding.

Recovery Girl shrugged. "Well, I'm off to check on your classmates."

"Wait!" Izuku sat bolt upright. "A-Are they okay?"

Recovery Girl nodded. "Other than yourself, the only serious injury was Ojiro's leg, I was able to heal it, he's sleeping it off right now. And before you ask, Aizawa and Thirteen are both fine, scarred, but fine, I've discharged them already, they just need some rest."

"That's good." Izuku nodded, his eyes welling up with relief.

"Hmph, you copied a regeneration quirk and still somehow came out of this the most injured." Recovery Girl shook her head. "You, Midoriya, you're going to make me go grey."

Izuku looked up at Recovery Girl's grey hair. "B-But your hair already is-"

All Might slammed a hand over Izuku's mouth, cutting him off. "Izuku is tired, he's probably just seeing things."

Recovery Girl examined them for a few seconds, before nodding and leaving.

All Might lowered his arm, allowing Izuku to speak again.

"You called me Izuku."

"Hm?"

Izuku gripped the metal side of the bed with his good hand, once again close to tears. "You called me Izuku."

"Of, I guess I did." All Might rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I mean, if you don't want me to I under-"

"Please call me Izuku!"

Izuku clapped his hand over his mouth, taken aback by his own outburst.

All Might laughed. "I'm happy to call you that, Izuku. But then I don't want you to call me All Might, I want you to call me by my real name."

Izuku tilted his head. "You mean Toshinori?"

Toshinori frowned. "I didn't think I'd told you that."

The green-haired boy was internally panicking, he couldn't tell his mentor how he knew his first name, about the vestiges.

"Ah, of course, your memories of after the villains escaped must be coming back, you must have heard Mirai call me that." Toshinori smiled.

"That was Sir Nighteye?!" Izuku's eyes shone.

Toshinori laughed. "It was, but I'm afraid he couldn't stick around, I'm sure you'll be meeting him sometime soon, he's aware of One For All as well."

Izuku nodded, breathing a mental sigh of relief.

Toshinori took a deep breath. "There is something I wanted to talk to you about."

The sudden change in Toshinori's tone took Izuku off guard, from jovial to serious.

"I need to apologise." Toshinori paused, trying to find the right words to say. "You were right, I was being distant, guarded."

Toshinori lowered a hand to touch his bandages, above where his gruesome scar marked his skin.

"I let my fear get the better of me, I let cowardice blind me. Instead of seeing Izuku Midoriya I should have, I saw All For One. I doubted you, I doubted my own judgement in selecting you to pass One For All on to."

Izuku's mouth was dry, he couldn't speak.

"I was hiding behind the wall, you know, on Sunday, I saw your tests with Aizawa, then the battle training with me the next day, how your first thought after getting trampled yesterday was the wish that you could have helped the very people that hurt you." Toshinori turned his head, smiling at Izuku. "That all proved to me that you are worthy not just of One For All, but to be the inheritor of my legacy, to be the next Symbol of Peace. You have already made me so proud, Izuku."

Izuku sniffled, wiping away tears.

"You have also nearly given me a heart attack!" Toshinori exclaimed, making the green-haired boy laugh.

Toshinori laughed with him.

Nana, is this how you felt? With me? Is this what it's like to have a child?

A knock sounded on the door, before it opened to reveal Detective Tsukauchi.

Toshinori calmed, wiping away tears. "Naomasa, it's good to see you."

"And you, Toshinori." Tsukauchi turned his head. "I'm glad to see you awake, Midoriya."

Izuku bobbed his head in acknowledgement.

Tsukauchi entered the room, closing the door behind himself. "Sorry to cut to the chase, but can you give me any details you got about the villains that-"

"Wait! Please, wait!" Toshinori held his hands. "That villain, the one with the beak that I punched through the roof-"

"Has been safely captured." Tsukauchi assured. "So far, the only ones who escaped were Shigaraki, Kurogiri, the two other monsters, a woman and a man named Nigata and Sangata, and finally, a sixteen-year old boy claiming to be the dead son of Endeavor, despite the fact he should be nearly twenty-six by now."

Toshinori slumped. "All those villains, they escaped, because I wasn't strong enough."

Tsukauchi shook his head. "Not at all, on the contrary, if you three heroes hadn't risked your lives, then the students would not have survived."

"You're wrong about that." Toshinori looked up at the detective. "If the students hadn't fought, if they hadn't risked their lives as well, then I would have died."

Neither Tsukauchi or Izuku spoke, letting Toshinori continue.

"This class, to have been touched by this so early true villainy, and survived. To have learned of fear and the world of adults." Toshinori smirked. "Those villains screwed up. This class, they'll become strong heroes, the leaders of the next generation of pro heroes."

Tsukauchi smiled, nodding his head.

Toshinori formed his hand into a fist. "Of that, I am certain."

Izuku looked down at his own hand, copying Toshinori's motion.

Looking across and meeting his successor's eyes, Toshinori smiled and turned his fist into a thumbs up.

"We, I, won't let you down." Izuku's voice was resolute, no sign of fear or worry.

Another knock came from the door, followed by a voice.

"Izuku? Jiro said she heard Recovery Girl tell someone you were here."

Izuku sat up straighter, that was Momo's voice.

"Would you mind if I came in?"

The green-haired boy looked at Toshinori with panic in his eyes, Momo couldn't see his true form.

All Might smiled, before swelling up to his buff form. "For you, Izuku, I can handle a few minutes."

Izuku nodded, conveying his thanks. "C-Come in, Momo."

The door slid open, revealing Momo, in her school uniform.

Momo stopped, staring at the near mummified All Might and then to Tsukauchi.

"Do not worry, Young Yaoyorozu." All Might beamed. "I fear Recovery Girl has gone quite overboard."

Momo didn't look convinced. "Are you sure? That wound on your side was bleeding quite heavily."

"Tis but a scratch, Young Yaoyorozu." All Might formed a peace sign. "Once I deduced that beast's weakness he was no match for me."

"I see, I'm glad you are well, All Might."

All Might only smiled wider. "Thank you, but don't mind me, it was Young Midoriya you were here to see, after all. Just pretend like I'm not here."

"O-Okay." Momo nodded, looking somewhat unsure of herself and definitely a bit awkward.

Tsukauchi returned his hat to his head. "Well, I'd better head off, I'll allow you to see your boyfriend in peace."

The detective left, smirking as both Izuku and Momo both flushed deep red and vehemently denied his assumption.

Calming, feeling a little embarrassed, Momo moved over to Izuku's bed, pulling the curtain, well aware of the fact that doing so probably wouldn't help their denials of being a couple.

Taking a seat next to the bed, Momo turned her head to Izuku. "Are you well? Kaminari heard gossip that your arm had to be amputated, which, of course, is total nonsense."

Izuku laughed nervously. "T-That's actually kinda true."

Momo's eyes widened in horror.

"B-But, i-it's fine!" Izuku insisted. "I c-copied a quirk earlier, Hyper Regeneration, m-my will grow back once I've recovered a bit."

Momo calmed, slightly. "You really are too reckless."

"Y-Yeah, I get told that one alot." Izuku rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Are you okay?"

"Minor cuts and bruises." Momo answered. "Mild quirk overuse. I am well."

Izuku released a sigh of relief. "Good, I'm glad you're okay."

Momo smiled, before taking Izuku's hand. "And I am happy you are well, relatively speaking."

"This is going to get worryingly common, isn't it?" Izuku asked, trying to ignore the blush growing in his cheeks.

"I fear it is." Momo squeezed Izuku's hand. "But we will face it."

The door to the infirmary opened, Recovery Girl entered and walked over to Toshinori's bed with purpose in her stride.

She pulled the curtain shut. "Toshinori, get out of that form immediately."

"But, Young Yaoyorozu-"

"The curtains are soundproof."

Toshinori deflated.

"So, Toshinori, I want you to have a look at these." Recovery Girl placed a file down on the No.1 Hero's lap.

Picking it up, Toshinori opened it, flicking through it, it was his medical file.

"My x-rays, what's the problem?"

Recovery Girl took one x-ray from the file, showing it to Toshinori.

"This was an x-ray I took last month." Recovery Girl showed him another. "This is the one I took an hour ago, can you see a difference?"

Toshinori took the two x-rays, comparing them. "I haven't damaged my stomach again, have I?"

Recovery Girl raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "Six years ago, you had a gastrectomy, the entirety of your stomach was removed."

Toshinori looked back at the most recent x-ray.

"So, could you please tell me why you have a stomach again?!"

On the other side of the soundproof curtain Izuku was smiling, listening as Momo explained what had happened to her after the class had been split up.

Momo stopped. "All of this, classes, training, us, it's never going to be normal again, is it?"

Izuku hesitated, before speaking. "No, I don't think it is."

After all, what has been done, cannot be undone.

Izuku squeezed Momo's hand. "But we'll be not normal together, right?"

Momo smiled, nodding her head.

Izuku suddenly blushed, realising what he'd just said.

Oh, did I forget to mention? This is the story of how I became the world's greatest hero.

A Symbol of Hope.

A portal opened, and out of it stepped All For One, his mask firmly in place, dressed in a tailor charcoal suit and walking on a cane.

Kurogiri appeared, the portal closing as he recoalessed behind All For One.

The supervillain strolled through row after row of large glass tubes, in them were a mix of humans and Nomu, with some being a fusion of the two.

"Dr. Ujiko."

The elderly scientist stopped what he was typing at his computer, turning his chair to face All For One.

"Zenrei."

All For One chuckled, the sound like nails on a chalkboard. "I haven't gone by that name in the best part of a century, yet you insist."

Ujiko shrugged. "I find it fitting. So, I take it this isn't a social call?"

"Is it ever?"

"Touche."

All For One approached one of the glass tubes, inside was the Bark Nomu, its armor slowly regrowing.

"The two Alpha Nomu, are they still viable for progression?"

Ujiko stood, his gait somewhat unsteady, walking on a cane of his own. "It'll take time for them to heal, but yes, they are."

"Good, good." All For One paused. "How did Tomura's surgery go?"

"Well, his gunshot wounds are healed, he'll have to take it easy for the next few days, I dealt with his missing hand as well." Ujiko adjusted his goggles. "The other procedure you wanted, I did that as well, he'll be able to handle at least three quirks now, four if they synergise."

All For One smirked. "Excellent, Kurogiri, go fetch Tomura, bring him to my room, I'll meet you there."

"As you wish." Kurogiri nodded, before being swallowed by a portal and vanishing.

"The first of the Series IX Nomu is ready for the final transformation, if you would be so kind as to donate two quirks." Ujiko set off, guiding All For One to a large tank.

Inside was a teenage boy, a pair of large red wings restrained behind him, his skin was an unnatural colour, pale-yellow and sallow, his feet like talons.

"Ah yes, young Tsubasa." All For One studied the boy. "Impressive isn't it, he managed to keep his mind as an Alpha Nomu, few ever manage that. Perhaps he has his grandfather's tenacity."

"He's a failure, his mother had my quirk, and brat had to go and get that bastard's quirk instead." Ujiko glared at the teen boy, before pressing a button.

The front of the tank opened, Tsubasa began to stir.

"Two quirks, whatever you feel is appropriate."

All For One nodded, before raising his arms.

Organic Protrusions. Change Metal. Metal Manipulation.

Three black metal claws burst from All For One's arm, twisting and shooting towards Tsubasa, digging into his chest. Red lines began to glow along the long, thin claws in a pattern similar to a circuit board.

So he has four quirks already, the strength quirk I gave him last year, his birth quirk, those wings, Super Regeneration and Shoulder-Mounted Jets. Hm, which quirks to choose, one more strength quirk can't hurt.

The light in the claws briefly pulsed aquamarine, passing from All For One's arm down to Tsubasa, crackles of energy, in the same colour, covering his body.

Tsubasa convulsed, yelling in pain.

Or rather, it can't hurt me.

All For One sighed, how boring it was, other people's pain just didn't give him that same feeling it used to.

Not to say he didn't get some modicum of enjoyment out of it.

Now, which other quirk? Ice Manipulation, no, it requires too much intelligence for that quirk. Absorption and Release, no, that one should be kept for a simple Alpha Nomu. Then, Fire Breath, it's not like I have any need for it or that identity anymore.

Orange light pulsed down the claws, more energy sparks appearing around Tsubasa as the winged-boy's screams intensified.

His skin was morphing, fire seeping out of tears in his skin, his wings ripping and healing over and over.

All For One retracted his claws. "It's done."

Ujiko nodded, pressing a different button.

The glass closed, the tank filling up with liquid as syringes appeared from the side, stabbing into both of Tsubasa's arms.

All For One hadn't thought it would be possible, but Tsubasa's yells got louder as his body began to deform further, his arms and legs lengthening, his skull receding to show his brain, eyes swelling to bulge out of their sockets.

The Winged Nomu howled, its wings now pale yellow to match the rest of his skin, its nose was gone, two vertical slits in its place, while the talon on its feet had grown even larger, a set now on its hands as well.

Ujiko tapped the glass with a finger, receiving an animalistic roar from the Winged Nomu in return.

"Hm, its mind didn't survive the progression, it's Beta-grade now." Ujiko continued to examine the Winged Nomu.

All For One spoke. "Start on the next two of Series IX Nomu, I'm going to meet Tomura."

Ujiko mumbled in agreement, too busy scribbling down notes about the newly-created Nomu.

Black sludge appeared around All For One, covering him for a few seconds before receding. He was back in his room, the breathing apparatus he required, when not using an air manipulation quirk for brief periods, sat next to his chair.

"Sensei."

All For One turned, Tomura and Kurogiri stood at one side of the room, the former's arms and legs bandaged.

"Tomura, I'm glad to see you, well."

Tomura frowned, his upturned mouth peeking out from behind the hand he wore on his face.

"Are you unsatisfied?"

Tomura raised his right arm to reveal a golden-yellow metal rectangle on the end of his stump, hollow except for two cylindrical prongs. "This is hardly a hand."

"No it isn't." All For One smirked. "That hand on your face is though."

Tomura removed his father's hand from his face, examining the port on the bottom, the exact opposite of what was on his right arm. "It this…"

The pale-haired villain slotted the preserved hand into his stump.

Commanding his lost right hand to move, Tomura watched as his father's hand followed the same movements.

"Your father's quirk was Dust Manipulation, wasn't it not?" All For One threw Tomura a tennis ball.

Tomura nodded, catching the tennis ball with his new hand, before tossing it to his other.

"Try using it."

Placing his fifth digit on the ball, Tomura watched it crumble to dust, before twisting his other hand.

The dust formed into a cyclone, spinning around in the palm of his left hand.

"Their quirks, I can use them all?"

All For One nodded. "But that's far from all I have to give you, I guess you could consider these your graduation present."

Flicking his fingers, a portal of black sludge deposited a pro hero, dressed in a two-tone, coloured blue and a lighter blue, jumpsuit that covered his entire body apart from his left eye, nose and mouth, with a red cape hanging from his shoulders.

"Say hello to X-Less." All For One looked down at the disorientated hero, the man's body struggling to move.

Black spikes shot out, burying themselves into the hero's skin, draining his quirk from him with a pulse of pink lines.

All For One shrugged, retracting the spikes. "Laser, an interesting if common quirk, one I never really bothered with."

Tomura stalked over to X-Less and hoisted him up with his left hand around the man's throat, he pro hero was barely conscious.

"What do we do with him?" Tomura questioned, itching to turn the wretch to dust.

" Don't kill him." All For One ordered, before nodding at Kurogiri. "We don't need an investigation into a dead hero right now, I already tampered with his memory, he won't remember any of this."

Kurogiri opened a portal in the corner of the room.

"Fine." Tomura sighed, before ripping the cape from around X-Less's neck with his father's hand and tossing him in the portal with his other.

Taking the cape, Shigaraki tossed it over one shoulder, then seeing All For One and Kurogiri's eyes on him."

Shigaraki shrugged. "What? I might get cold."

"As you wish." All For One sounded vaguely disappointed. "Now, for the gifting ceremony. Tomura."

Walking forwards, Tomura dropped to his knees in front of All For One. "Of course, Sensei."

All For One placed his hand on Tomura's head.

The supevillain's hand took on the same black and red appearance as his spikes did earlier.

"Laser. Dust Devil. Blur."

The glowing lines on All For One's hand pulsed first pink, then black and finally yellow.

Removing his hand, All For One stepped back, allowing Tomura to stand.

Tomura rolled his neck, before activating Laser, a red beam of light shooting from his left eye and burning the concrete wall. Deactivating it, Tomura raised his left hand, twisting it as it turned into sand and dust, retaining its normal shape. The hand returned to normal before Tomura suddenly blurred, reappearing at the other side of the room.

"This power, I'll use it to kill All Might." Tomura Shigaraki grinned. "And Izuku Midoriya."

End of USJ Assault Arc

A lone figure stood on the edge of a rooftop, overlooking Hosu City, the night sky at his back.

"I'm coming for you all."

Strips of red cloth fluttered behind him.

"All you fake heroes…"

He was dressed in a sleeveless combat suit, plated with metal armor, an entire armoury's worth of weapons holstered all over his body.

"...I'm going to kill you."

The Hero Killer opened his lips, his serpentine tongue licking one of his blades, smearing the blood.