Mirai Sasaki didn't know what to expect when he let go. He wasn't sure if there was anything beyond in the first place. Would he awake to a pleasant breeze in the skies or a desolate lair of brimstone? When he closed his eyes that one last time, would he even think or dream?
What awaited him was something he didn't expect, though. He carefully slid out of his hospital bed and walked towards the clock on the wall. The clock read 11:44 PM. He notices that the room is dark, the curtains drawn, and the door closed. Looking down, he sees that his wounds have cleared up, and he is wearing his hero uniform instead of the gown he had on the last time he was awake.
"What is going on…?" The hero questioned nobody in particular. A soft chuckle in response broke the brief silence, though, as Mirai whips his head toward the noise.
In front of him stood a short man, no taller than 165 centimeters. His face looked like an old teenager's or a young adult's. Yet, his dark brown eyes gave way to an aura of wisdom and duty impossible for someone of a human lifespan. If that wasn't enough of a tell on its own, the man wore a short-sleeved black muscle shirt and green sweatpants. His right hand held a lazy grip on a scythe only slightly taller than its wielder. Four fluffy and feathery angel-like gray wings jutted out from his back, almost seeming to layer on one another. The soft smile the figure bore gave Mirai a sense of calm unlike any he's felt before. This man felt almost like a brotherly or a fatherly figure.
"Death is never what you expect it to be." The unknown man finally spoke. His tone is gentle and relatively soft as he walks toward Mirai. "Lord Dolos made sure of that for the sake of those who cross before you're supposed to."
Mirai's eyes widen at the name drop. "So the Greeks–"
The angelic figure held up a hand and shook his head. "Technically, most civilizations had it right to some degree. Of course, not all of your myths and legends are true, but most gods and goddesses do exist."
"So, who would you be, then?" Mirai can't help but ask.
"I'm a being separate from the gods. I am both their humble servant and their hierarchical superior. My true name is irrelevant, but you may call me Azrael, the Angel of Death."
Azrael gave Mirai another warm smile and held out his hand, which the former hero shook. "I take it you know who I am already?" He quips.
"It's my business to know, Mirai Sasaki." Azrael laughs, enjoying the man's humor.
"So I really am dead, then, aren't I?" He looks down at his form, once again inspecting it for any sign of the trauma that did him in.
"That is correct, Mirai," Azrael replied. "Your body was already carried away by the hospital staff; your current form is how your spirit manifested itself."
"I see," is all Mirai could respond with.
"It's never easy, especially when you have people who depended on you in some way and vice versa." Azrael places a hand on Mirai's shoulder. "If it helps, I can promise you they'll all do great. You did well."
Mirai can't help but smile at the angel, huffing in amusement. "Surprisingly, it does. I wasn't expecting it to."
Azrael smirks. "My aim is to comfort the souls I collect." He holds out a hand, his smile turning somber. "Are you ready to go, Mirai?"
Mirai closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before opening them, nodding, and taking hold of the offered hand. "Yes, I'm ready."
/
Nemuri Kayama looked down at her ruined form in disgust and anger. She couldn't die yet. She still had kids to teach! How would Shouta and Hizashi deal with this? They still hadn't gotten over Oboro either.
"Damn those PLF scum!" she shouts out. "This wasn't supposed to happen!"
She dropped to her knees, tears falling onto her physical body and fading instantly. So she really was dead, wasn't she?
"You're right; it shouldn't have happened like this." A voice from above called out. Looking up, Nemuri saw a small angel with dark wings descend from the sky and land in front of her. He knelt down and placed two fingers upon her lifeless form's forehead with a grimace.
"It saddens me when a warrior is struck down in their prime. So few pure-hearted people continue to live these days," the angel laments before looking up at the body's owner.
"Wh-who are you?" Nemuri squeaked out. Despite feeling no ill will from this strange person, she couldn't let her guard down yet.
"My name is Azrael, Miss Kayama. I'm here to bring you to the next world." The angel solemnly states.
Nemuri looked down at her body again, the reality of her situation settling in. A choked-up, dry laugh escapes her throat. "It really is over for me, isn't it?"
Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she turns around to see Azrael looking at her with a sincere, comforting smile adorning his pained expression. He gives a wordless nod as he retracts his hand.
"If I had any say, I would have allowed you to live and keep fighting, but alas, I don't have that much authority."
"B-but… who will guide them when this is all over?"
Azrael's smile grew slightly. "Your friends will carry the torch until the very end. Your students will be in safe hands, I promise."
Azrael offers a hand to Nemuri, who merely gazes at it. Then, she looks back up to meet the angel's eyes. "Do I have to go now? Can I stay and watch, at least?"
Azrael's eyebrows raise at the inquiry, and he smirks. "You're one of the very few who have asked that. You can remain in this world for about one hundred years before crossing over. You can't interact or reach out, but you can observe until you're ready or until the time comes."
"Then I'd like to stay," Nemuri boldly says. "I want to see this out; I want to see my kids grow."
A proud expression is brought to the angel as he nods in acceptance. "You are a kind woman, Nemuri Kayama. They are fortunate to have someone like you. Very well. You may reach out anytime before the hundred years, and I will come to collect you."
/
Kowai Shigaraki had lived for over two hundred fifty years. He was the most powerful man on Earth, unrivaled except by that wretch All Might. He even managed to take over Tenko's body after ruining his own trying and failing to defeat those weakling hero brats!
So how did the boogeyman of the underworld, the all-powerful All For One, wind up completely annihilated by that pitiful whelp of a successor?!
"There has to be some way to get back there… this isn't over, Izuku Midoriya! I WILL RETURN AND KILL EVERYTHING YOU LOVE!"
"I'm afraid your time is up, Kowai." A stern voice calls out from behind the rage-filled man.
Kowai whips his head to meet the insolent bastard who dared interrupt his machinations. "State your purpose before I destroy you!" He smugly shouts.
"I see you're still in denial of the facts. You have no power here, Kowai Shigaraki." The unknown figure steps towards the man in question, now visible in the light.
"Feh," the ancient villain scoffs upon examining his adversary. "You even look weak. You're hardly worth my time, but I guess I have time on my hands."
Kowai raised a hand and attempted to summon his Rivet Stab quirk, only to feel nothing. Calling upon his other quirks, including All For One, he still feels nothing. He looks down at his hands, noticing the holes in his palms have healed. Bringing his hands up to his face, he feels the features that had long since been destroyed.
"I tried to tell you, you have no power in the realms of the dead, Kowai Shigaraki." The man re-states matter-of-factly.
"Who are you? Where are we? Why am I here?!" Kowai screams out.
The other man doesn't speak immediately. Instead, a faint gray light surrounds him. From his back, six dark gray, furry, feathered wings protrude in an angelic form. The man's dark brown eyes glow a harsh pure white. He opens his right hand, and a long, black and silver scythe appears in his grip. He raises his left hand and manifests a series of large osmium chains.
"I am Azrael, the Angel of Death. You have died, and I have come to collect you and bring you to the next world."
Kowai stares at the threatening angel, eyes widened as he processes everything that happened. He then starts to chuckle and then boisterously laugh. Finally, he descends into a fit of malicious cackling before speaking again.
"You really expect me to believe that shit? And here I thought even I was cocky and overly grandiose! Even if I did believe that, what makes you think I'll go willingly?"
Azrael flashes a dark smile to the arrogant villain, flicking his wrist almost imperceptibly, and the chains immediately lash out and cuff Kowai. Azrael flicks his wrist again, and the chains retract, dragging Kowai with them.
"We've made many improvements to our systems and protocols since the days of Sisyphus and Lord Thanatos, Kowai. You are dead; You are not escaping; And you are coming with me to the next world for your judgment."
Legends say that Kowai's terrified screams could be heard across the Earth by the living and the dead alike.
/
Eighty fulfilling years have passed since the pro hero Deku defeated All For One and his forces. Unfortunately, even the best of the heroes rarely live as long as he has. His friends have either died or retired to group homes while he continued on. He didn't blame them, nor himself, of course. They knew what they were truly signing up for after the USJ Incident. They knew that even as hero students, they would always have a target on their backs. Unfortunately, some of those targets were hit in the years since that final battle, and some merely grew too old and pained to continue.
This brings Izuku Midoriya to where he is now: The Olympus Heroics Medical Facility in the heart of Tokyo, with only the doctors and nurses to keep him company and with a DNR order. He knows he's not leaving this hospital, so why spend the rest of his life on life support when he knows it will only be a few days or weeks, just in a coma or pain? That's not the way anyone should go out.
He can feel his chest grow heavier, and he knows what that means. He closes his eyes and reminisces about his life. Finally confessing to Ochako after the final battle ended, watching Eri grow up to be Recovery Girl's successor, and bidding farewell to the vestiges of One For All after the rest of All For One's followers and minions were snuffed out from the world.
He opens his eyes again, a smile crossing his face. "I'd do it all again if I could."
He then notices movement from outside of his hospital room. Who could that be? It's the middle of the night, and none of the nurses or doctors have their rounds for at least another twenty minutes.
His question is answered as a man about as tall as himself enters. He recognizes this man; he's heard stories and remembered seeing him around, though his memories are fuzzy and vague.
"Is it really time already, Azrael?" Izuku weakly speaks up.
For the angel's part, he stops in his tracks. "Usually, when I wipe memories of my presence, they stay wiped." Azrael smirks and chuckles. "You're really something else, Izuku Midoriya."
"I can't even count how many times I've heard that anymore," Izuku replies with his own mischievous smile.
Azrael can't resist the continued laugh that passes through him. He collects himself and meets Izuku's eyes sorrowfully. "I'm afraid you're correct, though. It is time."
Izuku nods sagely, raising his hand for Azrael, which the angel takes after a second of hesitation. "I knew it had to be soon. I've made peace with it all; I'm ready to go."
For one of the few times in his tenure, Azrael sheds a tear and touches Izuku's soul, gently pulling it from his now lifeless form. "The gods and I are so very proud of what you've done with your life, Izuku. You will be rewarded handsomely for your contributions to the world."
Izuku, now appearing as he did in his prime, just smiles bashfully. "As long as I get to see them all again, I'll be happy. That's all I ever wanted after I passed."
"And see them again, you will, Izuku Midoriya. It's the very least that you all deserve for what you've done."
"Let's not keep them waiting, then. Lead the way, Azrael."
